Island Voices
How to lure the Japanese to Hawai'i

By Kunio Hayashi
Honolulu graphic design consultant who often works in Japan

The "iyashi" movement — a desire to rejuvenate and heal — is spreading throughout Japan. We can capitalize on that.

When will Japanese visitors return to Hawai'i? We apparently don't have a clue since, sadly, even a rehash of strategies focused around "discounts" hasn't been effective.

However, a large number of Japanese, undeterred by economic woes and terrorism fear, signed up for yesterday's Honolulu Mara-thon. Furthermore, bookings of Japanese visitors for the 2002 Honolulu Festival have almost tripled.

What might this indicate?

It suggests a changing interest and direction of the Japanese people — to get out of the listless and fearful mood that has gripped them and become "energized" by new pursuits of a more hope-giving, "feel-good-about-yourself-and-your-world" nature.

The "iyashi" movement — a desire to rejuvenate and heal — is spreading throughout Japan. We can appeal to the Japanese by providing an opportunity for positive experiences of revitalization in Hawai'i. This requires putting our efforts into a rich image: making Hawai'i a "hope and healing place" in their hearts.

There's some movement in this direction. The Hawai'i Visitors and Convention Bureau is beginning to promote the true essence of aloha. JAL and certain major Japanese travel agencies are shifting their focus to "relaxation and rejuvenation." Some suggestions:

• Rejuvenation concerts: similar to the "Aloha Stadium TUBE Concert 2000." Invite "iyashi" musicians who are famous in Japan. From Pop to New Age, this genre of "iyashi" music is extremely popular now because Japanese have found a pathway to hope and healing through it.
• Encourage various ecol-ogy/peace/spirituality NGOs from Japan to have their retreats, workshops, conventions and summits in Hawai'i. For example, Network Earth Village, probably the largest nongovernmental organization in Japan with about 120,000 members, growing by 5,000 members every month and targeting 1 billion members globally by 2010, is currently planning a major summit in 2005, but has not yet decided on the location for their gathering.
• Co-sponsor "hope and rejuvenation"-style retreats for the Japanese each quarter, and invite guest speakers like Yukio Funai and Shiro Tange, who are widely known and read in Japan for their business and lifestyle seminars and publications. Both agree that Hawai'i possesses strong healing energies. Let these gatherings include Neighbor Island activities and workshops such as star-gazing, eco-tours, volunteer environmental clean-ups, nature hikes, Hawaiian healing, music camps and more.
• Sponsor an international "Nature & Harmony Expo." I was involved with the Hawai'i Pavilion exhibit design for the 1990 Flower Expo in Japan and was told that this expo, which promoted "nature and rejuvenation," was the most successful and most revenue-generating international expo in Japan.

Changing to face new realities is always difficult, but if we shift our focus to "aloha" and "hope and rejuvenation," we will soon realize that there are numerous powerful programs and events we can promote to attract more Japanese. And as this gap between the cause and effect diminishes, many more will come.