Japan's triple disaster: 5 years on.
Five years after the 'Great Tohoku Earthquake', the resulting tsunami and Fukushima disaster, tourism to Japan is more than fully recovered with more foreign visitors to Japan than ever before.

The tsunami struck the northern Tohoku region on March 11th 2011 causing huge devastation and loss of life in the coastal towns. Tokyo was affected by the earthquake, but the public transport was back up and running close to normal service just a few days later. With a combination of sensationalist media and ill-advised FCO advice against visiting Tokyo, tourism to Japan took a huge hit. The tsunami affected regions are still in recovery and there is still an exclusion zone around the Fukushima power plant, but Japan and the majority of the Tohoku region are fully recovered with record numbers of foreign visitors (exceeding 19 million in 2015) with visitors from the UK also on a high.

With staff, suppliers, family and friends all over the country, specialist tour operator, InsideJapan Tours were hugely affected by the events of 2011. However with the help of agents and customers past and present, the Japan experts continued to send people to Japan (approximately 10,000 in 2015) and have raised over £30,000 for tsunami related charities over the years.

Co-Director, Alastair Donnelly said, “March 11th is a day of remembrance for us, a chance to reflect on the lives lost and the suffering of those who experienced the disaster. It is also a time to remember what we did as a company and consider what more we can do to help Tohoku and the people who live there. Even small things make a difference, so we will continue to promote Tohoku, introduce our customers to the region and bring tourism back to this naturally beautiful and little-known region of Japan”.

On the fifth anniversary, the Japan specialists have launched a the new 'A Northern Soul' small group tour and a new 'Tsunami Coast Exploration' experience both designed to put something back into the local communities as well as offer customers an insight into this little known part of Japan.

Co-Director, Simon King added, “The 'A Northern Soul' tour is one we originally ran in 2004, but we have remastered it for those customers who are looking for a taste of traditional Japan and the chance to engage with the genuinely warm people of Tohoku. We are confident that whether talking with the tsunami affected people of Ishinomaki, the monks of Hiraizumi's World Heritage Chuson-ji temple, or taiko drumming in its spiritual home of Sado Island, our customers will be able to give back, but also take away the authentic experiences and warmth of the 'Omotenashi' hospitality that is found in abundance in Tohoku and Japan”.

The 14 night 'A Northern Soul' tour costs from £3150pp (excluding international flights) and travels from Tokyo across the northern Tohoku region by train. Staying at traditional ryokan and small hotels, the tour includes breakfast every day and several evening meals, all transport between destinations, some private local guides as well as the services of a Japanese-speaking tour leader and a range of experiences including Kokeshi doll making, Taiko drumming, ice cream making and more. Tour departs 17th October 2016, 29th May and 16th October 2017.

The 'Tsunami Coast Exploration' experience can be added to any tailored trip. An InsideJapan Tours' tour leader (ex-volunteer's in the post-tsunami clear up) will accompany customers to Ishinomaki town giving them the opportunity to meet residents and charity groups for their take on the disaster, insight into the recovery and general life in this part of rural Japan.

InsideJapan Tours have also created a webpage dedicated to the disaster, the recovery and the beauty of the region, full of first-hand blog pieces and insight into the events and marking the fifth anniversary – Japan tsunami: 5 years on

For further information about InsideJapan Tours, please go to www.insidejapantours.com or speak to an expert on 0117 244 3263.NOTE TO EDITORS: Launched in 2000, InsideJapan Tours is a small, dedicated team of specialists, all of whom have first-hand experience of living, working and travelling in Japan. The company offers a range of original, affordable packages for small groups and independent travellers. InsideJapan Tours has offices in the UK, Japan and America. It is a member of AITO, and is fully bonded via ABTOT and ATOL. InsideJapan is part of InsideAsia Tours Ltd, an award-winning travel company offering group tours, tailored travel and cultural experiences across Japan, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Burma. Also within the group are InsideVietnam Tours (www.insidevietnamtours.com) and InsideBurma Tours (www.insideburmatours.com).

Press: For more details, please contact James Mundy, PR Manager, tel. 0117 370 9733, email james@insideasiatours.com.