Initiatives to boost tourism

I don’t want to be a special envoy in name onlyNOT JUST A TITLE

In October 2025, thankfully,The fifth person ever to be appointed ‘Nagoya Tourism Ambassador’I have been appointed to this role. My task is to promote the charms of Nagoya to the wider world.

However, when I received the news of my appointment, the very first thing that came to mind was…Pleased to have been appointed, one must not become a mere figurehead envoy.That was the situation.

A title is not an end in itself the moment you are given it. After all, simply adding another line to your business card does not, in itself, mean that even one more person will visit Nagoya. What matters is what you do with that title. Now that I have been appointed,Actually invite people to Nagoya and achieve results in communicating its appeal. I’ve made up my mind.

Why tourism?WHY TOURISM

Nagoya boasts a rich history, a vibrant culture, a diverse culinary scene and a high level of craftsmanship. Yet it is still often described as ‘a city with nothing to offer’. As I pondered the reasons for this, I realised that when it comes to tourism in Nagoya,Two major challengesI realised that there was one.

The concept of a "human tourist spot"HUMAN LANDMARK

If we cannot build buildings,It would be great if people themselves became tourist attractions.. This gave rise to the concept of the ‘human tourist attraction’.

Sax Samurai has the ability to attract people and to get the word out. Nagoya boasts a wealth of charming tourist attractions that are as yet undiscovered. By combining these two strengths, we can create new venues that draw crowds without incurring any capital expenditure.

It is now officially promoted as a ‘human tourist attraction’ even at tourist information centres in Nagoya City. From being a magnet for people,Becoming a voice that conveys the town’s charm. That is where the Saxophone Samurai is standing right now.

お役に立てる、二つの力TWO STRENGTHS

自治体や商業施設の皆さまからご相談をいただくとき、サックス侍がお出しできるものは大きく二つあります。

この二つの力は、こうしたご相談にお応えするためのものです。

Practical Examples of Regional RevitalisationCASE STUDIES

Shopping streets, traditional crafts and cultural facilities. We are already implementing initiatives tailored to the specific challenges faced by each local area.

In addition to these, they have performed at various tourist attractions and shopping centres across Nagoya, including Tsuruma Park, Furarie, Oasis 21 and Atsuta nagAya.

Track record of attracting visitors from outside the prefectureRESULTS

We asked those who came to the gig in Nagoya where they had travelled from. The results were as follows:There were 24.81 TP3T visitors from outside the prefectureThat was the gist of it.

Furthermore, for those attending,86.7% is ‘primarily for Sax Samurai’That was their reply. It means they did not just happen to be passing by, but had come there with a specific purpose in mind.

So the Sax Samurai's live performances aren't confined just to the local area.Attracting visitors from a wider catchment areais being generated. This power can be utilised directly for tourism and regional revitalisation.

Proud Nagoya ProjectCIVIC PRIDE

At the root of the stagnant tourism in Nagoya, there is another major challenge.lack of civic pride (the power to be proud of one's own town)is.

People from Nagoya tend to say "Nagoya has nothing" partly out of modesty. However, even if it is just modesty, if that saying spreads outside, it ends up creating the impression that it is truly an unappealing city.

Proud Nagoya ／ Turning pride into the power of the city. Making Nagoya an even more radiant city.

That is why we launched the "Proud Nagoya Project".A small declaration of affection for NagoyaWe are offering this as a car sticker, free of charge to anyone.

Distribution began in June 2026, and we have delivered over 1,000 to date. We are initially aiming for 10,000, reaching a point where you start seeing the stickers on cars driving around the town. We believe that as more people feel a sense of pride, the town's appeal will naturally spread.

View the Proud Nagoya project

driving both domestic and overseas initiatives forward simultaneouslyTWO APPROACHES

To ensure tourism doesn't just end as a passing phase,both inside and outside the cityare acting upon simultaneously.

Action plan for 2026PLAN 2026

The main focus for 2026 isStrengthening of out-of-county expeditions, focusing on weekends and national holidaysis.

Originally, I was planning to focus my activities mainly within the city as a Nagoya Tourism Goodwill Ambassador. However, as I continued to perform outside the prefecture, I realised that a trend was emerging where people who discovered the Saxophone Samurai there would subsequently make the trip to Nagoya.

So far this year, we have performed in Kyoto, Mie, Hamamatsu and other places, all of which have received a tremendous response. In areas further away from Nagoya, such as Hiroshima, Fukui and Shiga, more people than we could have imagined stopped to listen.

This track record has also reached local governments and tourism associations in various regions, leading to new and repeat commissions. While further increasing our activities outside the prefecture,Increasing the number of people who come to NagoyaThat is the big theme for this year.

Future initiativesWHAT’S NEXT

Up to the point of gathering a crowd, Saxophone Samurai can do it by himself. However, what lies beyond thatrepeat visits and building a local fan baseThat being the case, there's a limit to what can be done alone. That's precisely why we are working on the following two things.

The charm of Nagoya, to the people of NagoyaFOR NAGOYA PEOPLE

Even for the people of Nagoya who come to Sax Samurai's live shows, this activityAn opportunity to rediscover the appeal of NagoyaI hope it will be.

Many of the venues where we perform are tourist spots or places packed with local charm. Not a few people realise the appeal of Nagoya, which they didn't know before, triggered by the live performances.

First, the people living in Nagoya themselves must recognise its appeal and take pride in it. From there, Nagoya's appeal will be communicated to people outside the prefecture and overseas.