The reception staff are ready and waiting to greet customers with a smile
The all new Matsuyama Tourist Information Centre finally opened in the heart of Matsuyama—the capital city of Ehime Prefecture in Japan—in Okaido on May 27. You’ll find it on the first floor of Matsuyama Mitsukoshi which isn’t even a one-minute walk from Okaido Station. It features an interior fusion combining history and culture with a design inspired by Matsuyama Castle while also throwing in a contemporary feel.
Six giant screens serve as the perfect place for tourism-related PR of Matsuyama
The first sight many visitors will lay their eyes on upon entering the information centres are the six screens spanning 1.5 meters high and 4.5 meters across the wall. Here, a variety of promotional material centred on the highlights of Matsuyama will be displayed.
The information centre offers many useful services, including for foreign customers who don’t speak Japanese. There is a translation and interpreting service, money exchange, rental electrical outlets for smart devices, and more. The staff themselves are multilingual, but the interpreting service includes access to a call centre which you can access using the free WiFi or using an iPad. The availability of foreign currency exchange is also extremely beneficial as Matsuyama is a city abundant with long-standing shops that have been around for decades and longer. Another convenience with the centre is easy access to public transport. If you’re looking to travel around the prefecture, we recommend paying a visit to the centre first as it’s sure to provide valuable information. You can even rent mobile batteries for your smartphone to lessen the stress when sightseeing.
The pictogram shows the many handy services available
Visitors will also find a comprehensive duty-free counter inside the information centre which covers all stores in Okaido, Gintengai, Matsuchika Town, Dogo Shoten, and Ropeway Shotengai. You must spend over ¥5,000 (before tax) on products to be duty-free eligible. Since it’s a comprehensive service, if you have multiple receipts you can be exempt from tax as long as all your receipts exceed ¥5,000. Participating stores have special stickers plastered up inside so tourists can quickly and easily identify them.
Stores participating in the duty-free service have stickers and signs to show it
For example, if you spend ¥500 at participating stores in Dogo Shotengai, ¥1,000 in Okaido Shopping Street, and ¥3,500 in Gintengai Shotengai, and take all three of those receipts adding up to ¥5,000 to the information centre, you can get your items duty free. But keep in mind that the receipts have a validity period on them, so be sure to check opening hours.
The Matsuyama Tourist Information Centre serves as the perfect site for bringing in all kinds of tourists, including foreign travellers, to Matsuyama post-COVID. The information also goes by the cute nickname “Dan Dan info.” Dan dan is an old Ehime phrase meaning “thank you” and ties in with the smiling and hospitable welcome staff wish to greet guests with. It’s exciting to look into the future and see how Matsuyama’s tourism and economic growth will develop in its shopping districts, stores, and elsewhere. Make one of your first stops the Matsuyama Tourist Information Centre when visiting the city.
Information
Matsuyama Tourist Information Centre
Opened: May 27, 2021
Address: Matsuyama Mitsukoshi Floor 1F Atrium Space Court, 3-1-1 Ichibancho, Matsuyama, Ehime
Homepage: https://matsuyama-tourism.com/
Facebook: dandaninfo
Instagram: dandaninfo_matsuyama
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[Channel47] Inbound Travel Product Allowing Visitors to Experience the “Real Japanese Countryside” in Iida, Nagano Prefecture Now on Sale
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■Tour Name
DEEP EXPERIENCE THE INAKA -TENRYUKYO・IIDA CITY-■Tour Summary
This is a special tour that allows inbound visitors to experience the traditional culture and beautiful landscapes of Minami-Shinshu. By participating, guests can leave the hustle and bustle of the big city behind, appreciating the true essence of Japan by spending time in the quiet region of Tenryukyo, Iida City, Nagano Prefecture.◼︎Main Points
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・Stay in a farmhouse homestay to experience real life in the Japanese countryside◼︎Dates
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② January 12-14, 2025
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④ January 19-21, 2025
⑤ January 24-26, 2025◼︎Optional Menu
Dinner at ‘Yukimoto’
*Courses and drinks are not included in the tour price.◼︎Details/Contact
Minami Shinshu Tourism Bureau Sales Page: https://www.mstb.jp/gentei/deepexperience_the_inaka/
Official Tour Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inaka_tenryukyo/ -
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https://store-localpowerjapan.com/Official Site: https://localpowerjapan.com
*Please allow two weeks to one month from order completion to product shipment.*A portion of T-shirt sales will be donated to local projects and social programs.
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Original Stickers
The slice-of-life series Laid-Back Camp is currently serialized in COMIC FUZ. Set in Yamanashi and Shizuoka Prefectures, Laid-Back Camp is a relaxing series following a group of high school girls going camping and enjoying their daily lives. The series is based on the author Afro’s personal experiences and interviews, and since serialization in 2015, the series has attracted fans from around the world. The original comic has sold over 7 million copies. In 2018, the first anime series premiered, inspiring a spin-off Room Camp in 2020 and a second season in 2021. Four years after it was announced in 2018, a Laid-Back Camp animated film will arrive in theaters this summer.Information
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Shop: https://www.jrtours.co.jp/plan/shizuoka/yurucamp/Official Site: https://www.jrtours.co.jp/