Travel Rural Japan targets wealthy tourists with ¥6.5 million custom swords

[thomas]

If this doesn't lure @Ukigumo to Japan, I don't know what will!


Custom-made samurai swords are being used to draw wealthy travellers to one of Japan's less-visited regions. At the end of June, Tokyo-based luxury travel company Japanticket began offering a two-day experience with a swordsmith in Gifu Prefecture, central Japan. The package costs ¥6.5 million, or about $40,000. A traditional Japanese sword takes around a month to complete. After the visitor leaves, Japanticket sends regular online updates on the sword's progress before the finished blade is shipped to the customer.

Gifu-based sword workshop (photo credit: Japanticket).

The company said it had already received inquiries from the United States and other countries. The package is limited to 10 groups a year. Japanticket also offers a four-day, three-night tour of Hokkaido by private jet, priced at about ¥1.88 million per person. Hokkaido Airports, which runs seven airports across Japan's northernmost prefecture, has been in the red for years. A Japanticket representative said the company hoped private jets would help bring tourists into regional areas while also improving the use of airports that remain unprofitable.

The market for luxury travel in Japan is projected reach $85 million by 2034, according to the Tokyo-based Market Research Center, more than double its 2025 size. "Luxury travelers are seeking unique, extraordinary experiences that are only possible in Japan," said a JNTO representative. Drawing such visitors to rural areas will be essential to translate tourist spending into economic growth. The majority of international tourists still go to metropolitan areas, while the number of travelers visiting the countryside is extremely small, according to the Japan Tourism Agency.

Paywall alert:

Rural Japan tries to draw wealthy tourists with $40,000 custom swords

High-end travelers seen as way to breathe new life into local economies

asia.nikkei.com

 

[Ukigumo]

That's an interesting idea but $40k is eye watering. Besides, getting the final sword into the UK has become such a headache, and with uncertain results I don't think my sanity could handle that rollercoaster again

I did visit a swordsmith, Shinpei Kato san, in Utsunomiya last time I was in Japan and spent the best part of the day asking complex questions, pound tamahagane and drinking tea. I was great fun!