LIHUE – Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. and a small delegation are scheduled to depart for Fukuoka and Iwaki City in Japan on Thursday.

“I look forward to this opportunity not only to honor our sister-city relationships, but also to encourage tourism during this very challenging period, as well as learn more about how other communities are incorporating sustainable practices into their daily lives,” said the mayor.

The members of the delegation include: Nalani Kaauwai-Brun, tourism specialist with the Office of Economic Development; and Shane “Maka” Herrod, who will perform at a number of venues; and Kaua'i Film Commissioner Art Umezu and his wife Michiru, who will provide translation and protocol services.

During the first two days of the trip, the delegation will man a booth promoting Kaua'i at the Aloha Monarch Hula Festival in Fukuoka, which is expected to draw approximately 100,000 people.

The Hawai'i Convention and Visitors Bureau will also have a booth at the festival.

The event is being coordinated by kumu hula Kaleinani Hayakawa, who has a long-standing relationship with hula halau on Kaua'i, and has contributed significantly to the explosion of interest in hula in Japan over the past 15 years.

“Under Kumu Hayakawa’s leadership and vision, hula has reached an estimated 600,000 people in Japan,” said Brun, crediting Hayakawa for organizing many exchange events over the years that have connected hula dancers in Japan with their counterparts on Kaua'i.

“Being at the festival gives us a chance to encourage more hula-related travel to Kaua'i in the months and years ahead,” said Brun.

It will also provide the Kaua'i delegation with the opportunity to allay fears of travel to the United States due to the swine flu outbreak.

“The mayor from one of our sister cities in Japan recently canceled a trip to Kaua'i because of his concern over swine flu,” Carvalho said. “We hope to address their fears and will do our best to encourage the people of Japan to travel to Kaua'i now so they can take advantage of reduced rates.”

While in Fukuoka, Carvalho will also meet with Takumi Shiiki, mayor of Oshima; Yoshihiko Fukuda, mayor of Iwakuni; as well as members of the Japanese media, including RKB Mainichi TV.

In addition, he will visit the ACROS Fukuoka Building, which has received international attention for its environmental design features, and is one of 40 case studies of exemplary green roof building projects featured in “Green Roofs – Ecological Design and Construction” published by the Earth Pledge Foundation.

During a two-day visit in Iwaki City, the mayor will meet with the organizers of the Iwaki City Marathon and discuss a partnership aimed at benefiting both the Iwaki City Marathon and Kaua'i Marathon.

A meeting between the mayor and the Iwaki Chamber of Commerce has also been arranged to discuss The Iwaki Green Project, which involves collaboration between private industry and government to encourage the development of green businesses in the region.

“With the latest statewide visitor statistics showing an increase in visitors from Japan, this trip offers the county a great opportunity to turn the focus to Kaua'i,” said George Costa, director of the Office of Economic Development.