Kogi City Tourism Association is closed due to all retirements-The city takes over the business immediately "Yokan Festival PR"

The Kogi City Tourism Association in Saga Prefecture has announced that it will temporarily close its business from August 1, 2024. Currently, there is no prospect of resumption. (Photo: Koshiro cityscape / Courtesy of Saga Prefecture Tourism Federation)

The reason for the closure is that all three employees had retired by July 31. The Tourism Association was previously entrusted with the hometown tax payment business of Kogi City, but due to a decline in revenue, the contract was terminated last year and focused on tourism promotion. At that time, the number of employees decreased from 9 to 9, and eventually all of them retired, leading to a leave of absence. The city's hometown tax payer explains, "The city's business continues to see a decline in sales due to the progress of the two-bureau system."

In the future, the Kogi City Commerce, Industry and Tourism Division will take over the reception of tourist information and the city-run Hatcho Campground. The event will be conducted in cooperation with the city and other organizations. The Saga Prefecture Tourism Federation also says, "We will cooperate with the city and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry to support the dissemination of information."

Kogi City is located in the central part of Saga Prefecture and is adjacent to Saga City. Ogi Park, one of the 100 best cherry blossom spots in Japan and one of the 100 historical parks, Kiyomizu River and Shimizu Falls, and the Gion River, a famous place for fireflies, are standard tourist spots.

When I asked the city's Commerce, Industry and Tourism Division about the highlights of future tourism, they said, "I want you to taste the specialty Ogi Yokan at the famous Yokan Festival to be held on November 17th." Yokan manufacturing has been thriving in Kogi City since the Meiji period, and there are still about 20 long-established yokan stores in operation. Koshiro Yokan is a Japan heritage "Nagasaki Kaido ~Sugar Road~ ( ※ It is specified in the (Top photo: Ogi Yokan, bottom photo: Yokan Museum / Courtesy of Saga Prefecture Tourism Federation)