How Brands Use Blogs to Market Destinations to Japanese Travelers
When considering how to market to Japanese tourists, producing owned media content is one of the strategies to consider. As mentioned in previous insights, blogs are heavily consumed in Japan as the preference for written content is high.
In this insight, we’ll showcase three corporate blog examples that help introduce destinations effectively. Take in lessons from what they’re doing so you can effectively market to Japanese through blogs and articles as well.
1. “GRUTTO PLUS”, by Seibu Railway
https://grutto-plus.com
Grutto Plus entry
Seibu Railway is a railway company established in 1912 and headquartered in Saitama Prefecture, which neighbors Tokyo.
It owns lines extending from urban terminal stations such as Ikebukuro and Shinjuku in Tokyo to Saitama, with 92 stations in all. In addition to the core railway that it operates, the company is also involved in tourism and real estate businesses along its rail lines.
Grutto Plus, an owned media of the company, is based on the concept of "Play, eat and experience nature - bringing Seibu Railway closer to you!".
The word “gurutto” means to “go around”, and the site’s content introduces attractions of areas along the Seibu Line and introduces places to go around each station.
The type of articles vary. For example, an article introducing the Kawagoe area (an area of Saitama with historical townscapes) introduces sightseeing spots as well as local specialities and gourmet foods under the title "9 Sweet Potato Sweets and Gourmet Foods".
Many of the articles are light, fun and share useful information, but some articles are devised to convey the attractions of each place through a guide.
The article introducing the Fuchu City Folk Forest Museum, located at Koremasa Station, includes an introduction from the museum curator. [J]
The key point of the company's blog content is that it takes advantage of its strength of owning railway lines and understands that they provide a means of transportation for people to visit various areas. Because of this, they introduce eight themes one station at a time, using diverse approaches highlighting leisure, experience, food, sweets, nature, history, culture and events.
2. “Creators Experience”, by Tobu Railway
http://tobu-creators-experience.com/index.html
Creators Experience by Tobu Railway
Tobu Railway is a railway company headquartered in Sumida Ward, Tokyo. It operates railway lines that span a wide area as its rail network connects Tokyo with Saitama, Chiba, Ibaraki, Gunma and Fukushima prefectures.
Creators Experience is an owned media with a theme that loosely translates to "To hone our senses, let's go on a journey".
It focuses on travel experiences around the four seasons in Nikko, a key destination of Tobu Railway's lines as it's one of the terminus stations of the Tobu Line. It features articles that allow readers to 'go on a journey' by experiencing Nikko through the eyes of the creators featured in the blogs.
The articles often have short text and focus on the creators’ photos and videos.
For example, article #07 - "Night Time in Nikko", introduces a popular sightseeing spot from a different perspective by photographing Nikko Toshogu Shrine at night. Many people visit during the day and are less familiar with it in the evening hours.
The area's attractions are expressed through the senses of each creator, bringing new perspectives and discoveries instead of simply providing direct information.
This article uses a photographer's sensibility to depict the night scenery of Nikko Toshogu Shrine. - Creators Experience by Tobu Railways [J]
By communicating the values it wants to share while focusing on places closely related to its own company, Tobu Railways are able to foster an image of the railway line as well as the places it can take people to.
3. Mori Building Note, by Mori Building
https://note.mori.co.jp
Mori Building’s corporate blog on note
Mori Building is an urban development real estate company based in Minato Ward, Tokyo. It develops and operates some of Japan's leading commercial complexes, including Roppongi Hills, Omotesando Hills and Laforet Harajuku.
Instead of introducing the most popular places that are visited by many people, including tourists, Mori Building's official note (the popular Japanese blogging platform) account focuses on "people involved in the city", mainly Mori Building employees, and shares their "thoughts and ideas about the city".
People-focused blog entry on Mori Building’s official note account
The articles are written in interview form where people talk about their areas that they like based on their personal experiences.
The attractiveness of each area is expressed from the unique perspective of an employee carrying out urban development work.
The "Empathize and be empathetic. Relationships with people create a 'wellness' city" article, in which employees working on urban development in the Toranomon and Azabudai areas of Minato Ward, Tokyo, talk about their desire to create a healthy city through their work. [J]
By focusing on individual employees who actually play a role in the city’s development and making it easy for readers to empathize with them, it helps achieve the aim of increasing the number of people becoming involved in the city.
Key takeaway: Use your company's unique strengths to communicate in a way that can't be imitated by someone else
In this insight, we focused on communication from companies related to places and tourism in owned media. Each of the media publications showcased have one thing in common: they are operating based on a concept that cannot be imitated by others because they lean into their own strengths.
Grutto Plus’ Seibu Railway owns the lines in the area, so their media structure makes use of the strength of being able to showcase areas from a variety of perspectives - eight different areas and genres.
The Creators Experience blog has a deep understanding of the values of the destination, thanks to the long-time connections the railway company has with the areas.
Mori Building's official note blog provides a unique perspective on the city through actual workers, thanks to the company's projects that take place at the forefront of Tokyo’s urban development.
If you would like to know more specific points to keep in mind, or if you would like to operate a blog that effectively markets your business to Japanese consumers, please feel free to contact us.
