THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
October 10, 2021 at 16:35 JST
Fukuroda Falls, a popular sightseeing spot in Ibaraki Prefecture (Asahi Shimbun file photo)
Ibaraki Prefecture’s success from promoting its beauty and charms was short-lived. The prefecture returned to its familiar bottom-basement ranking in a survey this year of “attractive prefectures.”
For seven consecutive years until 2019, Ibaraki had ranked last among the nation’s 47 prefectures for allure and appeal in the online survey conducted by Brand Research Institute, a consulting agency for regional brands based in Tokyo’s Minato Ward.
But after its promotional campaign, Ibaraki moved up to 42nd last year, relinquishing the “least attractive” title to neighboring Tochigi Prefecture in the northern Kanto region.
The latest rankings, which were released on Oct. 9, put Ibaraki back in the bottom again.
Tochigi climbed the chart to reach 41st.
Hokkaido kept its “most attractive” prefecture title for the 13th straight year, followed by Kyoto, Okinawa and Tokyo.
Osaka Prefecture gained its highest-ever ranking, at fifth.
Brand Research Institute asked respondents 89 questions in the survey conducted in July, including if they recognize each prefecture, if they had visited each prefecture, and if they are willing to visit each prefecture.
About 35,000 people responded.
After considering the respondents’ age and population distribution, the company converted these answers into points.
The “visibility” of Ibaraki Prefecture was particularly low among respondents who live in western Japan, the company said.
After the inglorious seven years at the bottom, Ibaraki officials worked hard to promote the prefecture by creating an official virtual YouTuber character named Hiyori Ibara.
The female character has introduced sightseeing spots and specialties in the prefecture in promotional videos.
When Ibaraki climbed out of the 47th spot in the rankings last year, some on social media lamented that the prefecture could no longer use the easily recognizable “least attractive” title in its promotional campaign.
Earlier this month, prefectural officials summarized the promotion work in a booklet titled, “How to live with the bottom in the attractiveness ranking.” It is available on the prefectural government’s website.
Tochigi officials, upset about the prefecture’s last-place showing in 2020, launched a promotional strategy that also referred to the “least attractive” ranking.
The campaign, called “Tochigi Prefecture that starts at 47,” features a commercial in which a woman asks a would-be suitor, “Can you write Tochigi in kanji?” adding, “I like someone who cares about unfancy Tochigi.”
The prefectural government spent about 30 million yen ($267,300) on these projects.
“We will continue to spread the attractiveness of Tochigi,” a representative said.
(This article was written by Keitaro Nishizaki and Takuya Ikeda.)
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