5:15 PM - 6:45 PM
[MZZ46-P08] Itoigawa Summer Rock (Stone) Fest '23 activities to familiarize with stones
Keywords:Itoigawa UNESCO Global Geopark, Stone Town Itoigawa, Fossa Magna Museum, Itoigawa Summer Rock (Stone) Fest
Itoigawa City, located in Niigata Prefecture, is a town rich in geological resources. In 2009, it was recognized as Japan's first World Geopark and is known as 'Japan's No.1 Stone Town' and 'Stone Town Itoigawa'.
The Itoigawa Tourism Association, along with administrative agencies and tourism businesses, organized the Itoigawa Summer Rock Fest '23 (commonly called 'Ishi Fest') from July 1 to August 31, 2023 (Figure 1). Various activities were carried out in cooperation with the public and private sectors to promote the image of 'jade' and 'Itoigawa, the city of stones' among the citizens of Itoigawa. This was the occasion for the designation of the prefectural stone jade, with the aim of fostering attachment and pride in the hometown of Itoigawa, increasing the number of visitors, and stimulating the local economy. These activities were carried out in addition to Geopark activities. This report details the collaborative efforts between the public and private sectors in various activities.
During the Ishi Fest, the Itoigawa Tourist Association, in partnership with the DMO, took the lead in advertising and producing and distributing novelties. This resulted in a stronger ability to disseminate information compared to previous events, where each organization advertised individually. At the opening event, Suntory Ltd. provided support and offered a cocktail in collaboration with Suntory gin 'SUI (Midori).' Additionally, products named after stones and jade, called 'Ishi-meshi,' were developed and sold during the event in cooperation with local restaurants and lodging businesses. As a result of PR activities, 24 participating restaurants sold an estimated 4,500 items and generated approximately 2.5 million yen in sales, contributing to an estimated local consumption of 4.3 million yen. The menus of supporting businesses were introduced with photos to aid in these efforts. Additionally, eight stores served jade cocktails, selling an estimated 40 cocktails and generating approximately 30,000 yen in sales.
To attract visitors, several events were held, including a stone face contest using Instagram with 45 entries, a digital stamp rally using Line with 139 participants, a stone-themed tour organized jointly with the Fossa Magna Museum, five regular sightseeing bus tours with 94 participants, and two summer rock tours with 39 participants. Itoigawa's popular items were turned into keychains and sold as capsule toys. One of the items sold was a keychain with the Stone Festival logo. The capsule toys was installed in eight stores in Itoigawa, and a total of 5,300 items were sold.
From July 15 to September 3, 2023, the Fossa Magna Museum held a special exhibition called 'Stone Town Itoigawa.' The purpose of this exhibition is to educate visitors about stones in Itoigawa, including jade, and to promote the importance of protecting and conserving geological features. The exhibition features a 3D printer and a floor display. A three-dimensional model of a radiolarian is displayed alongside the actual chert, allowing visitors to hold it and better understand its shape. Additionally, a floor display was installed to allow visitors to voluntarily learn the names of the stones they collected. The number of visitors during the exhibition period reached 27,403, which represents a 109% increase over the same period last year.
The Ishi Fest enabled related organizations and businesses to jointly promote their activities and take advantage of strong communication power and a variety of communication media. The Ishi-meshi, one of the main attractions of the Ishi Fest, has created products that are sold as part of the menu even after the festival is over. In the future, we will continue to improve the content and promote new projects to raise awareness of Itoigawa jade and establish Itoigawa as a city of stones. We will collaborate with related organizations and businesses to increase the number of people engaging with Itoigawa City.
The Itoigawa Tourism Association, along with administrative agencies and tourism businesses, organized the Itoigawa Summer Rock Fest '23 (commonly called 'Ishi Fest') from July 1 to August 31, 2023 (Figure 1). Various activities were carried out in cooperation with the public and private sectors to promote the image of 'jade' and 'Itoigawa, the city of stones' among the citizens of Itoigawa. This was the occasion for the designation of the prefectural stone jade, with the aim of fostering attachment and pride in the hometown of Itoigawa, increasing the number of visitors, and stimulating the local economy. These activities were carried out in addition to Geopark activities. This report details the collaborative efforts between the public and private sectors in various activities.
During the Ishi Fest, the Itoigawa Tourist Association, in partnership with the DMO, took the lead in advertising and producing and distributing novelties. This resulted in a stronger ability to disseminate information compared to previous events, where each organization advertised individually. At the opening event, Suntory Ltd. provided support and offered a cocktail in collaboration with Suntory gin 'SUI (Midori).' Additionally, products named after stones and jade, called 'Ishi-meshi,' were developed and sold during the event in cooperation with local restaurants and lodging businesses. As a result of PR activities, 24 participating restaurants sold an estimated 4,500 items and generated approximately 2.5 million yen in sales, contributing to an estimated local consumption of 4.3 million yen. The menus of supporting businesses were introduced with photos to aid in these efforts. Additionally, eight stores served jade cocktails, selling an estimated 40 cocktails and generating approximately 30,000 yen in sales.
To attract visitors, several events were held, including a stone face contest using Instagram with 45 entries, a digital stamp rally using Line with 139 participants, a stone-themed tour organized jointly with the Fossa Magna Museum, five regular sightseeing bus tours with 94 participants, and two summer rock tours with 39 participants. Itoigawa's popular items were turned into keychains and sold as capsule toys. One of the items sold was a keychain with the Stone Festival logo. The capsule toys was installed in eight stores in Itoigawa, and a total of 5,300 items were sold.
From July 15 to September 3, 2023, the Fossa Magna Museum held a special exhibition called 'Stone Town Itoigawa.' The purpose of this exhibition is to educate visitors about stones in Itoigawa, including jade, and to promote the importance of protecting and conserving geological features. The exhibition features a 3D printer and a floor display. A three-dimensional model of a radiolarian is displayed alongside the actual chert, allowing visitors to hold it and better understand its shape. Additionally, a floor display was installed to allow visitors to voluntarily learn the names of the stones they collected. The number of visitors during the exhibition period reached 27,403, which represents a 109% increase over the same period last year.
The Ishi Fest enabled related organizations and businesses to jointly promote their activities and take advantage of strong communication power and a variety of communication media. The Ishi-meshi, one of the main attractions of the Ishi Fest, has created products that are sold as part of the menu even after the festival is over. In the future, we will continue to improve the content and promote new projects to raise awareness of Itoigawa jade and establish Itoigawa as a city of stones. We will collaborate with related organizations and businesses to increase the number of people engaging with Itoigawa City.