Japanese tourists drawn to Korea’s local festivals as agencies target middle-aged travelers

A small county in South Gyeongsang Province is preparing for an unprecedented influx of Japanese visitors. On Oct. 16, some 1,000 Japanese tourists are set to arrive in Haman for “Japan Day,” a cultural tourism program that will showcase traditional games and regional heritage. According to the Haman County Office, most visitors booked package tours that combine Busan and Haman, arranged by more than 30 Japanese travel agencies, including major operators JTB and HIS. Sales began in June, and within a month around 700 spots were reserved. As of mid-September, nearly 950 bookings had been confirmed, with the target of 1,000 expected to be met with ease. The centerpiece of the trip is the Haman Nakhwa Festival, a folk performance in which charcoal-filled paper tubes are strung on cords and lit on fire to create cascades of sparkling embers. Traced back to the 17th century, the custom was preserved by villagers in Goehang village and has been designated an intangible cultural heritage. The program gained traction after popular Japanese travel YouTuber Kubotabi uploaded a video of the eveWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times