Photo/Illutration The old Maeda family residence in Takayama, an important cultural property designated by the Gifu prefectural government (Yoshihiro Ogino)

TAKAYAMA, Gifu Prefecture--The red carpet is being rolled out in the Hida-Takayama region this fall to well-heeled foreign visitors.

The city’s Hida-Takayama Tourism and Convention Bureau says a value-added tourism event is planned at the Hida no Sato (Hida Folk Village) in October for a group of visitors from overseas.

The bureau intends to capitalize on what it learns from the event to develop full-fledged tourism packages pitched at wealthy tourists.

For example, the city-run open air museum boasts traditional wooden beamed thatched farmhouses built between the Edo Period (1603-1867) and the Meiji Era (1868-1912) and relocated from their original sites.

Visitors will be treated to Hida beef and other dishes of local cuisine at the old Maeda family residence, designated by the Gifu prefectural government as an important cultural property. It is equipped with an “irori” sunken hearth in a wooden-floored room, which officials say will go down well with foreign visitors keen to understand traditional Japanese culture and customs.

The bureau is also considering laying on traditional performing arts to entertain guests.

A travel agency will be in charge of attracting customers, it said.

The project was approved by the Japan Tourism Agency for its program to provide subsidies to welcome inbound travelers.

The association will also use the subsidies to develop walking trails and spruce up the historical “Furui Machinami” (old townscape) area, a popular sightseeing spot, promote information in multiple languages and train guides.

Bureau officials say their focus is not just on increasing the number of tourists but also on encouraging wealthy visitors from overseas to extend their stays in the region and spend more.

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