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 on board. 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 Momoko Nobusue, a JAL hometown ambassador who is involved in the flower festival at the Kyushu branch office.
–What can you tell us about your initiatives?
Hello everyone! This is Nobusue, JAL Furusato Ambassador for Fukuoka Prefecture.
Suddenly, what comes to mind when you think of Fukuoka? Ramen, mentaiko (cod roe), motsunabe (hot pot), Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine, and other delicious gourmet foods and famous sightseeing spots may immediately come to mind. In this issue, we would like to introduce the charms of Fukuoka’s “flowers” and Fukuoka City’s efforts to make you aware of new attractions in Fukuoka.
Fukuoka City is focusing its efforts on activities to convey the image of Fukuoka as a city overflowing with flowers and greenery to the rest of the world. As part of this effort, Fukuoka City will take on the challenge of holding the Fukuoka Flower Show in the spring of 2026, with the aim of increasing the number of people involved in flowers and greenery, developing the industry as a whole, and broadening the base for civic activities.
This year, the “Fukuoka Flower Show Pre-Event” will be held from March 23 to 27 as a pre-event! We hope that you will visit this special five-day event to see, touch, smell, and enjoy a wide variety of contents with all five senses, and would like to give you an overview of the event.
–What is your approach to “flowers”?
The pre-event will be held for five days at the Fukuoka City Botanical Garden, located in the heart of Fukuoka City. The greenhouse is an urban oasis where visitors can view over 2,000 species of plants, including tropical plants and cacti, and is popular with families and couples of all ages.
The event will be divided into two areas: a “general area” that can be entered with the zoo and botanical garden admission fee, and a “special area” that requires an admission ticket in addition to the admission fee. Restaurants, cafes, and kitchen cars will also be on display, allowing visitors to enjoy the world of flowers at their leisure.
General area: Food, drink, and merchandise sales, various events, Fukuoka Orchid Show, lights, etc.
Special areas: symbolic garden, garden contest, veranda garden, restaurants/cafes, sales of goods, and decorative flowers to be sold on the last day of the event as well as during the lighting up.
–Please tell us about other “flower” related initiatives that you are implementing.
Since 2018, Fukuoka City has been implementing an initiative called “Hitori Hitori Hana (One Person, One Flower) Movement. This initiative aims to create a city through flowers, where every citizen, business, and government official enriches human connections and hearts, and enhances the attractiveness and value of the city through flower planting in parks, sidewalks, offices, homes, and all other places in Fukuoka City.
Therefore, if you look at the sidewalks when walking in the city or waiting at traffic lights, you will often see lovely flowers planted in flowerbeds. I feel that this is a very good initiative, as it is calming to see flowers and adds color to the cityscape.
–What is your message to travelers?
I hope this article has given you a sense that Fukuoka is not only famous for its food and famous tourist attractions, but also for its “flowers”.
We hope that when you come to Fukuoka, you will enjoy the new Fukuoka as well as the cityscape decorated with flowers.
We look forward to seeing you at the Fukuoka Flower Show Pre-Event, March 23-27 in Fukuoka!
© Source travel watch
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