 |
 |
 |
The movie Memoirs of a Geisha charts the life of a geisha girl throughout the 1930s and 1940s. Copyright © Sony Pictures Digital Inc. |
JAPAN. Japan National Tourist Organization (JNTO) is hoping that interest in Japan will escalate on the back of a newly released Hollywood movie on geisha girls.
Memoirs of a Geisha, based on a novel by Arthur Golden, charts the life of a geisha throughout the 1930s and 1940s. The movie features a prominent Asian line-up which includes Michelle Yeoh, Gong Li and Ken Watanabe.
“People inspired to visit Japan after seeing Memoirs of a Geisha can visit many of the locations used in the film in Kyoto,” said JNTO in its January 2006 newsletter.
Opportunities to visit traditional tea houses have become fewer over the years due to the declining number of geishas and traditional geisha tea houses. These old-style establishments also face competition from more contemporary entertainment.
But Hollywood’s glamorisation of geishas and maikos – geisha apprentices – might rekindle tourists’ curiosity, particularly in Kyoto’s Gion Corner, which lies in the heart of the geisha district.
Several promotional packages have been launched by hotels and tour operators in conjunction with the film release.
Hotel Granvia in Kyoto is offering guests the opportunity to spend an evening at a traditional tea house, where they will also enjoy Kyoto-style kaiseki dinner with geisha entertainment.
Jaltour is offering a five-night Memoirs of a Geisha-inspired tour of Japan, including three nights in Kyoto and two nights in Tokyo.
In 2004 the Korea National Tourism Organization successfully launched movie-themed tours to the Chinese on the back of Winter Sonata, a soap opera that has a massive following in East Asia.
Recently the US launched an aggressive movie-themed campaign to woo tourists. “You’ve seen the films. Now visit the actual film locations” is the campaign that is hoped to revive interest in the country as a tourist destination.
MORE STORIES ON JAPAN TOURISM
2005 outbound Japanese travel numbers fall short of previous record – 17/01/06
Mixed forecasts issued for year-end Japanese travel – 07/12/05
