Rising Star Games boosts Japan tourism

The Japan National Tourist Organisation has teamed up with Rising Star Games as part of its ongoing campaign to improve the country’s tourism industry and reputation.

The initiative – entitled Cool Japan: Fusion with Tradition – is designed to promote the nation and its culture, as well as its legacy as a technological trendsetter.

As part of this, the publisher’s Muramasa: The Demon Blade will play a central role in a competition that gives consumers the chance to win a Virgin Holidays trip for two to Japan.

The contest will be promoted by an extensive two-month UK campaign across national media and Rising Star’s online Hoshi community, engaging an estimated nine million consumers.

This is a tremendous opportunity for Rising Star Games to cement its position as the Home of Japanese Games,” said managing director Martin Defries. The Cool Japan promotion is well designed, brilliantly targeted and absolutely relevant.

We’re delighted to be supporting this fantastic initiative, and we hope this is just the start of a long-term relationship between Rising Star Games and the Japan National Tourism Organisation.”

The organisation’s executive director Koichiro Yoshida added: We launched the Cool Japan campaign to make people aware that Japan is much more than geisha, sumo, gardens, temples and Mount Fuji. One of Japan’s key charms is its dynamic blend of old and new. We are delighted to be working with Rising Star. The company’s passion and expertise in Japanese gaming makes it a perfect partner for our Cool Japan campaign.”

The Muramasa competition will run throughout January and February. It marks the launch of the UK activity that forms part of the Japanese government’s Visit Japan Year 2010 campaign, which aims to attract ten million visitors to Japan by the end of the year.