Tourism Ninja-themed tours popular among foreign tourists

On 24 September, a group of tourists from Malaysia visited the city's Ninja Museum of Igaryu. Members of the about 30-strong group, including a bank employee and a university student, expressed enthusiasm while throwing shuriken ninja stars at a wall. Frankie Kong, 26, a first-time visitor to Japan from Kuala Lumpur, said: "I learned about ninja from Japanese anime. I'm happy to be able to experience such ninja techniques." The tour, which lasts two days with an overnight stay, allows participants to spend a night in the Misugi Resort hotel in Tsu City, and take them by bus between various sites, including the museum. The tour also includes a ride on Iga Railway Co. train cars decorated with illustrations of ninja, and a visit to a ninja show featuring Ashura, The Iga Ninja Group.

Click to expand...

The ninja package plan began in April 2013. Initially, tourist office officials were concerned that visitors might be hesitant to travel on unfamiliar routes while dressed in ninja costumes. However, such fears were soon dispelled. In fact, foreign participants quickly embraced the playful elements of the tour. For example, when they check into the Misugi Resort hotel, they receive missho "secret letters," spelling out tasks and how to behave as a ninja. As of spring 2020, a total of about 16,800 people from such countries as Italy, France, Spain, Thailand and Singapore had taken part in the tour, exceeding organizers' expectations. The tour was temporarily suspended due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, but resumed in October 2022, with more than 1,500 people booking tickets for the then upcoming six-month period.

Click to expand...