On March 11, 2012, the Japan Tourism Agency (JTA) and the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) will launch a campaign called “Japan. Thank You” to mark the one-year anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake.

The campaign aims to express Japan’s appreciation for the continuous support it has received from abroad since the disaster through a number of programs directed as overseas visitors to Japan.

For foreigners living in Japan or planning a visit soon, one of these programs is free admission to sixteen major tourism facilities and free use of public transportation in the beautiful historic town of Takayama on March 11.

Takayama is located near the northern Japanese Alps in Gifu prefecture and is famous for its well-preserved historical commercial district and is close to the Shirakawa-Village UNESCO World Heritage site.

Foreigners who visit Takayama on March 13 need only to show their passport and they will be given a free one-day bus pass and granted free access to museums and historical attractions throughout the city.

According to Oishi Katsuya of the Japan Tourism Agency: “We didn’t limit the promotion to Takayama, they just happened to like the idea when we suggested the idea to different municipalities and organizations.”

Kazuhiko Sakagami, who is head of the Takayama Overseas Strategy Office, addressed the foreign community: “After the disaster, Takayama also received support from overseas visitors to Japan. Though we can only provide but the slightest hospitality, we would like to express our gratitude for this. We hope that you take this as an opportunity to visit Takayama.”

For more information on visiting Takayama, be sure to check the city’s official tourism page.

You can also check the Japan Tourism Agency website for more details on the “Japan. Thank You.” campaign.

Source & Image: Hida Keizai Shimbun

The official campaign logo. Be sure to look out for it around Tokyo and other parts of Japan the next few months.”