The declining shopping street of Bungotakata becomes a "Showa town" and becomes a tourist spot that attracts about 400,000 people a year|PR celebrating its 20th anniversary
The Tourism Association of Bungotakata City, Oita Prefecture, celebrated the 20th anniversary of Showa Street, one of the prefecture's leading tourist spots, last year, and is sending out events to be held in the shopping district this fall.
The project includes a fashion experience that was popular in the Showa 30s ~ 40s (experience fee 1,000 yen), and a photo contest (until 11/25) where you can win a local brand cow if you take a retro photo and post it on Instagram. Nostalgic hero exhibits such as Gekko Masks (until 12/28). Coupons for 1,000 yen for adults and 500 yen for children (usually equivalent to 1,500 yen) at three digital art galleries (common tickets) in the city and a cream soda set of Showa town's specialties (until 3/31) are on sale. For more information, see Official Tourism Site 。
The town of Showa was born in 2001 after a nine-year plan to restore the liveliness of the Showa 30s and 40s to a shopping street that had declined to the point where it was said that "only dogs and cats walk." Showa retro bonnet bus operation and buildings are lined up, and it has become a tourist spot in Oita Prefecture that attracts about 400,000 tourists a year.
