Following last year's success, a wide range of events will again be held throughout Japan to welcome visitors during winter. There will be many special events in addition to a welcome campaign, making January and February 2009 a great time to enjoy Japan�s beautiful winter scenery and seasonal winter food.

Nearly a quarter of the 300 department stores and half of the 40 outlet malls throughout Japan are participating in the Yokoso! Japan Weeks 2009 campaign. Various events, hands-on experience tours, and privilege campaigns will be hosted by nearly 600 stores throughout the country. A wide variety of services will be offered as well as free original gifts. Don�t miss this fantastic opportunity!

Event Period: 20 January � 20 February 2009 Themes of Yokoso! Japan Weeks 2009: This year�s themes are "Hands-on Experience Sightseeing", "Enjoy Shopping" and "Regional Features".

Hands-on Experience Sightseeing tours give visitors a firsthand experience of the allure of Japan through traditional Japanese culture and unique modern experiences while interacting with the people of Japan. Hands-on Experiences include sushi making, samurai party dinners � where diners can hear cultural backgrounds such as the food culture and folk tales of Edo Period while enjoying samurai party cuisine; and guided fashion tours of the backstreets of Harajuku. Those after a more active experience can try a martial art from Kyushu, Jigen-Ryu. In this experience visitors can try tategiuchi, the practice of running to and striking a tree trunk with a wooden sword from a distance of approximately nine meters. This is the most basic yet most important practice method of Jigen-ryu.

Enjoy Shopping

Yokoso! Japan Weeks will be introducing an extensive welcome campaign with special offers and discounts from department stores to outlet stores, discount stores and consumer electronics retailers across the country.

Regional Features

Yokoso! Japan Weeks will be introducing campaigns for lesser-known regions of Japan through special advertising to highlight to visitors some of the spectacular winter events they can include to make their winter trip to Japan even more memorable. Festivals include the 60th Sapporo Snow Festival, the Miyajima Oyster Festival, and the 500 year-old "Saidaiji Eyo" (The Naked Festival), a festival to call spring to the Bizen Plain. 9,000 naked men compete with each other to capture sacred sticks in the middle of the night during midwinter.

In addition, you will be able to enjoy discounts at accommodations, restaurants, various stores, hands-on experience type tours, discounts for sightseeing facilities, domestic tours, transportation, art galleries and museums, and you will receive commemorative gifts and other bonuses. For more information please visit the Yokoso! Japan Weeks 2009 website www.yjw2008.jp

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For more information or images please contact Sarah Roff, Japan National Tourist Organization by e-mail press@jnto.co.uk or tel: +44 (0)20 7398 5670