Interview
We spoke with Yokota Yuko, an employee of the Kurashiki City Office and the Boat Race Business Bureau, about this tour.
About the Tour Planning
Why did you come up with this kind of project?
Yokota (no honorifics)
I was assigned to Boat Race Kojima in April 2022.
Many of the visitors to Boat Race Kojima are elderly people and male groups.
Recently, tickets (boat tickets) can be purchased online, so the number of visitors has been decreasing year by year.
I want to increase the number of visitors, especially to attract more women, and I thought about how to achieve that.
When I came to the boat race venue, I thought, what a wonderful view.
Then I thought about what else could be done and remembered the "Kurashiki Afternoon Tea."
Actually, I was involved in the "Kurashiki Afternoon Tea" project when I was in the tourism department.
It is an event that has the power to attract people to travel to Kurashiki from other prefectures for the "Kurashiki Afternoon Tea."
If we can enjoy afternoon tea in the scenic boat race venue, I thought it might attract groups of women and beginners who have never visited before.
Unique Attractions of the Boat Race Venue
What are the highlights of this tour?
Yokota
First, I want everyone to enjoy the view from the boat race venue.
We have reserved one room in the Royal Room on the 5th floor, which is usually only available to paid members.
Relax on the sofa, enjoy the view, and have conversations with your friends.
And then, afternoon tea.
Initially, I was thinking of a light meal with lunch and sweets in a bento box.
However, with the cooperation of ".KOMBINAT," we were able to create a presentation of afternoon tea similar to what is offered in the store.
There are also decorative displays for taking photos and uploading them to Instagram and other platforms.
Additionally, there will be VR experiences, workshops, and photo opportunities with "Gaa~ko," the mascot character of Boat Race Kojima.
After leaving the boat race venue, the tour includes visits to Kojima Jeans Street and Betty Smith, as well as the observation deck at Washuzan Hill, making it a full day of fun for both locals and tourists.
New Boat Race Kojima
What do you hope for the future of Boat Race Kojima?
Yokota
This was a limited tour of 8 sessions, but we are asking participants to fill out a questionnaire as a condition of participation.
I hope to create something fun next time based on the feedback from the questionnaire.
Boat Race Kojima is under the jurisdiction of Kurashiki City and is a public competition.
The revenue from boat racing is used for measures against COVID-19 and for recovery from the July 2018 heavy rain disaster, and is also allocated to the general account of Kurashiki City.
Boat Race Kojima is scheduled for renovation in the future.
The new building will also serve as an evacuation site and is planned to include facilities where children can play freely.
I hope it becomes a leisure facility that both boat enthusiasts and non-enthusiasts can easily visit and that it can be enjoyed as a tourist destination.
Conclusion
Participating in this tour completely changed my image of the boat race venue by 180 degrees.
I was also surprised to learn that it was a facility of Kurashiki City.
There are only 24 boat race venues nationwide, and one of them is in Kojima.
I realized that being in an environment where you can see boat racing live is actually a rare opportunity.
Moreover, boat racing is a unique sport where both men and women, from the youngest at 17 years old to active competitors in their 70s, can compete on the same field.
As a citizen of Kurashiki City, I genuinely want to support it.
In the near future, Boat Race Kojima will be reborn.
I hope it becomes a facility that locals and tourists alike can enjoy as a new tourist destination in Kurashiki City.
Articles about Boat Race Kojima
Data for the Boat Race Kojima Play Boat Tour
| Name | Boat Race Kojima Play Boat Tour |
|---|---|
| Dates | Weekends of race days from January to March 2023 January 21, 28; February 18, 19, 25, 26; March 5 |
| Location | 6-3 Motohama-cho, Kojima, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Participation Fee (tax included) | 2,000 yen per adult (tax included) |
| Website | Boat Race Kojima Play Boat Tour |
