Japan's latest influx of discount campaigns for tourists has both Japanese and foreigners alike crying in joy, and the good news is about to get even better.
Japan Airlines has announced a partnership with the Furusato-wari (ふるさと割, literally "hometown discount") campaign, which aims to revitalize local areas by boosting tourism through offering discount coupons. Various prefectures have already participated in this initiative to great success – Tottori's coupons sold out in 4 minutes, while Fukushima's Fuku-no-shima campaign and the Kochi Family Premium Travel Coupon have also gained much attention. A Tokyo-Okayama initiative will be the first project of this dream partnership.
Travelers going to Okayama Airport from Haneda Airport in Tokyo will be eligible for a 10,000 yen discount round-trip per person (5,000 yen discount one-way) if they use JAL's "Dynamic Package." The Dynamic Package allows tourists to co-ordinate their own itinerary through JAL and its partners – flights, accommodation, rent-a-car services, and even activities – for up to 13 nights. JAL has promised to increase its partnership with other prefectures and autonomies in the future, something avid travelers should be on the lookout for.
By taking advantage of these exclusive rates, Okayama's many top tourist destinations are destined to attract a significantly increased number of visitors from Tokyo. These include the picturesque and historically important Bikan District of Kurashiki, the Bitchu Matsuyama Castle, and Korakuen, one of the Three Great Gardens of Japan.
Trips to Okayama from Haneda Airport using this juicy 10,000 yen discount can be booked from the JAL Dynamic Package website for Okayama (in Japanese) by filling out the form towards the bottom of the page. Currently, only flights between July 1st and December 31st are eligible for discount; those for flights in 2016 are scheduled to be announced in mid-July.
More Information
JAL Dynamic Package information page (Japanese)
