“Omotenashi Plans” from past finalists / 過去ファイナリスト等の「おもてなしプラン」
The "Omotenashi plans" of past finalists and applicants are as follows.
We are looking forward to your application for the "Omotenashi Plan" from the unique perspective of a Japanese resident.
(これまでのファイナリストや応募者の「おもてなしプラン」は以下となります。日本在住者ならではな目線でのあなたのおもてなしプランの応募をお待ちしています)
2024 Finalist＞＞
I’d like to plan a trip for our family that focuses on health and wellness rather than a traditional vacation. As I am trying to help my family get healthier as they get older, I want them to experience how a healthy life can be fun in Japan. Hiroshima offers plenty of wonderful activities that enhance this.
The Shimanami Kaido is a great place to do this as we could cycle while enjoying the beautiful scenery of the Seto Inland Sea and the islands' small towns. Within these small towns, we can stop by local eateries that often use local produce which promotes healthy eating. I would also like to go glamping as there are many popular accommodations in this area.
This is one of my favorite spots in Hiroshima that I repeatedly come back to so I would love for them to experience it! There are many other places I would like to take them including Sandankyo Gorge and camping in Shobara. All year-round, the flowers at Sera often change with the season so I would also like for my family to explore these flower fields and partake in wine tastings at Sera.
2024 Finalist＞＞
Finally, I would like to show them “Omotenashi” through a local touch.
Hiroshima has many different specialties all over the prefecture which are all not too well known. For my sisters who love makeup and are interested in Japanese calligraphy, I would love to take them to Kumano.
Closer to my home, Saijo is also a great spot as it boasts Hiroshima’s largest keyhole burial mound, “Kofun”, and is one of the leading sake capitals in Japan. Saijo Sakagura-dori Street is a beautiful place to take pictures while tasting various sake breweries’ specialties.
Alongside this, I have a deep appreciation for various shrines around the prefecture so I would love to show them and have them explore. While Miyajima and Itsukushima Shrine are a must-see, I would love to take them to smaller shrines in other places such as Shiwa or Akitsu. By surrounding themselves in these sacred spaces or even watching local Kagura dances, I think these local shrines would help clear their mental consciousness.
Finally, I would love to bring my family along for another workday at my school. I had invited some of my family to my previous school at Shiwa which deepened an understanding between the Japanese community and my foreign family. It would be a great experience for all those involved!
2024 Applicant＞＞
I hope my mother will be able to travel here in the spring. I want to share with her the places I often describe when we talk on the phone, like the beautiful cherry blossom trees at Hiroshima University, Kagamiyama Park, and Sakaguradori. My mother has a love for cars and brown rice, so I hope to take her to Satake Incorporation and the Mazda Museum. She also loves nature, flowers, and seafood, so I’m excited to bring her to Sera Town and Shobara, and to let her try sushi for the very first time. I also want her to taste taiyaki and okonomiyaki. We’ll visit Miyajima, the Atomic Bomb Dome, and the Hill of Hope, making memories in each place.
2024 Applicant＞＞
I would love to take my sister to visit the Sengoku Garden in Saijo, Higashihiroshima. This beautiful park would offer her an ideal viewing experience, allowing her to feel and appreciate the deep connection between the coexistence of Japan and nature. This park is very beautiful for taking awesome pictures too, she loves posting a lot on social media, this will be a great spot for content creation for her.
2024 Finalist＞＞
Third, I would like to introduce my friend to a local museum in Hiroshima. After visiting some local museums, I pointed out that it has a different concept from local museums in Indonesia. Hence, I would like him to visit Kuchiwa Local History Museum in Shobara. The museum preserved an old high school building and created a unique place as a local museum. It displays various daily life tools used by locals. The collections are donated by the locals and hold a history of the place itself. From Kuchiwa Local History Museum, my friend will be able to learn about the concept of a local museum itself: a source of history and memory of the locals. I had a great time when visiting this museum, and I hope to share it with him.
By visiting these three places, I would like to name our journey as “Visiting Higashi-Hiroshima and Beyond: Where Leisure Meets Knowledge.” We will be happy to share this journey through social media and other form of media documentaries.
2024 Applicant＞＞
Certainly, I can’t miss showing off the grandeur of the university where I’m studying?Hiroshima University. The campus is very large, with many buildings serving different functions. The roads from home to school are clean and lined with trees. Next are the buildings filled with memories that I will always remember, like the IDEC building where I study, or Satake Hall, where so many memorable events take place. After touring the university, I’ll take my family to Kagamiyama Park to relax and see how locals play with their families or camp out every weekend.
2024 Finalist＞＞
Okunoshima island, I would like to bring my friends to Okunoshima island, because it is both a historical and a beautiful place. I think it is important to learn about the places you visit and the islands dark history of poison gas plants is something tangible that reminds us about the horrors of the Second World War. Estonians suffered a lot in this war both by the hands of Germans and the Soviet Union, so we can understand the horrors of the local people who were forced to work in the poision gas factory. On the other side it will also be a chance to see the "kawaii" Japan, because us foregners we perceive many things in Japan as cute. Feeding tens of rabbits at the same time will be a prescious memory for my friends. I also hope to take them to an onsen, so they can enjoy a Japanese past time activity that is close to our sauna culture. These activities will help my friends to see connections between Japan and Estonia. And my friends will get to see how Ive spent the 1,5 years that Ive been away from home.
2023 Applicant＞＞
I want to take my mother for sightseeing in all the touristic attractions in Hiroshima, like the atomic bomb dome and museum, Miyajima island and Daishoin temple, rabbit island, Kagamiyama park, and show her cherry blossom especially in Shukkeien garden. She would also love visiting the temples and shrines and get the vibe of Japanese spirituality.
2023 Finalist＞＞
I would like to enjoy playing snow at Megahira Ski Resort with my family, as it will be our first time to experience winter together.
Apart from that, I have visited the Atomic Bomb Dome and Itsukushima Shrine by land transportation, but later I want to take my family on water and air transportation: World Heritage Sea Route, Galaxy Hiroshima Bay cruise and Miyajima Ropeway.
I want to let my family know that Hiroshima has a whole package of tourism, from educational to recreational perspective. So, I will also take them to enhance knowledge at the 5-Days Children's Museum of Culture and Science, and the Hiroshima City Transportation Museum; experience Japanese archery (Kyudo Dojo Sha-Raku); learn about Hiroshima's signature dish at Global Experience Muslim Friendly Okonomiyaki (Okosta); and shop for souvenirs at Hondori Shopping Street and The Outlets Hiroshima.
2023 Applicant＞＞
I have been telling my mom about the kindness of Japanese people and beauty of Japan, so I want her to experience the life here, even if it is just for a short visit. I want to take her to all the touristic attractions in Hiroshima and show her cherry blossom. Also, I will try to let her communicate with local people and get to know Japanese culture more closely.
2023 Finalist＞＞
Hiroshima Eco Chou Park
Environmental Education: Visiting a garbage disposal center in Hiroshima can be a valuable educational experience for your family, especially my mother ? Ph.D. in Environment from Thai Nguyen University, Vietnam. It provides an opportunity to learn about the importance of responsible waste management, recycling, and the environmental impact of improper disposal. Garbage disposal centers often incorporate sustainability measures, such as waste-to-energy technologies or composting. Learning about these practices can encourage my mother to support and implement sustainable solutions in her research career.