Aichi is gearing up to host the 20th Asian Games in its prefectural capital, Nagoya, from September 19, marking the third time Asia’s largest sporting event will be held in Japan.
Featuring 43 sports held across 54 venues, the competition will bring 11,000 athletes, 6,000 officials. and thousands more spectators from 45 countries to the region over 16 days.
Local officials say hosting the event presents opportunities to introduce visitors to Aichi Prefecture’s rich and diverse fermentation culture through food and drink experiences.
During the Games, 21 restaurants across the prefecture will offer limited-time menus featuring Aichi’s fermented foods and ingredients as part of the prefecture’s new Umami Aichi Fair: A Journey Through Fermented Gastronomy.
The fair builds on fermentation tourism initiatives developing throughout Aichi, including Umami Gate Nagoya, launched in April, which aims to develop the entire city of Nagoya as an umami food theme park through collaborations with local eateries.
“Aichi Prefecture is one of Japan’s leading regions for fermented foods and seasonings including miso, soy sauce, mirin, vinegar, sake and pickles. Each product has its own unique history and production methods, and many breweries and producers here continue to preserve and pass down traditional techniques,” Hayato Morita, director of Aichi’s International Tourism and Convention Bureau, told TTG Asia.
The local government is also promoting longer stays and broader travel throughout the region by providing tours in English for athletes and officials, said Morita. Sights include the pottery footpath at Tokoname, one of Japan’s six ancient kilns, and Ghibli Park, a theme park dedicated to the animated world of Studio Ghibli.
