Omotenashi Design Patterns MIWANE UMEWAKA, Faculty of Policy Management, Keio University RYOHEI SUZUKI, Faculty of Policy Management, Keio University TAKASHI IBA, Faculty of Policy Management, Keio University

In this paper, we propose Omotenashi design patterns. Recently, with increasing tourists visiting Japan, it has become difficult to satisfy tourists who have diverse senses of value simply based on traditional hospitality. We consider hospitality to be the very essence of service and to be adaptive to changes in the Japanese social environment as “creative hospitality”. We formalize hospitality into design patterns. By using these patterns, it is practical for not only customer service workers but also other people to design hospitality with their own senses of value. As a result, the design patterns are meant for Japanese hospitality industry personnel practice and to improve their service.

1. INTRODUCTION In recent years, tourists visiting Japan have increased rapidly. According to government statistics, the number of foreign tourists visiting Japan has increased about 4.6 times over the past decade1. In this context, the traditional Japanese style of hospitality has become more diverse, and it has become difficult to see the goodness of hospitality that has been cultivated for a long time in Japan. In this current situation, it is necessary to incorporate the essence of traditional hospitality unique to Japan and provide a way of hospitality that meets modern inbound demand. In addition, while Japan's tourism demand is attracting attention, the outflow and aging of young people in various regions of Japan, excluding some cities, are accelerating and the local economy and communities are declining. This problem requires the presence of a community that can rediscover the attractiveness of the region and increase the renewal of population. At that time, an important factor is to deepen the communication between the region and the tourists, and we believe it is important to increase the number of new practitioners through hospitality.

For example, there are some companies that are actually making a difference in the regional revitalization, e.g., UDS Ltd. is one of them. UDS Ltd. supplies local attractions through various facilities like hotels, youth hostels and restaurants. In addition, in order to publicize the local attractions, the staff in UDS Ltd. tries various kinds of hospitality ideas. The thing that makes the hospitality provided by UDS Ltd. different from the traditional one is, not only politeness, but also the friendliness to the guests and, moreover, they are familiar with the city as well as the local people. It is not only being community-based but also being aware of the tourists. So what kinds of “hospitality” activities do the staff do on a daily basis? To answer this question, we interviewed six staff members who actually work in the field and developed the Omotenashi Design Patterns.Thesepatternscontributetotrainingandserviceimprovementsinthehospitalityindustry.

2. BACKGROUND 2.1 What is “omotenashi”? “Omotenashi” isalmostsynonymouswith“hospitality” inEnglish.Asforomotenashi, it is importanttohavea“hearttopleasepeople”,andeachpersonhashis/herownstyle.However,“omotenashi”inrecentyearstendstobeinterpretedasknow-how.Ithasbecomerecognizedthatprovidingcourteouscareinadvanceis“omotenashi.”Forthisreason, itcanbesaidthattheessentialpartof“omotenashi”hasbeenlost. Intoday'ssociety,thesituationsurroundinguschangesabruptlyanddiversevaluesarecreatedinawaythatwehaveneverexperienced.Omotenashiwhichcentersonthinkingaboutthefeelingsofothersisthepointthatshouldbereviewedasuniversalvalue.

1Japan National Tourism Organization (n.d.), Monthly and yearly statistical data (foreigners visiting Japan and Japanese leaving Japan), Retrieved November 30, 2019, from https://www.jnto.go.jp/jpn/statistics/visitor_trends/index.html

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Therefore,byexpressingtheessenceofomotenashiusingamethodcalledpatternlanguage,whichisabstractlyexpressedandeachisconsideredinitsowncontext,peopleinthehospitalityindustrycanachieveto"thinkandactbyconsideringotherperson’sfeeling”.

2.2 Two Major Social Changes in Japan

Currently, there are two major social changes in Japan. One is the increase in tourists visiting Japan, and the other is the decline in the local economy due to the aging population and declining birthrate.

2.2.1 Increase in Tourists Visiting Japan

In Japan, the number of foreign tourists visiting Japan has exploded in recent years. This is due to the success of the “Visit Japan Campaign” launched in 2003 and the depreciation of yen. According to statistics from the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), the number of foreign tourists visiting Japan in 2018 was 27,766,112. This means an increase of about 4.6 times over the past decade since 2008 (the number of foreign visitors to Japan in 2008 was 6,048,681)2.

The purpose of foreign tourists visiting Japan has also changed significantly. According to the “Inbound Report 2019” of the world's largest Japanese style inn reservation platform “TripAdvisor”, “Comparing Japan tours and tickets purchased on TripAdvisor services in 2017 and 2018, themed culture tours have grown significantly, up 132% from the previous year”3 (translated by authors). As a result, there is a shift from tangible goods consumption to intangible goods consumption.

In this way, it can be said that the number of foreign tourists visiting Japan has increased dramatically over the past few years, and the purpose of visit has diversified.

2.2.2 Population Outflow to Cities and Local Decline The population of Japan is rapidly concentrating in large cities. According to the summary of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, the proportion of population living in Japan’s three central areas (Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya) continues to increase, and half of the people in Japan currently live in those three areas4. At the same time, there is a rapid decrease of birthrate and increase of aging population in rural areas, so the regional economy in rural areas is declining. In order to maintain the local economy despite the inevitable population decline, it is necessary to increase not only the resident population but also the number of visitors.

2.2.3 UDS Ltd. In view of such two major changes, there are some companies that are doing business to increase the population in rural regions by telling foreign tourists the appeal of the regions. One of them is the UDS Ltd. UDS Ltd. handles “business planning”, “architecture design” and “store management” that lead to regional town development in Japan and overseas. In various regions, UDS Ltd. is working on hotels, youth hostels, and restaurants that serve as a base to convey the appeal of the region. Currently, it has bases in 59 locations in Japan (As of April 2019).

2 Japan National Tourism Organization (n.d.), Monthly and yearly statistical data (foreigners visiting Japan and Japanese leaving Japan), Retrieved November 30, 2019, from https://www.jnto.go.jp/jpn/statistics/visitor_trends/index.html 3 TripAdvisor, Inc (July 12, 2019), Inbound report 2019, Retrieved from November 30, 2019, from https://tg.tripadvisor.jp/news/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/InboudReport2019.pdf 4 Statistics Bureau of Japan, (n.d.), About population concentration in urban areas, increase in large cities, etc., Retrieved November 30, 2019, from http://www.soumu.go.jp/main_content/000452793.pdf

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2.2.4 Unique “omotenashi” at UDS Ltd. At each base, the staff entertain the guests in unique ways. Those kinds of hospitality are different from the general “omotenashi”. It is hospitality that considers region rather than the facility of UDS Ltd. In order to convey the charm of the area of hotels, youth hostels, and restaurants, it seems that this type of hospitality is a little different from general “hospitality”. If the unique hospitality can be verbalized and shared, it can be applied in various regions. Therefore, Iba Laboratory and UDS Ltd. interviewed six active staff members to clarify the unique hospitality at the sites of UDS Ltd. Then, we created “Omotenashi Design Patterns” based on the interviews.

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3. OMOTENASHI DESIGN PATTERNS Omotenashi Design Patterns consist of one core pattern and 27 patterns divided into three groups. The theme of each group is A: Provide customer service, B: Draw out the appeal of the region, and C: Create the future of the region together. The following sections provide four sample patterns, while the complete patterns are listed in the appendix.

3.1 Creative Hospitality

Creative Hospitality

Beyond satisfying “polite service”, and be creative about “hospitality” that you can think of. To provide guests with opportunities, you have a role to provide services and information.

▼In this context

Even if you treat guests with great care and no mistakes, it will not always be a wonderful experience for your guests. Providing services that satisfy guests is the basis of work, and is indispensable. However, even if it goes well, it may just be a common experience, and it does not necessarily provide guests with a memorable experience.

▼Therefore

Provide memorable experiences for the guests that you can think of and/or collaborate with your team to create while thinking about increasing the value of the region as a whole, not just what the facility can provide. Hospitality means that you are consciously doing and creating something, and you need to think about yourself and value your ideas and ingenuity. In addition, to create a pleasant experience, there should be no fragmentations, and it is essential to imagine the continuity of customer experience. In order to realize your hospitality, it is important that you have a perspective that goes beyond your own point of view and have a creative attitude within the whole environment.

▼Consequently

Your hospitality can provide guests with a wonderful experience that is praised beyond satisfaction. It can add colors to their life. Thus, an impressive and memorable experience will create a desire to visit again. Therefore, it becomes the power to raise the significance and pride of your work and to create more hospitality.

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3.2 Friendly and Polite

Friendly and Polite

Try to be a good friend in the communication.

Build a pleasant relationship with each guest.

▼In this context

If you try to treat guests with care so as not to be rude, you may end up with an uncomfortable atmosphere. Because excessive honorifics and wording can create a sense of distance and cause hardness. On the other hand, being too frank and accustomed would be rude to the guests. Moreover, since the tone of comfortable communication varies from person to person, there is also the difficulty that it is impossible to establish a universal standard.

▼Therefore

Based on the desire to be friendly and polite, find a comfortable balance of appropriate degrees to suit each individual guest. While creating a vibrant atmosphere through brightness and intimacy, we aim to incorporate both well-balanced ways of respecting the other party and acting politely. “Being friendly” and “Being polite” mean that there is no such thing as being positioned opposite to each other on an axis, but on a separate axis, so you can adjust it for each guest. Based on your position and personality, you always have your own classic style, and on the basis of conversation, it is natural to adjust interactions based on the guests’ responses or reactions.

▼Consequently

You can interact with guests in a pleasant tone and comfortable atmosphere. In this way, a good relationship can be easily developed into a one-to-one relationship, creating a sense of security and trust. Such a place will be more like “home” where you want to go back and return more than other places.

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3.3 Whole Community in Mind Whole Community in Mind

Have a conscience of a welcoming the community where you are based.

You want to think about the value you provide and what you can do.

▼In this context

Even you try to make use of your strengths and characteristics and focus on polishing them, if you are disconnected from the surroundings, you may not be able to take advantage of those efforts. You do not exist just by yourself, but exist in the environment surrounding you, for example, in your region and community. Guests rarely experience the services provided alone, but see it as an element of the region and community. For this reason, if you do not have a good relationship with the community, the services you provide will be partially fragmented.

▼Therefore

Be aware of the entire region and community where you are located, consider whether you can take advantage of the locality. The regions on which we are based are the platforms for our work. Recognizing it is indispensable to increase the value of a visit by incorporating the history and culture, and connecting with people there. With that, we will be able to strengthen the connection with the region and community. It is a good idea to explore the surroundings, connect with people there, and look for learning opportunities.

▼Consequently

You can identify your uniqueness by looking at your surroundings, thinking about your role in the context, and incorporating your unique characteristics. In addition, trying to create such activities and exchanges will deepen relationships with people in the region and community. It will eventually become the foundation for cooperative relationships that enhance the attraction of the region and the entire community.

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3.4 Fresh Eyes

Fresh Eyes

Make use of the perspectives from the outside while staying inside. You want to make plans and disseminate information that make use of the attractiveness of the region.

▼In this context

Only the people who are familiar with the region know the details of the place such as attractiveness, uniqueness and history of the region. But sometimes it is difficult for those who have been there for a long time to recognize them. Even if it is really unique, people who live there for a long time have got used to it and would not realize the uniqueness. Also, since uniqueness is revealed by comparison with others, without knowing other regions, it is difficult to grasp the uniqueness. However, it is also difficult for people from outside to identify the attractiveness and uniqueness without knowing the region.

▼Therefore

While staying in the region and having a perspective from the outside, it would bring out the attractiveness and uniqueness of the region. If you have an outside experience, make use of both the “eyes from outside” and the “eyes from inside” that are fully immersed in this region. You can compare with the past and others and find out what this region is attractive for and unique about. Also, if you are already in the region, find an opportunity to go outside consciously, or have people outside the region participate in your events to gain viewpoints from outside.

▼Consequently

It will be possible to discover the charms, attractions, and uniqueness of the region that are difficult to notice by those who have been involved for a long time. This would discover the hidden and unique goodness of the region. It can also create services and values according to the new perspectives and it may cause new revitalization.

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4. METHOD we first conducted dialogical interviews. we interviewed 6 employees (hotel staff, concierge, restaurant manager, and director) of UDS Ltd., then we clustered the tips from the interviews using KJ method (Kawakita, 1967). After that, we created the pattern structure and wrote the patterns in “Iba style”.

4.1 Dialogical Interview In order to know the important points about hospitality, we interviewed 6 staff members belonging to UDS Ltd. The names and positions of the 6 members are as follows: Kaoru Yamamori (Director of Okinawa UDS Ltd.) Kazuhiro Takata (HOTEL LOCUS Front Desk Manager / Fisherman） Akiko Sakurai（Hotel Kanra Kyoto Manager / Concierge） Masako Ueda （Hotel Anteroom Kyoto Manager / Art Curator） Yuichiro Ueda（Restaurant PUBLIE Manager） Shizuka Tanigawa（UDS Ltd. Hotel Management Division Manager）

(fig.1. Dialogical interview)

4.2 Clustering Using KJ Method After the Dialogical interviews, we clustered the tips using KJ method (Kawakita, 1967). The KJ method was created by Jiro Kawakita, a Japanese cultural anthropologist. It is a bottom-up method that summarizes the results of fieldwork. We wrote down the tips and methods collected from the interviews on paper. Then spread them out and put similar topics close together.

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(fig.2.Clustering using KJ method process)

4.3 Structuring and Writing After clustering, we structured the comments. We first divided them into three large groups, and created three categories for each group. There have three patterns in each category. As a result, we concluded one core pattern and 27 sub-patterns. After that, we wrote Context, Problem, Force, Solution, Consequence for each pattern.

(fig.3. Pattern Writing Process)

5. CONCLUSION As the number of foreign tourists visiting Japan has increased dramatically, the society is becoming more diversified. In that context, in addition to perform traditional hospitality, “Omotenashi Design Patterns” were developed to practice “creative hospitality”. This time, what we felt about creating a hospitality design pattern based on the UDS study was that by putting in hospitality as patterns, it is not just uniform hospitality, but also individual, creative hospitality practices. These patterns can be used not only in the hospitality and service industries but also across fields. It is important for hospitality to improve individual “quality”. “To accept and treat with reverence that things are never perfect” (Okakura, 2005, P157-167). Okakura indicates that the correct answer to hospitality has not been decided yet. However, in order to provide the best hospitality possible, it is necessary to have creativity. At this moment, the process of pursuing the best hospitality often unconsciously becomes a self-centered one. We think that the problem will be alleviated by the patterns. It is possible to create your own ideas by utilizing certain “framework” of patterns (such as a response that customers will appreciate in the case of hospitality). By building up new practical knowledge through

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patterns based on the comments of people who have excellent experience, it will be able to provide creative hospitality as time progresses.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

First, We would like to express our gratitude to Kai Chang, who gave many valuable comments on this paper. We would like to thank to our project members, Arisa Kamada, Namhyuk Lee, Mei Hirabayashi, Wataru Murakami, Natsumi Sawafuji. We also want to thank Sakie Namiki and Sora Hatori, who translated the patterns into English.

REFERENCES 1. Iba, T. and Nakagawa K., 2019., “Omotenashi Design Patterns -28 patterns for creative hospitality to survive the inbound era” in Japanese, Shoeisha. 2. Kawakita, J., 1967, “Hassouho: Sozosei Kaihatsu no Tameni (Abduction Method: For Development of Creativity)”, in Japanese, Chuokoronsha. 3. Okakura Kakuzo (Translated by Okubo Takaki), 2005, “Cha no Hon (The Book of Tea)”, in Japanese, Kadokawa sophia bunko. 4. Okakura Kakuzo, 1991, “The Book of Tea” in English, Kodansha international.

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APPENDIX

Pattern Name Summary

1. Creative Hospitality

Produce memorable experiences for the guests that you can think of and/or collaborate with your team to create while thinking about increasing the value of the region as a whole, not just what the facility can provide. In other words, hospitality means that you are consciously doing and creating something, and you need to think about yourself and value your ideas and ingenuity. In addition, to create a pleasant experience, there is no fragmentation, and it is essential to imagine the continuity of customer experience. In order to realize your “hospitality”, it is important that you have a perspective that goes beyond your own point of view and have a creative attitude within the whole environment.

2. Empathetic Imagination

Think what guests want and how to make them happy and take actions by putting yourself in their shoes and trying to be “feelings” of them. The important thing is to figure out what they seek from us. In order to do so, you imagine what guests would like by reflecting your past experiences and getting a sense of feelings. Then, you practice what you think you should or can do.

3. Interest in the individual

Consider to interact with each guest and accumulate understanding of the guests by having conversations and finding out their individual interests. To begin with, you would treat guests as individuals and would deepen understanding of them by observing their belongings or facial expression. Some details you would realize instantly or some gradually through conversations. With careful observation with individual interest, you will be able to find out details that you normally do not recognize.

4. Inviting chat

Use the guests’ belongings and feelings as a clue to get a glimpse of the conversation topic, and create an opportunity that makes guests want to talk about themselves naturally. Everyone feels happy when someone is interested in your personal belongings or favorite things. For example, if a guest has a fishing rod, and you say “This is very an authentic one”, then a guest may react “Oh, you know? Do you go fishing?”, and you will have a nice chat. In addition, when you introduce or recommend a restaurant, it may be good to ask the guests about the occasion like “What is the gathering for?” or “Is it for anniversary?”

5. Friendly & Polite

Based on the fact that it is both friendliness and politeness, find a comfortable relationship with adjusting the degree to suit each individual. While creating a vibrant atmosphere through brightness and intimacy, we aim to incorporate both well-balanced ways of respecting the other party and acting politely. “Being friendly” and “Being polite” mean that there is no such thing as being positioned opposite to one axis, but a separate axis, so you can adjust it for

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each guest. Based on your position and personality, you always have your own classic style, and on the basis of conversation, it is the most natural to adjust in a flow based on guests’ atmosphere or reaction.

6. Distinct Character

Use your personality, strengths, and tastes to engage with guests. For example, if you are good at chatting and joking or entertaining people, try adding a few of these elements. Or, if you are aware of the details that many people do not see, try to incorporate that skill into the actual response. You can show your natural distinct character, and use it as a strength to practice sparkling communication in your own way by making it appear moderately.

7. One encounter at a time

Recognize that the guests in front of you and you are sharing the only “now and here” time, so value that time. Even when you see something like “Oh, in such a case, it's something like this”, hold it in your head, listen to the guests’ words, and read their facial expressions and nuances. Then, take the moment you share with that guests as the only time that cannot be changed, so enjoy it. In order to get back to the original intention, you can work and talk with new employees and juniors to recall fresh feelings and perspectives, and learn from the reactions of guests who came for the first time.

8. Hospitality fieldwork

Be on the side of being treated well with hospitality, and you will gain a sense of hospitality by experiencing what it is or studying comfortable communication. The experience you are treated well may be in the same field as yours or in other fields. After being treated with hospitality, think about how you felt at that time, and then study whether it is similar to the approach and ideas that are being done there. Also, if you look back on the behaviors you have been doing and how it helped you to build a good relationship, you will be able to use it to treat your guests in the future.

9. Little something extra

In addition to responding to what is required, add some information that will surely please guests, or add another thing that you can do, and try to deliver it. For example, if you are asked how to get to a place, you should not only tell the specific way, but also tell about attractive spots along the way and other information that people enjoy more about that place. In addition, if you provide meals, you will be able to surprise and impress guests with just a few things, such as sticking to “homemade” or linking it with the seasons.

10. Hospitality team

If you got to know about the guests when you interact with them, tell the information to the members of the team you are working with. Make sure, every member understand and cooperate to create a good experience for the entire team. Be aware that you all are creating experiences together with the team for the guests in front of you. For example, the team members cooperate with each other, and be aware that the front desk, the restaurant, and the room service are all the components of the experience to the guests in the hotel. When sharing

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information within a team, it is better to have a specific level of “The guests were so happy or thankful if I did it this way”, and it would be good to have a place for sharing within the team.

11. Whole community in mind

Be aware of the entire region where you are located, consider whether you can do something. The regions on which we are based are preconditions for us and an important environment. Recognizing that it is indispensable to increase the value of ourselves by incorporating the history and culture of it, connecting with people there, and we will be aware of and strengthen the connection with the and community. It is a good idea to go to the surroundings, connect with the people there, and take advantage of learning opportunities.

12. Passion-driven approach

Create your own network and learn about the region in depth by connecting with people in the region based on your hobbies and favorite things. For example, if you like temples and shrines, you can visit them on holidays, and if you like fishing, you can ask local people to find a good place to fish and actually go to. If you are interested in beautiful scenery, you might want to ask local people or search by yourself and visit some superb viewing spots. You can look forward to learning more about the region based on your interests, and you will deepen your relationship with the people you meet there.

13. Excitability

When learning about the region, you can look at it from a perspective of your interest. For example, if you like to eat, look at the region from a food perspective, or if you are interested in business, you might want to look at it from the perspective of event management and profit structures. To collect potential interesting view points, you may ask other people’s interests and how they enjoy them.

14. Background Story

Introduce a little background and story of the formation of the region in addition to the regular recommended things and places themselves. When introducing something, be sure to include stories that only people from the region know and they are not in the guidebook or the Internet. Also, sharing your own experiences by looking around would be beneficial as well. In the meantime, being interested in the location or asking questions and answering to the best of your knowledge can provide an opportunity for a more satisfying experience.

15. Personal Suggestions

When recommending something to the guests, in addition to the basic information, convey your viewpoints, experiences and thoughts. For example, “This store is famous for this dish and personally it is also my favorite, so please try it if you like.” While keeping in mind that how people feel is different by telling “This is what I think”. If you have your own viewpoints such as “I think the depth of this temple is wonderful.” guests will think that it was good to hear from this person. However, if you provide the information based on your own experiences and thoughts, the way you communicate will excite the listeners.

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16. Like a Local

Provides information about how people who live there enjoy their lives and how to make connections. If there are shops where locals like and places that are unique to the region, try to introduce them. To do so, it is good for you to have opportunities to interact and enjoy yourselves by going out to events and the field on a daily basis. It is also good to research how the local people feel about people from other communities. Also, it is good to ask for places where people around you like to visit.

17. Room for Serendipity

Propose a plan with enough time that allows guests to fully experience the feelings of the moment, enjoy the impressions and surprises and feel the fun of choosing themselves at that time. For example, you can say “There are some nice shops along this road that you may enjoy to visit.”, and have enough time for guests to choose according to their mood. If there are multiple things you want to recommend and it is difficult to cut short, prioritize them based on the person’s interests that you recognize through conversations.

18. Designing Encounters

Introduce guests to people in the community and help them connect to each other. For example, if you make encounters with local people such as potters, key persons, chefs, farmers who have been active in the area for a long time, or regulars who have recently developed interesting things, you have potential to provide a rich experience to guests. Also, by talking to a real person who lives there and touching that person's daily life, guests will think “I wonder if s/he is fine” or “I am sitting there and reliving that time again” and it becomes good memory for them.

19. Complete Experience

Consider the fact that various scenes that the guests experience will form one connected story. So, try to arrange things that you can do to improve the quality of the whole experience. For example, if you contact a store that you have recommended, the guests will feel like a person is waiting for them and the period of time they travel will be a “connection experience”. Be conscious of not only the time you are involved in, but also the flow of events, and try to produce a total package so that the whole experience will be better. In order to achieve this, it is better to learn about yourselves and the history of the region and to interact with many related people on a daily basis.

20. Envision Out Loud

Tell your concept to the people in the community and communicate with them to become a member of the group who will bring values together. First, let them know what you are aiming for so that they can understand you. Then, listen to the thoughts of the people around you, and tell them how you are going to work. It is better to discuss about the ideas of what kind of region it should be with those who have been there for a long time, people who have come from the outside, and various people.

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21. Welcoming from Neighbors

Whether you actually provide value and have a synergistic effect to the people who have created the region, always think about how you will be able to become a good partner. Always check whether your efforts are good not only for the guests you are targeting, but also for people in the region, and whether you are not causing any negative effects on the region. Then, if there are any problems, try to improve them and change accordingly so people in the region will be welcoming.

22. Cross-Industry Networking

Expand the network of possibilities to connect and collaborate with people in various industries beyond your own industry and related parties. In order to connect with people from various industries, not only places related to your work, but also your favorite shops on a regular basis. Visit places where you can meet people from other industries. In this process, share the problems and your feelings with people you meet there and discuss better ways of doing things, and develop a vision together.

23. Ideas from Conversations

From casual conversations with people around you, pick up projects you want to do or problems you want to solve, and move on to projects that you can work together. By visiting various shops and places, and participating in events in that region, build good relationships such that you can have casual conversations with people. In the conversation, try to understand the direction you or they want to move forward and the problems you have now. If there is something you can cooperate with or you want to do together, ask them to work collaboratively.

24. Fresh Eyes

While staying in the region, have a perspective from the outside, and bring out the attractiveness and uniqueness of the region by taking advantage of these two viewpoints. If you have an outside experience, make use of both the “eyes from outside” and the “eyes from inside” that are fully immersed in this region while comparing with the past and finding out where this region is attractive and unique. Also, if you are already in the region, make an opportunity to go outside consciously, or have people outside the region participate in your events to gain outside viewpoints.

25. Renovating Values

Identify values hidden in what you currently have, and make use of them to add a new attractiveness to the project. Rather than using something that has been used in the region for a long time, or creating something completely new, it will add value to the existing things with new meanings and stories. While making full use of the eyes from outside, connect the history and culture it has to the current world and re-state in a new context.

26. Attraction Gathering Share your favorite places, favorite things and inspiring episodes with people around you and discover these attractivenesses again. Write down what your

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colleagues, visitors, and the locals like on sticky notes, whiteboards and imitation paper. Like brainstorming, without thinking about the category, type, level of abstraction, or concreteness, just list things that come up to your mind. In the mean time, provide the reasons why you like items and envourage those who have similar thoughts to speak out. In this way, you can gain a lot of unknown charms in the region, and you can also learn about the favorites of people and empathetic reactions.

27. Cultivating Collaboration

Make an effort for various people in the region to work together to make a better place as a whole. First of all, not only to participate in local events, but also participate in the management of local communities spontaneously so that you can play an inside role. Also, it’s better to design something that is good for you, or something exciting.

28. Appeal to the World

Send out what we are doing, both domestically and internationally, along with the attractiveness of the region. In order to tell the complete story of the attractiveness that you are working on, actively appeal it on the Web and on the physical media with attractive photos and stories. In addition, talk about our efforts and ideas at events and increase opportunities for interested people to know. Of course, it is better to broadcast attractive information not only in Japan but also overseas.