[Visitor] A manager of Korean insurance company
[Attendants] 3 KSGG members, 1 YCVB employee
[Language] Korean
At the request of Yokohama Convention & Visitor Bureau (YCVB), KSGG guided a Korean visitor for three days in a row. The purpose of the visit was to take a look at attractions in Yokohama in advance of his company’s incentive tour to reward its employees. An employee of YCVB took him to the sightseeing spots during the guide, and three KSGG members assisted him in relays. The KSGG members found the three-day guide worthwhile to show the Korean visitor the attractions of Yokohama.
Yokohama Guide: Day 1
[Date & Time] Saturday, February 18, 8:50 am – 2:30 pm
[Spots] Sankeien Garden, The House of a Diplomat (Yamate Italian Garden), Motomachi Shopping Street, Yamashita Park, Red Brick Warehouse, Marine & Walk, World Porters, Landmark Plaza
[Attendants] 1 KSGG member, 1YCVB employee
When I saw the YCVB man at the hotel we met up, he said that he was thinking of renting bikes at Yamashita Park. I thought this idea was fresh. (Actually we took the Sea Bass, water bus service.) The first guiding place was Sankeien Garden. The visitor seemed to be surprised to learn that these classic Japanese buildings were moved from Kyoto, Kamakura and other places. Since ume blossoms or Japanese plumtrees were in full bloom, we strolled around the place and enjoyed the beauty of the Japanese garden. At the tea ceremony room, Bototei, in the Sankei Memorial, we enjoyed powdered green tea and had a chance to talk with a tea master. Next I took them to the Yamate area and to the Home of a Diplomat there, and then to Motomachi Shopping Street. After lunch we took the Sea Bass from Yamashita Park to Red Brick Warehouse. They checked out the restaurants in the area to see if group dining is possible there. Obviously it was not an easy task to find a restaurant to hold about 200 people. The walkway to Landmark Plaza was full of the ambience of Yokohama, which was his impression also.
Yokohama Guide: Day 2
[Date & Time] Sunday, February 19, 9:20 am – 3:00 pm
[Spots] Sojiji Temple, Shin-Yokohama Raumen Museum, Nissan Global Headquarters, Hara Model Railway Museum
[Attendants] 1 KSGG member, 1 YCVB employee
The visitor was a competent Korean businessman and visited a lot of countries around the world. From his hotel we went to Sojiji Head Monastery, the main temple of the Sotoshu Buddhist sect. For all the transport on the day, we took taxis. We reserved a one hour tour in the temple conducted by a priest who speaks English. Having a good command of English, the visitor talked with the priest over the resemblance between Zen meditation training and his military service. Though the Korean manager travelled lots of places, he seemed to be surprised at and impressed by the huge scale of the temple. Then we visited Shin-Yokohama Raumen Museum. The site was so crowded due to it being Sunday. He enjoyed his favorite pork bone broth ramen there. He took pictures of the retro Showa era interior of the museum and looked for some souvenirs. NISSAN Global Headquarters was so much congested with people in the midst of the activity presentation of 2017. He took photos of exhibition cars there and got in the new cars and electric vehicles. At Hara Model Railway Museum in the adjacent building, he also took pictures and enjoyed a train driving simulator.
Yokohama Guide: Day 3
[Date & Time] Monday, February 20, 10:45 am – 5:00 pm
[Spots] Yokohama Royal Park Hotel, Orbi Yokohama, Yokohama Museum of Art, Manyo Club, Cupnoodles Museum
[Attendant] 1 KSGG member, 1 YCVB employee
First the Korean manager visited Orbi Yokohama, an entertainment museum, and enjoyed motion pictures projected on one of the largest screens in Japan. He also appreciated the photo exhibition by Shinoyama Kishin, a Japanese famous photographer, held there on the day. Then he went to Manyo Club, a spa resort, and looked around the banquet halls, hotel accommodations, and the spa, but passed bathing there. After that he moved to Cupnoodles Museum and made the MyCup or his own cupnoodle. The purpose of his visit to Japan this time was to study where to take some 200 employees during the company tour. The point of view on the tourist attractions he visited must be different from a private trip. I really hope that he loves Yokohama and will choose Yokohama as the destination of the company trip.