Tokyo Fiesta - promoting tourism to Japan's urban heart

Exquisite chochin and loud wadaiko featured in Sydney and Melbourne during March as Australia showcased the attractions of the Japanese metropolis of Tokyo.
The demonstrations and displays of traditional paper lantern handicraft and Japanese drums, along with edo-sudare (bamboo blinds) and ukiyoe (replica brush paintings), were hosted by the City of Tokyo. Street performances by the student group Ojaruzu also entertained passers-by in Sydney on March 12 and in Melbourne four days later, all part of a festive bid to capitalise on a growing Australian tourism market.
More than four million foreign tourists visit Tokyo each year, with Australians accounting for about 20,000 visitors. "Tourists from Australia are increasing each year, and many choose to spend time in Tokyo on their way to the ski resorts, as skiing in Japan has increased in popularity over recent years,'' says Mr Kenichi Shimada, director of the Bureau of Industrial and Labour Affairs.
Geographically located in central Japan, Tokyo is a convenient travel hub to not only the snowfields, but the rest of the nation. However the focus on tradition was central to the recent festivals, as Tokyo is especially rich in cultural heritage. "People tend to think of Tokyo as a modern and high-tech city, but in reality it carries much history, having been Japan's capital for 400 years since the Edo period," Mr Shimada says. "The Australian dollar is very strong against the Yen as well, making the visit to Tokyo more affordable than it ever has been.''
Last August, Tokyo nominated to play host to the 2016 Summer Olympics. Recently the city held the Tokyo Marathon 2007, proving the city's ability to successfully stage a major international sporting event.