JAL, which has bases throughout Japan, has been continuously implementing regional revitalization initiatives (currently the “JAL Furusato Project”), and in August 2020 launched the “JAL Furusato Ambassadors,” cabin crew members selected through an in-house recruitment process who move to the area to promote initiatives in their respective regions. In December of the same year, JAL appointed “JAL Hometown Cheering Troops” who are involved in regional revitalization while serving as flight attendants. The aim is to develop products and solve regional issues for hometowns and other regions with which they have connections, utilizing the knowledge they have accumulated as flight attendants.
We spoke with Yoshiko Hanashima, a JAL Furusato Ambassador who is involved in train travel planning in Oita Prefecture.
–What can you tell us about your initiatives?
Hello, this is Hanashima, JAL Furusato Ambassador for Oita Prefecture. I hope you all like train travel. The Fukuoka-Oita Destination Campaign is currently underway.
Japan Airlines has also registered as a “Fukuoka Hospitality Declaration Organization” and “Onsen Prefecture Oita Hospitality Declaration Organization” to support this campaign, and is making efforts to encourage more people to visit Fukuoka and Oita by communicating the charm of the region.
In March of this year, JAL hometown ambassadors from Fukuoka and Oita cooperated with JR Kyushu to promote this campaign, planning a “D&S Train ‘Kaseumi Yamasemi’ Special Operation! A “Fukuoka-Oita Kyudaihonsen Charm Discovery Journey” was planned. We worked on the selection of stations and in-train events for the enjoyment of our customers.
This spring, the D&S Train Limited Express “Kanpachi Ichiroku” began service between Hakata and Beppu Stations as JR Kyushu’s new sightseeing train. The train has a beautiful black car body, and the interior is designed with a warm atmosphere, using a lot of cedar from Fukuoka and Oita prefectures.
There are many places of interest along the Hisada Line, and we would like to introduce some of our favorite spots along the line.
–How are you involved in this effort?
The “Kanpachi-go” train departing from Hakata stops at Tanushimaru Station on the Fukuoka Prefecture side and at Era Station on the Oita Prefecture side, where special hospitality is provided by local residents. Tanushimaru Town has long preserved the legend of kappa, and there are 1,000 kappa monuments in the town. The station building itself is shaped like a kappa, and cute kappa-related goods are sold at the “Kapateria” cafe inside the station. Kappa can also be found on the platform, so please look for them when you stop by.
At Era Station, local products are sold by local residents and locally brewed sake from the Yatsuka Sake Brewery, which has been in business for more than 150 years. The brewery uses the clear subterranean water of the Kokonoe Mountain Range for its brewing water, and has a wide variety of sake, from barley shochu and kabosu liqueur, carefully produced in keeping with long-established traditions.
Ichiroku-go trains departing from Beppu stop at Amagase Station on the Oita Prefecture side and Ukiha Station on the Fukuoka Prefecture side, and, like the Kanpachi-go trains, special hospitality is provided by local residents.
At Amagase Station, there are hand and foot baths of Amagase Hot Spring in front of the station, and you can also enjoy “Yu-mikuji” (a written character that comes to life when dipped in hot water). Ukiha City is famous for its seasonal fruits. Visitors can also look forward to warm hospitality, including the sale of specialty products.
There are also many scenic attractions along the line. Near Amagase Station, you can see the “Jion-no-taki Waterfall,” a two-tiered waterfall with a beautiful spray of water; near Bungomori Station, you can see the Bungomori Engine Depot, which still retains its original appearance; and when passing through Bungo-Nakamura Station, you can also see a station building with a thatched roof, only the second of its kind in Japan.
–What are your future plans and prospects?
In FY2024, JALPAC plans to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the brand with a variety of projects and tours.
We are pleased to announce that we have planned with JR Kyushu a “2-day Beppu/Dazaifu Tour on the Limited Express ‘Kanpachi'” tour departing on August 24, 2012. This is the second time for us to collaborate on a sightseeing train tour on the Hisada Line.
This time, the “Kanpachi” express train departing from Hakata Station will be chartered and JAL Furusato Ambassadors will accompany the train to Beppu Station, the terminal station, to make the trip more exciting. In addition, “Kanpachi Ichiroku Special Oju” (Italian food) using ingredients from Fukuoka and Oita will be served on the train. On the following day, you can also enjoy sightseeing at Beppu’s Umi-Jigoku (sea hell) and Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine.
–What is your message to travelers?
In spring, rape blossoms and cherry blossoms bloom along the Hisada Line, and in summer, the vivid green of the rice paddies and highlands contrast with the blue sky. In autumn, tunnels of autumn leaves and soft silver grasses flutter in the air, and in winter, the mountains are covered with snow, changing their appearance according to the season and climate. Why not take a sightseeing train and spend a relaxing time in the great outdoors while admiring the beautiful scenery?
As a JAL Hometown Ambassador, I will continue to promote the charms of the region so that people will want to travel there.
© Source travel watch
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