Fiscal 2022 Project Report for the Izu Peninsula
Geopark and Tourism Bureau (a generalincorporated association)(Excerpt)
Items related to the Izu Peninsula Tourism Strategy Promotion(DMO) Plan

(1) Geo-Resort Izu Branding Promotion Project○ Project outline and purpose, etc.

In light of the merger with the Izu Peninsula Geopark Promotion Council,
formulate a management philosophy and mid-term activities policy as a platform
for the organisation, with the aims of developing initiatives that fully utilise thebenefits of the geopark and improve the satisfaction of visitors and residents. In
cooperation with Shizuoka Prefecture, also conduct geo-guide monitoring tours
to enhance sustainable tourism content.

○ Status of project implementationi. Geo-Resort Izu Branding Promotion Project
The management philosophy and brand slogan have been decided, andpriority strategies have been formulated accordingly.
Item

Overview

Geo-Resort Izu
Branding Promotion
Project

The management philosophy was formulated as follows “Creating sustainable growth on the beautiful Izu Peninsula byusing the Geopark as a stage for contributing to increased
satisfaction among visitors and residents.” The brand slogan
was formulated as “Bringing the blessings of the Geopark toresidents and visitors alike.” After evaluating the implementationof initiatives to date, priority strategies were also formulated
based on the management philosophy (i. Promotion ofsustainable tourism; ii. Conservation, education and sustainable
development of the Geopark; and iii. Increasing residents’satisfaction through regional development). In addition, various
initiatives will be promoted based on the keywords “Geo-Resort

Izu” with the aim of promoting sustainable tourism.
Disaster Prevention
and Reduction
Awareness Project

In co-sponsorship with Japan Travel and Tourism Association,
external experts were invited to hold a “Seminar on Preparing
BCPs (Business Continuity Plan) for tourism businesses.” On
the day, twelve companies, including hotel businesses, tourismrelated businesses, transportation businesses, and financial
institutions, took lectures on topics such as estimating theimpact of disasters or crises on their businesses, measures forbusiness continuity in the event of a crisis, and procuring thefunds needed for business continuity. (27 January)ii. Sustainable Tourism ProjectIn existing geotourism, in order to expand the number of fans and repeat
visitors, guide training was carried out on the themes of “training certified geo
guides” and “promoting tie-ups with public transportation.” Tours were also
built through workshops conducted by relevant stakeholders.
Item

Overview

First workshop

A workshop was held for the purpose of creating monitoring
tours, linking geotours built by the Izu Peninsula Geo Guide
Association with public transportation systems. The workshop
was attended by Izuhakone Bus Co., Ltd., Tokai Jidosha Co.,
Ltd., and Izu Peninsula Geo Guide Association. A total of 16
tours were made. (4 October)

Implementation ofmonitoring tours

For each monitoring tour, tours were conducted for certified geo
guides and participants of the FY2022 geo guide training course.
Tour participants were also given a questionnaire aimed atrefining the course and improving their guide skills. (Twelve
tours have been held in total since 5 December.)

Practical training for
hospitality geo
guides

Guidance on sustainable hospitality was given by geo guides
working in Izu Oshima, which has a high repeat visitor rate andhigh customer satisfaction level, and efforts were made to
improve the quality of the participating guides. (8 to 9 February)

Implementation of
study group for thegeo guide
evaluation and

The project as a whole was assessed, improvement points andfuture direction were discussed, and the geo guide evaluationand certification system was examined with the aim ofincreasing hospitality and communication skills. (10 February)certification system
iii. Human Resources Training Promotion Project
We took part in omnibus lectures at universities across Shizuoka Prefecturewith the aim of developing human resources for tourism.
Programme name

Overview

Common subject
across all
departments at the
University of
Shizuoka• A lecture entitled “Shizuoka Prefecture as Seen from the Izu
Peninsula,” was given to increase understanding of thecurrent situation, based on the history of the Izu Peninsula,and to use the Geopark as a tool for developing sustainable
tourism content (18 May).

“Izu Tourism andCulture 2022” andother lectures given
at Nihon University,
College ofInternational
Relations• A lecture was given on the history of the Izu Peninsula andinitiatives at the Geopark entitled “Sustainable Development
through Izu Peninsula UNESCO Global Geopark” (28September).
• A lecture was given on changes in visitors to Izu and the roleof Izu Peninsula Geopark and Tourism Bureau as a DMO
entitled “Tourism Trends in Izu Peninsula and Initiatives Led
by Izu Peninsula Geopark and Tourism Bureau” (5 October).
• An open lecture entitled “Cultural Heritage in the 21st Century”
was given at Shizuoka Study Centre, the Open University ofJapan (12 February).

○ Evaluation and improvements• In addition to establishing a new management philosophy and brand slogan
through the merger with the Izu Peninsula Geopark Promotion Council, thefollowing priority strategies were formulated in FY2022: (1) Promotesustainable tourism; (2) Encourage geopark conservation and education
activities; and (3) Increase satisfaction among local residents throughregional development. In the future, initiatives will be conducted to maximize
the synergistic effects of these three measures. As part of these efforts, geotours were examined under the Sustainable Tourism Project, with a focus on
the hospitality of geo guides and the use of public transportation. Initiatives
have now been carried out combining “tourism, the geopark, and regional
development,” such as promoting regional attractions, attracting visitors, andintroducing geopark activities at regional product exhibitions hosted by B-Izu.

This has had a certain effect on raising awareness and improving the skills of
geo guides, and the plan is to continue promoting similar efforts in the future.
• As a tourism community development corporation and an organisation
promoting the Izu Peninsula Grand Design, Izu Peninsula Geopark andTourism Bureau will share information and collaborate with a wide variety of
stakeholders, including tourism stakeholders, chambers of commerce andindustry, trade associations, transportation businesses, and accommodation
businesses, and we will promote initiatives in line with our management
philosophy, brand slogan, and priority strategies.
• With regard to sustainable tourism business, as mentioned above, efforts weremade to further the sustainable development of the geopark, with the aim of
expanding the attractiveness of the Geopark to visitors by creating courses forenvironmentally friendly geo-guided tours and improving the hospitality skillsof geo guides. As a result, improving the geo guides’ skills has had certain
effects, including improvements in interpreters’ ability to describe people’s
everyday lives, give easy explanations, and remain aware of the viewpoints ofparticipants (customers).
After examining the geo guide evaluation and certification system, we havedecided on the following initiatives. We will promote efforts alongside the Izu
Peninsula Geo Guide Association to improve hospitality skills, such as
conducting customer surveys and providing related feedback, rather thanassigning ranks or comparisons based on the individual qualities of geo guides.
We will also increase sales channels by promoting sales of geo-guided tours
to travel agencies by posting the tours on the Shizuoka Prefecture sightseeing
products list, and by introducing tours on the Izu Peninsula Geo Guide
Association’s website.

○ Establishing KPIs as a DMO(1) Assessment of DMO target achievement in FY2021
Achievements,
targets, andcomparisonsiii. Previous
Compared tofiscal year’s the previous
Target ratio
year
results

i. FY2021
Results

ii. Target(KPI)

Travelconsumption

186.539billion299.050
billion

62.4%

147.139billion126.8%

Total numberof hotelguests

6.953 million

11.322
million

61.4%

5.875 million

118.3%

Visitorsatisfaction

98.8%

98.0%

+0.8%

98.1%

+0.7%

Repeat visitor
rate

74.4%

67.0%

+7.4%

68.6%

+5.8%

34,605
PV/month

80,000PV/month

43.3%

27,343
PV/month126.6%

46.463
million56.3%

23.066 million

113.4%

KPIs

WebsiteNumber of
26.168 million
tourist visitors● Travel consumption
The total number of hotel guest and tourist visitors, which are the basis for the
calculations, increased from the previous fiscal year. The per capita
consumption rate for day visitors decreased slightly, but the per capita
consumption rate for overnight guests increased, resulting in a 126.8%
increase from the previous fiscal year.
● Total number of hotel guests
As a result of the impact of the spread of COVID-19, the rate decreased fromthe previous year in August to November, but increased from the previous
year in April to July and December to March, resulting in a 118.3% year-onyear rate across the entire year.
● Visitor satisfaction
The percentage of “very satisfied” visitors decreased from the previous fiscal
year, but the percentage of “mostly satisfied” visitors increased from theprevious fiscal year. The overall percentage of satisfied visitors increased by
0.7 percentage points from the previous fiscal year. By category, there was adecrease in satisfaction levels for “attractions and characteristics of tourist
spots,” “nature and scenery at tourist spots,” and “food attractiveness.”

● Repeat visitor rate
The overall repeat visitor rate increased by 5.8 percentage points from theprevious year as a result of a decrease in first and second visits and anincrease in the proportion of third, fourth or more visits from the previous year.
● Number of website visits
With the exception of summer, the number of website visitors increased, up
126.6% year on year for the year as a whole.
● Number of tourist visitors
As a result of the impact of the spread of COVID-19, the rate decreased fromthe previous year in August to November, but increased from the previous
year in April to July and December to March, resulting in a 113.4% year-onyear rate across the entire year.
(2) Establishing KPIs for FY2022 to FY2025
Based on the above, KPIs were established for the Izu Peninsula as a DMO
for FY2023 onwards.
Fiscal year
KPI

FY2022

FY2023

FY2024FY2025

Travel consumption

215.131 billion

249.339billion284.356
billion320.211billionTotal number of hotel
guests

8.295 million

9.505 million

Visitor satisfaction

98.0%

98.0%

98.0%

98.0%

Repeat visitor rate

67.0%

67.0%

67.0%

67.0%

Website90,000PV/month

35,000PV/month

55,000PV/month

80,000PV/month

Number of tourist visitors

32.662 million

Local resident satisfaction 1-

Local resident satisfaction 2-(Percentage of residents who are positive
about welcoming tourists)(Percentage of residents who are proudof or attached to their local region)

10.715 million 11.925 million

37.460 million 42.258 million 47.056 million
65%

66%

67%

88%

89%

90%

(2) Comprehensive Tourism Development Project○ Project outline and purpose, etc.
In order to create new tourism themes and promote commerce in the Izu
Peninsula, the Izu Peninsula Geopark and Tourism Bureau will implement
initiatives on planning and commercialization in ways that target tourism
content to meet needs for specific themes.

○ Status of project implementationi. Tourism content and product development programmes
We will develop new programmes to utilize the attractive regional content
around the Izu Peninsula Geopark, while also building consumption platforms.
This fiscal year, we conducted a programme specifically for educational
travel.
Item

Overview

Attracting guests to
Izu Peninsula
Geopark summer
camps

We publicised information to high schools and junior highschools with geology clubs in the Tokyo metropolitan area, withthe aim of attracting guests to summer camps in Izu Peninsula
Geopark. Number of schools targeted: 93

Producingeducational travelmaterials combining
the theme of “Izu
Peninsula with
exploration”

We produced exploration and study materials for high school
students to use during educational trips to Izu.
• Produced materials: students’ study notebooks, teachers’
textbooks
AGT sales materials• The produced educational travel materials were distributed totravel agents and used for sales promotion activities to attract
educational travel customers.

ii. Programmes to support the recruitment of tourist operators
We held the Izu Peninsula Hotel and Hot Spring Resorts Joint Company
Information Sessions in Tokyo with the aim of securing outstanding young
talent from the metropolitan area. We also performed a liaison role to promote
the acceptance of students on internships between schools in Shizuoka
Prefecture and Tokyo metropolitan area, as well as related organisations andaccommodation facilities in the Izu Peninsula.
Programme name

Overview

The Izu Peninsula
Hotel and Hot
Spring Resorts Joint
Company
Information
Sessions

Face-to-face explanations were given at the sessions in Tokyo
Date:
9 February, 2023 (Thursday)
Venue:
Tokyo Metropolitan Industrial Trade Centre Taito
Hall, 4th Floor
Exhibitors: 16
Target:
University, junior college, and vocational school
students scheduled to graduate in March 2024
Attendance: 37 students from 18 schools; total number of booth
visitors: 165

Internship matching

In response to requests from schools and related organisationsin Shizuoka Prefecture and the Tokyo metropolitan area, wecoordinated as follows with accommodation providers on the Izu
Peninsula.
• Hamamatsu Mirai Professional Training Colleges Internship
Internships were held from August to September. Threeaccommodation providers accepted students scheduled tograduate in March 2024.
5 participating students: 2 job offers
Accommodation providers offering internships: one in Atami
City, one in Izu City, and one in Higashiizu Town

iii. Digital marketing promotion programmes
We carried out a survey from a digital marketing perspective.
Item
Tourist dynamics
surveyOverview• Survey on tourist dynamics using Shizuoka Prefecture’s data
analysis platform• We created a questionnaire form and carried out a tourist
dynamics survey in February, investigating changes in tourist
consumption budgets before and after visits, and surveying
attitudes on charging separately for accommodation andmeals. (Sample size: approximately 1,500)

iv. Workcation promotion programmes
In order to promote workcations in the Izu Peninsula, a questionnaire survey
was conducted of freelancers and individuals who were able to participate inworkcations.
Item
Workcation
promotion
programmes

Overview• Information was shared with municipal bodies by providing
feedback from a current conditions survey into workcations
that was carried out in Izu Peninsula in FY2021. (July)• In FY2022, a questionnaire survey on workcation conditions of
760 freelancers was carried out in cooperation with theFreelance Association in February. The analysis results of thesurvey were reported to the Committee on Tourism andRegional Development in March.

○ Evaluation and improvements• Regarding tourism content development programmes, 24,000 study
notebooks were created for high school students, and materials were sent to
150 travel agencies handling educational travel. In FY2023, we will continue
to promote sales with the aim of attracting further visitors, and encourage
participation by giving explanations to receiving facilities in Izu Peninsula.
• Amid a severe labour shortage at hotels and inns, the Izu Peninsula Hoteland Hot Spring Resorts Joint Company Information Sessions attracted 16
hotels and inns, an increase on last year. However, the number of students
who came was just 37 and the total number of booth visitors was just 165,
which was an extremely disappointing result. In FY2023, we will make

preparations on a regular basis for effective event announcements andbusiness development by closely communicating with job officers atuniversities and vocational schools with tourism departments, and with hotels
and inns, at the earliest possible stage.
• Regarding digital marketing promotion programmes, an online questionnaireof visitors was carried out in February to collect basic data, with the aim ofincreasing tourism consumption in the future. For meals (seafood), admission
to facilities (tourist facilities, etc.), and souvenirs (marine products: fresh
foods), there were noticeable gaps (lost opportunities) in visitors’ budgets
before and after their visits.
When carrying out the questionnaire in FY2023, we will consider extending thesurvey period and collecting responses throughout the year.
• Regarding workcation promotion programmes, in cooperation with theProfessional and Parallel Career Freelance Association, we learned about theattitudes towards workcations of 760 freelancers. As a result, we identified
reasons why people are attracted to workcations in the Izu area, including
distance from their place of residence, hot springs, seafood and climate, as
well as a certain level of need for workcations with families. Based on the
results of a survey of freelancers conducted in FY2022, during FY2023 wewill update our website to promote the dissemination of information withappeal to users, including proposals for workcations unique to the Izu
Peninsula.

(3) Izu Peninsula Cycle-Friendly Project○ Project outline and purpose, etc.
In order to establish the “Cycling Resort Izu” brand, we disseminate information
throughout Japan on the charms of Izu by promoting tourism at cycling events,
etc. We will also raise awareness among Izu Peninsula stakeholders of the
purpose and impact of promoting the plan, and help people with an interest in
the Izu Peninsula rediscover the attractiveness of local resource.

○ Status of project implementation
i. Cycling Resort Izu public relations programme
As well as being a recreational activity on the Izu Peninsula, visitors also
switch to cycling after arriving in the region as a way of visiting its tourist
facilities. In order to promote and encourage cycling, a website pagededicated to disseminating cycling-related information was created alongside
the official Izu travel guide, B-Izu. We have also participated at events where
cyclists gather to collect cycling course-related information in order to promote
Izu to the attendees.
Item

Overview

Creating the“Cycling Resort Izu”
websiteA “Cycling Resort Izu” website was launched to suggest
locations where people can rent bicycles and to offer suggested
cycle routes.

Exhibitions at
eventsIn order to promote Izu to cyclists looking for cycle routes, we
exhibited at the Shizuoka Prefecture Booth at CYCLE MODE,
one of the largest cycling exhibitions in Japan, which was held at
Tokyo Big Sight on 2 & 3 April. (20,000 people attended theevent across two days.)
On 18 & 19 March, 2023, we exhibited at Cycle Sports Days, thebiggest cycle event in the Tokai area, which was held at Nagoya
Aeon Mall, where we promoted the charms of Izu Peninsula.
(40,000 people attended the event across two days.)ii. Programme for hosting “Cycling Around Izu Peninsula”
We created a 240 km route for cyclists around the Izu Peninsula. After
registering the route with cycling app “Tour de” (My Cycling Story), we
participated in the ‘Cycle Ball’ (a time-limited event).
Item

Overview

Cycle Ball “Izuichi”

We participated in a time-limited cycling event for the third time
this fiscal year.
Number of participants: 360 (29 April to 27 December)

Introducing Cycle
Ball - a cycle store
discount system

In order to encourage cyclists to consume with local businesses,
special benefits are offered to Cycle Ball participants. Currently,
four stores are registered.

iii. E-bike safe zones promotion programme
We created tourism promotion videos and sold travel products using E-bikes.
Item

Overview

Creating E-bikethemed tourism
promotion videos

E-bikes (electric power-assisted bicycles) were used to create avideo (VLOG) to allow public transportation users to enjoy thespectacular scenery, food, and sightseeing facilities of the Izu
Peninsula, and the video was released on YouTube.
(December)

Using E-bikes todevelop travel
products(planning anddevelopment of Ebike cycling tours
through Heda in the
Nishi-Izu area)• A monitoring tour for members of the media was held on 1
August. HIS held public relations activities and sold travel
products to the general public.
[Participants in the monitoring tour for members of the media]
Yuki Fujiki (a Japanese celebrity), E-bike Japan, La route(online media), and JR East (a public transportation
organisation)(Date and number of participants)
3 September: 3; 3 November: 9; and 4 December: 4

iv. Cycling area exchange programme
A video was made for the purpose of two-way exchanges with cyclists in
Taiwan, where cycling is well developed.
Item
Video recordings byinfluencers

Overview
Jerry, a well-known influencer, worked with Merida Japan tocreate a video about a cycle rental experience on the Izu
Peninsula after visiting as a tourist. (February)○ Evaluation and improvements• Izu, where the Tokyo 2020 Olympics cycling events were held, is well-known
among cyclists, but the rugged terrain creates an intimidating threshold forinexperienced cyclists. For this reason, we need to create a strategy forencouraging people to see cycling in Izu as something that can be enjoyedwithout much difficulty. This is why, in FY2022, we strengthened our ability to
distribute videos featuring popular influencers. We also used the Cycling
Resort Izu website to increase our ability to disseminate information about
cycle rentals.
• Videos showing the attractions of cycling have had a strong appeal to young

people. In the future, we will continue to promote the attractiveness of cycling,broaden our base, and work to secure repeat customers.

(4) Regional Branding Project○ Project outline and purpose, etc.
By holding product exhibitions at large shopping malls, we aim to promote theappeal of the food resources of the Izu Peninsula and to stimulate consumption.

○ Status of project implementation
Promoting the appeal of food resources
We held exhibitions of tourist products at popular facilities in the Tokyo
metropolitan area, which is our main market, and at major facilities in
Shizuoka Prefecture.
Item

Overview

LaLaport Products
Exhibition

As part of an event held at “LaLaport NUMAZU,” we hosted an
exhibition of Izu products. (Nine businesses exhibited booths
across the two-day exhibition). In addition, a website lottery washeld for people purchasing above a certain amount at LaLaportduring the period of the exhibition. Thanks to the cooperation of
Mitsui Fudosan, tickets for use of tourist facilities on the Izu
Peninsula and sweets vouchers were offered as prizes.
Dates: 8 & 9 (Saturday & Sunday) April
Number of cashier sales: approx. 1,000 (total sales: approx. 1
million yen)

Peninsula Pop-up
Store, Izu-Wide
Products Exhibition

At Aobadai Tokyu Square in Yokohama City, a limited-time shop
was opened offering Izu products.
Dates: 1 (Wednesday) to 28 (Tuesday) February
Handled products: items were requested from commerce andindustry-related departments at Izu’s cities and towns, as well asfrom chambers of commerce and industry and tradeassociations, and 220 different items were offered for sale.
(Total sales: approximately 4.5 million yen)Thanksgiving Day
for Izu Peninsula’s

At the Kaikoku Shimoda Minato roadside station, an event washeld for tourists and residents of the Kamo area. To mark the
opening of a section of the Izu-Jūkan Expressway, an exhibition

Residents andVisitorsof products from the Kamo region and beyond, and a cooking
class, were held to promote exchanges within the region.
Dates: 18 & 19 (Saturday & Sunday) March, 2023
(Number of visitors: approximately 3,300)○ Evaluation and improvements• As a new initiative in fiscal 2022, we held the “Peninsula Pop-up Store, IzuWide Products Exhibition” at Tokyu Square (Aoba Ward, Yokohama City) forone month as a way of selling products from Izu. This gave us the chance toconvey the appeal of the Izu Peninsula and provide sales opportunities tovendors.
• As a new initiative, in cooperation with the Kamo Regional Bureau of
Shizuoka Prefecture, an exhibition of tourist products entitled “Thanksgiving
Day for Izu Peninsula’s Residents and Visitors” was held in Shimoda City. In
addition to the products exhibition, this gave us an opportunity to encourageregional development by promoting cooking classes using attractive local
seafood, holding a regional disaster prevention awareness-raising event, andimproving convenience by opening part of the Izu-Jūkan Expressway.
• The preparation period for both events was short, making it difficult to recruitand organise vendors. In the future, we will improve planning for both events,
including the preparation periods. In addition, we will work closely with local
communities and stakeholders at each event to develop systems that allows
residents and tourists to experience the charms of Izu.

3. Plan to Attract Domestic Tourists○ Project outline and purpose, etc.

In cooperation with cities, towns, tourism associations, and transportationcompanies in the Izu Peninsula, we will promote the appeal of Izu outside theregion by holding tourism campaigns in the Tokyo metropolitan area, which is
the main market for Izu.
At the same time, in cooperation with the Shizuoka Prefectural Tourism
Association, efforts will be made to prepare and consolidate tourist product lists
for each city and town. We will actively promote agency sales in cooperation
with the Shizuoka Prefectural Tourism Association and transportationcompanies, etc. for the developed tourist products, and we will continue topromote tourist exchanges.

○ Status of project implementationi. Domestic tourism programmes
In the Tokyo metropolitan area, which is the main market for Izu, tourism has
been promoted among the general public on a regular basis, while sales wereconducted targeting travel agencies in major cities throughout the country,
including Nagoya and Osaka.
Item
Tourism campaign

Overview• Izu farmers’ market
20 to 21 May (Fujisawa Station concourse, 450 visitors)
13 to 15 July (Tsurumi Station concourse, 500 visitors, 52
followers on SNS)
17 July (Hiratsuka Station concourse, 200 visitors, 55
followers on SNS)
22 October (Chigasaki Station concourse, 500 visitors, 127
followers on SNS)
18 to 19 December (Omiya Station concourse, 400 visitors)
19 to 21 January (Ueno Station concourse, 790 visitors)
2 to 4 February (Yokohama Station concourse, 2,100 visitors,
90 followers on SNS)
23 February (Musashi-mizonokuchi Station concourse, 250
visitors)
8 to 11 March (Tsurumi Station concourse, 900 visitors, 34
followers on SNS)
• Kawazu Bagatelle Park, Izu Peninsula Excursion Fair
28 May to 30 June (approximately 5,000 pamphlets
distributed)
28 May (one-day event, 117 stamp rally participants)• Travel Land Nagoya
18 to 19 June (Hisaya-odori Park, Nagoya City, 600 visitors)• JTB Izu Summer Fair
1 June to 30 September (242 stores in the Tokyo, Chubu andKansai regions)• Tourism EXPO Japan 2022

22 to 25 September (Tokyo Big Sight, 2,000 visitors)• Furusato Tourist Exhibition 2022 in Sendai
5 to 7 October (Sendai Station concourse, 700 visitors, 108
followers on SNS)• Izuhakone Railway Friend Festival
23 November (Izuhakone Railway Co., Ltd. Head Office, 300
visitors)• Izu Umaimon-ichi (delicious foods market) event (Tokyo
Station Square Zero, 800 visitors, 190 followers on SNS)• Yokosuka YY Vehicles Festival
3 to 4 December (Verny Park, Yokosuka City, 2,275 visitors,
380 followers on SNS)
• JTB Izu Spring Fair
Early January to 31 March (240 stores in the Tokyo, Chubu
and Kansai regions)• Tokyo Station Tourism Promotion
24 to 25 February (Yaesu Central Gate of Tokyo Station, 400
visitors)* The SNS numbers show the number of people following B-Izu’s Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook accounts etc.
Agent sales• Shizuoka Tourism Presentation Meeting
7 April (Sapporo City, discussions with 13 interested business
partners)
13 April (Osaka City, discussions with 34 interested business
partners)
14 April (Fukuoka City, discussions with 17 interested
business partners)
20 April (Okayama City, discussions with 9 interested
business partners)
21 April (Hiroshima City, discussions with 6 interested
business partners)• Fujinokuni Shizuoka Big Tourism Business Conference inTokyo
19 April (Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo, 79 participants, discussions
with 25 interested business partners)

• Briefing for JR East tourism companies about potential
tourism sites in the second half of FY2022
26 April (Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo, 62 participants)• Nagoya AGT Sales
17 June (Nagoya City, discussions with 5 companies
interested in doing business)• Tourism EXPO Japan 2022
22 to 23 September (Tokyo Big Sight, discussions with 20
companies interested in doing business)• Sendai AGT Sales
5 to 6 October (Sendai City, discussions with 4 companies
interested in doing business)• Fujinokuni Shizuoka Big Tourism Business Conference inOsaka
12 October (Osaka City, 57 participants, discussions with 11
interested business partners)• Fujinokuni Shizuoka Big Tourism Business Conference inTokyo
27 October (Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo, 91 participants, discussions
with 10 interested business partners)• JTB Royal Road Ginza Familiarisation Trip from Kansai
21 to 23 February (4 people involved with JTB Royal Road
Ginza)
Pamphletproduction• Renewal of rainy day tours brochure
Published on 30 September; 15,000 copies produced• Hot Springs and Flower-Viewing Campaign main brochure
Delivered on 25 October; 20,000 copies produced (B-Izu
version)• Partial updating of the Izu Peninsula Driving Map “Welcome to
Izu”
Published on 20 January; 10,000 copies produced

Dissemination of
information• Disseminating information to travel agencies about summer
events, information on the opening of new tourist facilities,
annual schedules, and Taiga dramas
10 June (information sent to 147 companies)
13 December (information sent to 154 companies)• Website page opened combining Taiga drama “What Will You
Do, Ieyasu?” with special features on Izu
The official B-Izu website features a special page onsightseeing in Izu related to Ieyasu Tokugawa, the Tokugawa
family, and the Edo period.
• Creating a handbook template file for travel in Izu
In order to enhance the content offered for commemorative
trips, a template file for a simple guide was created andpublished on the B-Izu official website.

○ Evaluation and improvements• In response to increased demand for travel due to nationwide travel support
measures, etc., we have focused on tourism campaigns in the Tokyo
metropolitan area and other areas with the aim of attracting visitors to Izu.
• In addition to the Izu Peninsula campaign, which is held twice in summer andspring at JTB stores in the Chubu and Kansai regions, we invited
representatives from JTB Royal Road Ginza, which sells tours to wealthy
customers, to conduct familiarisation trips on suggested Izu tours for wealthy
customers from the Kansai region. This helped us to attract visitors fromwestern Japan.
• In recent years, travel to Izu has gradually shifted from traditional group tours
to smaller, individual, and residential tours. This trend has progressed rapidly
through the COVID-19 pandemic. Looking ahead, in order to respond flexibly
to various changes in the environment, we will explore not only conventional
promotion methods but also effective methods such as promoting themed
tourism and tourist attraction activities from the visitor’s point of view.

4. Inbound Plan (Plan to Attract Foreign Tourists)○ Project outline and purpose, etc.

Given that travel restrictions due to COVID-19 have prevented local tourism
promotions, we will work with Taiwan’s OTA to provide information andestablish sales channels for travel products. In addition, following the lifting oftravel restrictions on 11 October, we will aim to expand sales channels by
conveying the attractiveness of the Izu Peninsula by offering information onleading sales in the region, etc.

○ Status of project implementationi. Information Dissemination Project for Inbound Tourism
Subject

Response (timing)

Response to CEO Chen’s visit regarding the
KKday comprehensive
partnership agreement

During a visit to Japan, CEO Chen of KKday Co., Ltd., withwhom we concluded a comprehensive partnershipagreement in FY2021, met with the chairman and vicechairman. (15 April)TaiwanHospitality Seminar

At the general meeting of Ito Tourist Association, Ito City
Hall and Kamo Campus, Director Hayashida hosted a
Taiwan hospitality seminar. (30 May, 30 June, 11
November)

TSJ overseas rep
training (United
Kingdom, Germany,
United States, andAustralia)

Online training was given on Izu Peninsula tourism
information for overseas reps of TSJ. (17 June and 17
January)

TikToker Monitor TourIn cooperation with KKday, we invited popular TikTokers to
the Izu Peninsula for a monitoring tour. (29 August)Shizuoka Prefecture
overseas office training

Online training was given concerning Izu Peninsula
tourism information for local staff of Shizuoka Prefecture’s
overseas offices. (11 October)

Exhibited at Japan Rail
Fair 2022

We exhibited at a railway and sightseeing event held in
Singapore in cooperation with Izukyu Corporation and
Izuhakone Railway Co., Ltd. (14 to 16 October)Interview by a reporterfrom well-known
magazine “ELLE”

In cooperation with JNTO and TSJ, we gave an interview
about Izu to a reporter from well-known lifestyle magazine“ELLE.” (15 to 16 November)

Invitation of celebrities
from Thailand

In cooperation with Shizuoka City, we invited Thai actress
Bow Maylada and actor Lek Teeradetch to promote
tourism in the Izu area via SNS. (11 to 12 December)

Giving an interview
about Izu to Frenchmedia

In cooperation with the JNTO Paris office, we worked with
reporters from French “Voyage Voyage Magazine” on thetheme of food ingredients from the Izu region. (2 to 3
March)

Increased printing ofbrochures for Taiwan

More pamphlets were printed to distribute to Taiwanese
tourists visiting Japan, who have increased rapidly since
the relaxation of border control measures, and to help witharranging local sightseeing events. (5,000 copies)

Subject

Response (timing)

Welcoming TSJ reps
In cooperation with TSJ, on-site training was given in Izu tofrom the United Kingdom
UK rep staff. (31 January)during a visit to Izu
Creating online articles
for the European andAmerican markets

We hired foreign writers living in Japan to write online
articles about hiking trails. (ongoing)ii. Project to Develop Inbound Travel Products
Subject

Response (timing)

Selling facilities on the
KKday platform

In order to promote the listing of Izu products on the
KKday platform, we visited each facility accompanied by
KKday staff. (ongoing)

Support for familiarisation
trips for Hong Kong EGL
travellers

In cooperation with the Airports Development Division of
Shizuoka Prefecture, we conducted a familiarisation trip
for travel agencies from Hong Kong. (22 June)

Shizuoka Inbound Travel
Agencies BusinessMeeting

We participated in a business meeting for inboundtravel agencies, sponsored by the Shizuoka Prefectural
Tourism Association. (13 September)

Sales targeting
Taiwanese travel
agencies and visit to“Touch The Japan
Festival”

We visited travel agencies and tourism-related
administrative agencies in Taiwan to promote sales,
and visited the “Touch The Japan Festival,” anexhibition of Japanese products held in Taiwan toconsider participation in the next fiscal year. (19 to 23
October)

Support for Tokyo hotel
concierge familiarisationtrip

In cooperation with TSJ, we conducted a familiarisation
trip for concierges from the Aman Tokyo hotel. (20 to 21
October)

JTB GMT Sales

We visited JTB GMT to promote sales in collaboration
with Shizuoka Prefectural Tourism Association. (27October)Taiwan online businessmeeting

We participated in an online business meeting for local
travel agencies held by the Shizuoka Prefecture’s
Taiwan Office. (15 December)

Winner of the Ministry ofLand, Infrastructure,
Transport and Tourism’s

We entered travel products from the Izu Region as a
Project to Support Regions with Important Water
Resources in the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure,Subject“2022 Contest for Tourist
Itineraries to Regions with
Important Water
Resources” InboundAward.

Response (timing)
Transport and Tourism’s Contest for Tourist Itineraries
to Regions with Important Water Resources won a
special “Inbound Award.” (20 December)iii. Project to Sell Inbound Travel Products
Subject
Promoting the sale ofproducts in Taiwan

Response (timing)
In cooperation with KKday, we promoted the Izu Peninsulaon the KKday platform as a way of encouraging productsales. (ongoing)○ Evaluation and improvements• In collaboration with “KKday,” one of the largest OTAs in Asia, with whom weconcluded a comprehensive partnership agreement in FY2021, we promoted
sales with the aim of listing Izu tourism products on the KKday platform. This
resulted in eight new listings.
• As new initiatives, we asked TikTok influencers and YouTubers, who haveattracted much attention in recent years, to promote Izu. This resulted in agood number of views. In a French media interview on gastronomic tourism,
we introduced Izu specialties such as wasabi, salted bonito, andhonkarebushi, which were highly praised. In the “Contest for Tourist
Itineraries to Regions with Important Water Resources” held by the Ministry ofLand, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, an E-bike tour around wasabi
fields in Izu won the inbound prize.
• Future challenges include expanding the number of countries and regions
targeted for invitations while taking into account changes in the global
situation, securing a stable number of guides who can accommodate foreign
travellers, and further strengthening cooperation with local businesses todevelop products for wealthy customers. While utilizing SNS and other tools,
we will work with local people to disseminate information widely on the new
attractions of Izu.

Project to Promote the Geopark’s “Basic Plan and Action Plan”○ Project outline and purpose, etc.

Izu Peninsula Geopark was accredited as a UNESCO Global Geopark in
FY2018. In FY2021, we formulated a new five-year “Basic Plan and Action
Plan.” This basic plan and action plan have been clearly positioned andinherited as the core measures of the Izu Peninsula Geopark and Tourism
Bureau, a general incorporated association.
Specifically, we are working on this project as a major project to promotesustainable regional development through geo guide personnel development
projects, regional and business-to-business cooperation projects including geocafes, education promotion projects, and geotourism projects in sync with
tourism, which is a key industry in the Izu region.

○ Status of project implementationi.-1. Holding the Geo Guide Training Course (the 8th course) andrelated programmes
In FY2022, the training course was launched with the cooperation of Shizuoka
University, with whom we concluded a cooperation agreement in February
2022. Currently, experts are invited as lecturers to conduct classroom studies
and field work (patrols).
8th Geo Guide Training Course Curriculum
31 participants: course content is shown below
Opening
Lecture name, etc.: 25 lectures and 7 fieldwork regionsday
16 October The Role of Geo Guides and Guides on the Izu Peninsula(Sunday)
The Origin and History of Izu Peninsula Geopark
Opening
ceremony Plate Tectonics and the Izu Peninsula
Geology and Volcanoes of the Izu Peninsula
29 October
An Introduction to UNESCO Global Geopark(Saturday)
Weather on the Izu Peninsula
Education at the Geopark
30 October
Natural Disasters and Disaster Prevention on the Izu Peninsula(Sunday)
The Seas Surrounding the Izu Peninsula
6 November Outline of Izu Literature(Sunday)
Vegetation on the Izu Peninsula
Izu Peninsula Topography
19 November
7 fieldwork courses; taught by Research Fellows.
(Saturday) to
19 November - Higashiizu area; 26 November - Kitaizu and
18 December
Nishiizu areas(Sunday)27 November - Nishiizu area; 3 December - Nakaizu area; 10
December - Culture and History; 11 December - Kitaizu area;
18 December - Minamiizu area
History of the Izu Peninsula (held as an open lecture for the
8 January general public)(Sunday)“The Warriors of Izu,” Instructor: Tetsuo Owada, professor
emeritus at Shizuoka University
The Art of Communicating (interpretation theory)
21 January(Saturday) Outdoor Guides and Crisis Management
Creating Tours
How to practice being a guide
28 January
Lifesaving training practice(Saturday)
Lifesaving training theory
Certification examination dates
18 February (Saturday): Rakujyuen
19 February (Sunday): Ryugu Sea Cave and Dogashima Island
23 February (Thursday/national holiday): Fault Park
25 February (Saturday) and 1 March (Wednesday), 6 March (Monday): Mt.
Omuro
24 March (Friday): Ryugu Sea Cave
26 March (Sunday): Fault Park and Mt. Omuro
27 people passed the test and were certified as new geopark guides.
After four months of classroom study and fieldwork, 27 students on the
8th course were newly appointed as certified geo guides of Izu Peninsula
Geopark. New certification occurred for the first time in three years since
COVID-19 forced postponement of course.

i-2 Certified Geo Guide Renewal Course• Training courses for the renewal of certification periods were conducted
for certified geo guides from the second and sixth courses, for whom thecertification period was about to expire. Under the title “Approaches todisaster prevention as a geo guide,” lecturers were invited to speak aspart of a program on disaster prevention cases in Itoigawa City andthrough community collaborations with the J-League.
1 March (Wednesday): 55
15 March (Wednesday): 5 - Total: 60* On 15 March, recorded video lectures were given to participants who
were unable to attend the lectures on 1 March.

i.-3 Skills Improvement Courses• In order to further convey the attractions of Izu, we conducted a coursefor certified geo guides to deepen their understanding of each region’s
characteristics and resources.
Under the title “Learning not to be intimidated by stones and minerals!
How to give quick answers,” an expert in mineralogy was invited as alecturer to teach guides about rock alteration.
24 & 25 (Saturday & Sunday) February - 40 people in total took the course* Same content on both daysii. Implementation of geo guide certification examination
The geo guide certification examination, which was launched in FY2012 andheld for the 11th time in FY2022, allows students to study and enjoy theformation, history, culture and society of the Izu Peninsula. For the third-classcertification, the exam can be taken at your r own pace while researching
through books or online. This has helped to increase the number of students
taking the exam among family members and employees. This year, 728
students, including first grade students at Shuzenji Junior High School, took
this entrance examination, and 702 students passed the examination.
On 15 January (Sunday), 2023, First-class & Second-class examinations
were held at three venues: Plaza Verde (Numazu), Higurashi Kaikan (Ito) and
Kaikoku Shimoda Minato (Shimoda). A total of 31 students took the exam,with 1 passing First-class and 19 passing Second-class. A nameplate for Mr.
Yuzuru Katsuno, who passed First-class, was put on display at the entranceof Georia.
iii. Hosting of Geo-cafes programme
We regularly hosted geo-cafes etc. to provide opportunities for enjoyable
learning and interaction with a focus on local resources and the Geopark, withthe aim of raising awareness of the Geopark.
As a COVID-19 measure, events were held in small groups with advancereservations.
Item

Overview

Hosting of geo-cafes ○ 16 April (Saturday) - GEO under the waves
Venue: WindyNetwork Marine Research Institute
Number of participants: 20
The geopark area also includes the sea, up to threekilometres offshore. The event was an attempt to listen to
people in marine-related jobs about the world of the sea.
○ 27 August (Saturday) - Geo Literary Giants Cafe - “MenReturning from the Mountain Pass” (in Japanese)
Venue: Yugashima Civic Culture Centre - Amajio; 15
participantsParticipants enjoyed talking about artists and works related to
the Izu Peninsula, using the themes “Mountain passes” and“Doors to other worlds” to start discussions. After the event,
the Geo Literary Giants Walk was held.
○ 26 November (Saturday): “Japanese hot spring culture kyodoyu (community hot springs)”
Venue: Oka Hoteinoyu Hot Spring, Ito City (a joint project with
the Prefectural Hot Spring Association)
21 participants: Discussing the charms of community hot
springs○ February 11 (Saturday/national holiday) “At the foot of thesilica stone mountain” (in Japanese)*
Venue: Koganest (rest area)
23 participants: retracing history at a mountain where silica
stone was excavated, and studying the glass culture that
arose in Western Izu* Due to the favourable reception, an additional event was held
jointly with Nishiizu Visitor Centre on 27 March (Monday),attended by 37 people.
iv. Collaboration with School Education programme
Education at the Geopark targets all generations, from adults to children.
Educational activities do not focus only on rocks and geological formations,but also cover the story of the Earth, the history and life of its people, and theconnections between industries and cultures that arise as a result. The aimsof the activities are to help people learn about the strengths andattractiveness of the region, and to foster love for the local area.
In the current fiscal year, geo guides worked with schools to help students
learn about the merits of their hometowns through geo-learning. The “GeoGuiding Manual for Schools” was used to develop future leaders forsustainable community development and promote improved geo-learning
initiatives. In this way, the Geopark was used to promote lifelong learning.
iv-1 Promoting geo-learning in schools using geo educational materials
April “Secrets of the Izu Peninsula” online study website updated
May With the cooperation of municipal boards of education, an
educational manga booklet “Secrets of the Izu Peninsula” waspublished.
This was distributed to about 4,700 fifth-grade elementary school
students in 15 cities and towns.
October - Education Newsletter No. 25 published
January - Education Newsletter No. 26 publishediv-2 Hosting of educational working groups○ 7 September (Wednesday) - The “Education Promotion Working Group”
was launched and activities were started.
• Deliberations will be held over the course of a year on the theme ofaddressing regional biases in geo-learning and its penetration into
secondary education. With regard to geo-learning, discussions were
held on the importance of preparing for educational trips by using local
resources as an element for promoting geo-learning in schools.
○ 1 December (Thursday): The Second Education Promotion Working
Group was held.
• “Research activities” were carried out at Matsuzaki Senior High School,and efforts were made to collaborate with the Matsuzaki 2030 Project.
• Discussions were held on the direction of activities at junior and seniorhigh schools, including consideration of model schools and theestablishment of a platform for information dissemination on ProjectBased Learning.
○ 15 February (Wednesday): The Third Education Promotion Working
Group was held.
• Investigations were carried out into education promotion methods in the
Northern Izu area (Numazu).
• Information was shared by Matsuzaki Senior High School and Inatori
Senior High School regarding the selection of model schools.

iv-3 Activities as a base for ESD (Education for Sustainable Development)
activities○ On 8 September (Thursday), the ESD Promotion Working Group waslaunched and activities were started.
• Our organisational merger was used as an opportunity to draft a threeyear strategic plan to promote ESD as a platform for educational
activities.
It was confirmed that a roadmap would be put together by the end of
FY2022 and reflected in the plan, starting with high-priority projects.
○ 24 November (Thursday): The Second ESD Working Group was held.
• Prof. Sato proposed a “theoretical framework of ESD” and geopark
activities
Projects for implementation were reviewed in response to working
group members’ project proposals submitted for FY2023.
Presentation and exchange meetings, as well as “geo salons,” were
held to explore ways of using Geopark resources to find solutions to
SDGs.
Discussions were held on proposals for the designation of base schools
for ESD activities and the establishment of coordinators.
○ 28 February (Tuesday): The Third ESD Working Group was held.
• Efforts were made to seek project proposals on how to create systems
for citizen participation. Discussions were also held on the direction ofefforts to promote the publishing of books co-authored by working
group members.
iv-4 Promotional activities in cooperation with elementary schools, juniorhigh schools, high schools, special needs schools, etc.
Elementary and junior high schools: In FY2022, collaborative andpromotional activities were carried out involving 1,904 students at 23
elementary schools, 966 students at six junior high schools, and 36
teachers at two high-school teacher training sessions.
(a) Nirayama Senior High School
September - Geopark study for science and mathematics students(classroom learning and fieldwork)
December - “Geotrain” activities in collaboration with Izuhakone Railway

are scheduled for December.
A joint project is being carried out with students of the Photographic
Reporting and Exploration Club.
(b) Numazu Commercial High School
Advice was given to the Information Business Course, which engages in
research on regional issues using the Geopark as a research topic.
Numazu Commercial High School plans to continue working with the
Geopark on its new course, which is scheduled to start in FY2023.
(c) April - University of Shizuoka; September - Nihon University, College ofInternational Relations
A lecture was given on “UNESCO’s Geopark Philosophy, and Practice at
the Izu Peninsula Geopark.”iv-5 Free Dispatch of Lecturers to Schools Newly Introducing GeoLearning programmes• In FY2019, recognising that the cost of paying lecturers’ fees to geo
guides was an issue that was hindering the spread of geo-learning, weestablished a system for subsidizing guides’ fees for the first year only at
schools newly engaging in geo-learning. In addition to existing schools,
we dispatched guides to four new schools to promote geo-learning.
○ New schools: May - 277 second-year students of Nagaizumi Junior HighSchool, Nagaizumi Town
June - 36 students in the fifth grade at Inatori Elementary School,
Higashiizu Town
July - 83 students in the fifth grade at Nishi Elementary School, Kannami
Town
February - 10 students in the third grade at Shirahama Elementary
School, Shimoda City
Lectures were given to a total of 406 children and students.
iv-6 Disaster prevention (reduction) related projects
April - We participated in Izu Eastern Volcano Group Disaster Prevention
Council (administrative office: Ito City)

v. Project to Promote Geotourism
The geo-guided tours based at visitor centres located around the Izu
Peninsula were highly praised in the UNESCO Global Geopark Review heldin October.
In particular, using the E-bikes (electric power-assisted bicycles) to visit
Nalaizu’s wasabi streams allowed visitors to enjoy the natural resources andscenery of the Izu Peninsula. In the current fiscal year, we are taking
measures to conserve and utilize the natural environment, and to beenvironmentally friendly in anticipation of the post-COVID-19 era. In addition,
we are working to improve the quality of geo guides, revitalize the local
economy, and raise the awareness and brand power of UNESCO Global
Geoparks in collaboration with the Sustainable Tourism Project, which
Shizuoka Prefecture is promoting as a priority measure.
Item

Overview

Project to Promote
Geotourism○ Scuba Diving Experience & Beach Sommelier Experience at
LaLaport NUMAZU - 27 and 28 August○ Monitoring tours were carried out to plan and commercialize
tours of geosites using E-bikes for guests staying in the Izu
Peninsula.
Dates of implementation: 20 and 27 MarchWe created videos of these experiences for dissemination
through SNS and at various events, with the aim of attracting
visitors to the Izu Peninsula, thereby helping to promotefurther regional revitalization.
We filmed the content on 14 November, and uploaded thevideo on the website and SNS from December.
○ 14 February: Georia was covered on SBS programme “That’s
Nice”○ Evaluation and improvements• The geo guide training course was held for the first time in three years, andthe curriculum was restructured. The content of the course made full use of
the comprehensive cooperation agreement concluded with Shizuoka
University in 2022.

• For the geo guide certification examination, there were more participants thanusual at Level 3, but the number of examinees at Levels 1 & 2 varied
noticeably depending on the venue. It was particularly noticeable that there
were only three examinees at the Shimoda venue. For this reason, we will
review the methods of announcing and selecting venues, and theexamination implementation methods.
• As for the Collaboration with School Education programme, lecturers weredispatched free of charge to four schools newly introducing geo-learning. Of
these, promising results in promoting geo-learning for the future were seen at
Nagaizumi, Kannami and Higashi-Izu towns as these areas had a few trackrecords of geo-learning.
• COVID-19 meant that it was not possible to conduct geotourism until lastyear, but we were able to implement a monitoring tour aimed atcommercializing tour plans to visit geosites using E-bikes. We also increased
the visibility of the Geopark by promoting it on social media and television.
• In the Hosting of Geo-cafes programme, the local industry (silica stone in
Nishiizu) was covered as a new theme in an attempt to dig up memories of
the region and pass on stories. In “Geo under the waves,” we handled thetheme of undersea topography around the Izu Peninsula, allowing us to raiseawareness and interest in the Geopark as a marine area.
• In addition, following the organisational restructuring, two working groups
were established as successor organisational meetings of the education
subcommittee of the Izu Peninsula Geopark Promotion Council. Specialists
from each region and domain were invited to become working groupmembers to create a platform for contributing to the organisation’s mediumto long-term planning.
• During the three years of COVID-19, events had to be cancelled and theways in which events were held was revised. After a year in which various
events were finally resumed with great care, it is now necessary to actively
engage in activities that will attract the attention of citizens and townspeople
in the region, and to promote awareness and understanding of the Geoparkin the region as a pressing issue. As for events, we will devise ways toencourage local people to attend, such as advertising the events andsetting maximum numbers of participants.

Geopark Research and Development Plan

○ Project outline and purpose, etc.

Research activities by Research Fellows are also an important part of UNESCO
Global Geopark activities. In the current fiscal year, three Research Fellows are
conducting research in their respective fields of specialisation and contributing
to related projects.
In a related project, active efforts are being made to exchange information, casestudies and mutual visits with experts at other geoparks. In addition, in order toencourage the publication of the international academic papers required as a
UNESCO Global Geopark, we are supporting advanced research on the Izu
Peninsula through the use of research grants.

○ Status of project implementation
i. Research-related activities
Support for the cost of collecting information related to their research is given
to specialist Research Fellows tackling research in the following fields as away of supporting research activities in these fields.
○ Dr. Asahi is a full-time research fellow on the geography of the Izu
Peninsula (Nirayama Reverberatory Furnaces and Tsunami Monument)○ Mr. Endo is a full-time research fellow on the geology of the Izu Peninsula(Geological Research on the Southern Part of the Izu Peninsula)
Field surveys were conducted up to FY2021 on geological bodies of
unknown age at Iruma in Minamiizu Town. Volcanic bombs and various
rock samples were collected. In FY2022, thin sections necessary for rockdescription were prepared for the obtained samples, and five of these were
subjected to whole-rock chemical composition analysis. The dating of
volcanic rock samples and writing of academic papers are scheduled for
FY2023.
○ Dr. Tsuji is a full-time research fellow on humanities in the Izu Peninsula(research on the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage and ESD)ii. Support for research activities
Support was provided under the Izu Peninsula Geopark Academic Research
Grant Guidelines. Subsidies of up to 300,000 yen are given for surveys andresearch on the Izu Peninsula. One out of four applications was accepted thisyear.

○ Recipient: Tomoki Kase (Department of Geology and Palaeontology,
National Museum of Nature and Science)
Research topic: “Clarification of species diversity of molluscan fossils in
Miocene isomeric limestone bodies in the Izu Peninsula”
Grant amount: 290,000 yen

iii Project to Host the Research and Academic Working GroupThe following research presentations were given on the theme of Mt. Omuro.
○ 23 February, 2023 (Thursday/national holiday): “The Wonders of Custard
Pudding: Mt. Omuro Research Presentation”
Venue: Ito City Tourist Hall, Annex
Lecture: “How burning dead grass protects unique Japan greenery on Mt.
Omuro”
Lecturer: Masayuki Nemoto, Specially-Appointed Research Fellow,
Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo
Lecture: “Using cosmic rays to see the inside of a volcano”
Lecturers: Seigo Miyamoto, Assistant Professor, Earthquake ResearchInstitute, University of Tokyo
Masato Koyama, Deputy Director, Shizuoka University Centre forIntegrated Research and Education of Natural Hazards

145 participants
iv. GGN (Global Geopark Network), APGN (Asia-Pacific Geopark
Network), JGN (Japan Geopark Network) activities
We are required to actively participate in and contribute to network activities
among geoparks, such as GGN, APGN, and JGN.
Accordingly, for the purpose of networking among geoparks as a feature ofgeopark activities, we participate in the activities of the Global Geoparks
Network (hereinafter referred to as “GGN”), the Asia-Pacific Geoparks
Network (“APGN”), and the Japanese Geoparks Network (“JGN”), and we will
disseminate and collect information about Izu Peninsula Geopark throughinformation-sharing and mutual exchange of surveys and research, thereby
enhancing network exchange and research activities.

Subject

Response (timing)

Participation in the
Global Geopark
Network (GGN)
Project○ Contributing articles to the GGN Newsletter○ Contributing to and publishing GGN publication, Geoparks andOceans(United Nations collaborative project, “A Decade of Ocean
Science for Sustainable Development”)○ Submission of Annual Report 2021
○ 21 April: UNESCO/GGN event
Online participation in a newly accredited global geopark
welcome event○ 8 June: Video by GGN related to World Oceans Day
Materials and articles to submit for “Global Geoparks Networkin the World Oceans Day”
○ 15 to 25 November, hosted by UNESCO
Remote participation in Geopark Intensive Training (Research
Fellow Dr.. Tsuji)Participation in the
APGN (AsiaPacific Geopark
Network) Project○ Held from 4 to 11 September
Attendance at the APGN Conference and Symposium(Research Fellow Dr.. Asahi, and Chief Mr. Ishida)• About 400 people involved in geoparks came together for the
conference.
The venue was Satun Geopark, Thailand.
• Research Fellow Dr. Asahi gave an oral presentation at thesession.
“Contribution of geoparks to the scientific value of world
cultural heritage sites”• Case study presentations by Japan Geopark Network
SDGs train: Case study of the tsunagudensha train initiative• Information is exchanged between members of geoparks inJapan (Muroto, Nanki Kumano, Mt. Chokai & TobishimaIsland, and Sakurajima-Kinkowan).

Participation in theJapan Geopark
Network (JGN)○ 25 & 26 April: Visit to Muroto UNESCO Global Geopark, lectureand exchange of information about UNESCO site inspections(Research Fellow Dr. Asahi)○ 21 May: Attendance at JGN Steering Committee• Venue: Chiba Makuhari Messe

Subject

Response (timing)• Participants: Secretariat-General Mr. Kanesashi; Research
Fellow Dr. Tsuji○ 26 May: Attendance at the JGN Ordinary General Meeting, andGeneral Assembly of the Council and Geopark Parliamentary
Forum• Venue: House of Councillors, Tokyo• Participants: Director Kikuchi, Director Kanesashi○ 4 July: Participation in JGC-hosted Geopark Basic Training
Session (remote participation)○ 21 to 23 October: National tournament• Venue: Hakusan Tedorigawa Geopark, Ishikawa Prefecture• Introducing the SDGs train: tsunagudensha train initiative at aposter session• Geo guide Haruki Tsuchiya won a national award for
educational achievement• Participation in keynote speeches and subpanel sessions• Booth exhibits, sales etc.
○ 21 to 23 November: Japan Geoparks Network national training
course• Venue: Mt. Kurikoma Area Geopark, Miyagi Prefecture• Participants: General Manager Kanesashi• There were 70 participants from 42 geoparks across Japan• Theme: Conservation and utilization of geological heritage at
geoparks
Training on creating site conservation plans; Preservation
and utilization planning for the scenic beauty of Izu
Southwest Coast
Case studies were introduced.
○ 17 to 19 February: The 10th Nanki Kumano Geopark Festival• Venues: Nanki Kumano Geopark (Shingu City, Wakayama
Prefecture and elsewhere)• Collaboration meeting for Japanese geoparks facing theKuroshio Current in the Pacific Ocean
Discussions on future mutual cooperation and exchange
projects

Subject

Response (timing)○ 10 to 12 March: International Marine Debris Symposium in Oki
Islands• Venue: Oki Islands UNESCO Global Geopark• International Symposium on Marine Debris. Attendees
participated in fieldwork and took part in case lectures andevents on debris-related issues. Discussions on mutual
cooperation and exchange projects with Oki Islands and
Sado○ We featured in the program “Grand Detectives” on NHK’sinternational channel “NHK World” and explained the

Acceptance oftours, training, etc.
from Japan andoverseas

relationship between the formation of the Izu Peninsula andwasabi cultivation.
○ We worked to increase our international capabilities byappearing in a TV programme introducing the concept ofgeoparks and giving practical examples from Izu Peninsula for
citizens of the Ulsan region and geopark in South Korea, which
was preparing a global geopark application. (July)○ 28 June: We welcomed an administrative tour by Iida City
Council from Nagano Prefecture.
The delegation was made up of 11 city councillors andemployees.
We toured Georia and introduced geopark activities.
○ 30 June: We welcomed an administrative tour by Otsu City
Council from Shiga Prefecture.
The tour included two members of the City Council; we spoke
about the operation of Georia and organizational controls.
○ 15 July: We welcomed an administrative tour by the Standing
Committee on Industrial Construction of Seiyo City Council.
The delegation was made up of eight city councillors andemployees.
We discussed the operation of Georia and the contents of its
exhibitions.
○ 8 to 10 March, 2023: We welcomed a tour from Ghana, Africa.
• Purpose of visit: to tour visitor centre activities andSubject

Response (timing)management systems○ Evaluation and improvements• Regarding adopted research, reviewed scientific papers have been publishedevery year since 2018. The organizational changes have been successful
and this is one reason that supported the reaccreditation of the Geopark.
• Widespread publicity has motivated leading researchers to conduct worldclass research on the Izu Peninsula, including marine areas, on the premiseof receiving research grants.
• Instead of focusing solely on academic grants, for example for the publicationof reviewed articles, full-time Research Fellows will self-publish reviewed
articles. As a first step, ongoing efforts are being made to give researchpresentations at international conferences.
• We will actively participate in GGN, APGN and JGN activities and fulfil our
responsibilities as a UNESCO Global Geopark.
• Regarding Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research, the number of applications
for grants was low due to insufficient prior publicity. For this reason, in the
new fiscal year, we will start accepting applications at the beginning of the
fiscal year, and we will thoroughly inform and disseminate information so that
the Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research system can contribute to thecreation of world-class new scientific knowledge on the Izu Peninsula.
• With regard to network activities, COVID-19 forced us to take programmes
online and implement other measures, but looking ahead we will be working“With COVID-19” with no restrictions on activities. Accordingly, we will
support efforts to establish geopark activities truly rooted in the region
through the establishment of new networks, in close cooperation with people
involved in geopark activities in the region, business establishments andresearch institutes working in mutual partnerships, as well as regularmembers, supporting members and supporters of our association.
• As part of Japan’s geopark network activities, we will actively disseminate
information on the geopark activities and deepen exchanges, leading to theimprovement of the Geopark brand, which is an ongoing issue.

Geopark Regional Cooperation Plan

○ Project outline and purpose, etc.

Based on the recognition that the basis of geopark activities is encouraging
local residents to understand the perspective of the geopark, voluntarily sustain
it, and pass down activities to new generations, we will further strengthen thecooperation we have cultivated with local communities and businesses in theregion; we will also contribute to the creation of sustainable communities
through geopark activities.
We have engaged in children’s art exhibition competitions and partnershipcooperation projects.

○ Status of project implementation
Item

Children’s painting
contestRegional
Revitalisation
Project

Overview
Contestants expressed things that amazed them or things theywanted to tell people about the Izu Peninsula, based on thetheme “Izu Peninsula Geopark - Our Home.”○ Entries accepted: August; Application deadline: 15 September○ 70 entries were received from elementary and junior highschools in the region
Co-sponsored by Sun to Moon Kakitagawa and Mishima
Shinkin Bank
○ 24 October: Outstanding entries were decided by the judging
panel○ Hosting of the travelling exhibition (the travelling exhibition is
ongoing)Georia → Gateway Kannami → Sun to Moon Kakitagawa →Geo Terrace → Koganezaki Crystal Park → Nagaizumi
Tourist Exchange Association → Sanshin Atami Street Gallery→ Sanshin Shimoda Street Gallery
Partnership collaboration programmes○ Nirayama Reverberatory Furnaces (Izunokuni City)• 9 July: A workshop was held for the Reverberatory

Furnaces Day event.
• 25 February: A panel was exhibited at a lecture on theexchange of reverberatory furnace technologies○ Shizuoka Gas Co., Ltd.; The theme for the current fiscal year
is “Wild game.”• April: 1st Geo Grand Exhibition - Animal Damage and Wild
Game Cuisine• August: 2nd Geo Grand Exhibition - Learning the Nutritional
Benefits of Wild Game
• November: 3rd Geo Grand Exhibition - Amagi Trekking• December: 4th Geo Grand Exhibition - Understanding and
Cooking with Wild Game
Visualization
programmes○ June: Making and selling newly designed geo polo shirts○ SDGs Train: Service opening ceremony held on 21 July at
Izu-Kōgen Station
Collaborative programmes with Izukyu Holdings
We put together the story of SDG activities in the region as away of introducing this to train users.
The story provides information on the Geopark and SDG
activities in the region to people using trains.
○ Izuppako Geotrain (republished)○ We helped to maintain information boards (municipal project).
○ We supported information dissemination projects at the visitor
centres and displayed the UNESCO logo.
• Amagi Visitor Centre refurbishment• Creation of the Kannami Visitor Centre Exhibition○ Banner distribution○ Evaluation and improvements• Based on a cooperation agreement concluded with the Nirayama
Reverberatory Furnaces (Izunokuni City) in December 2021, we helped topromote collaboration between the World Heritage Sites and Izu Peninsula
Geopark and Tourism Bureau. For example, we worked with Izu Peninsula
Geopark and Tourism Bureau Research Fellows, hosted workshops on
Reverberatory Furnaces Day, and held panel displays at lectures held at the
Nirayama Reverberatory Furnaces. Our UNESCO programmes cooperation

projects also received high marks during on-site screening for the UNESCO
Global Geoparks recertification review carried out in October.
• The number of entries for the Children’s Art Contest was low, at just 70
entries (15 entries by junior high school students; 33 entries by fourth to sixth
grade students; 22 entries by first to third grade students) due to the closureof classes before the summer. Accordingly, bringing forward the date for
accepting entries will help to increase the number of entries, especially forjunior high school students.
• Collaborative events with Shizuoka Gas offer an opportunity to introduce a
new group of participants to geopark activities. We will follow up on the casestudies introduced on the SDGs Train on the Izu Peninsula at geo-cafes andother locations.

9. UNESCO Global Geopark Improvement Recommendations
Plan○ Project outline and purpose, etc.

The nine improvement recommendations presented when Global Geopark
designation was received in 2018 represent challenges for the Geopark toaddress; these need to be tackled in cooperation with our constituent
municipalities and local residents.
In response to the recommendations, clear evidence was provided at the timeof the revalidation. Responding to recommendations is not an initiative to beundertaken for the purposes of the current revalidation, but this activity does
need to be implemented on an ongoing basis in the future. Accordingly, we willfurther promote the assessed activities to ensure they become established as
ongoing community-led initiatives.
The re-accreditation review was conducted from 10 to 13 October (Monday toThursday) (see “UNESCO On-site Recertification Review Report”). An outline of
the recertification activities was explained to the reviewers as follows.
i. Recertification Support Project
Initiatives
Preparing the
Basic Plan andAction Plan 20212025 - English
language version

Summary of explanations given at the time of the Global
Geoparks recertification
As part of work to translate and edit the Izu Peninsula UNESCO
Global Master Plan and Action Plan 2021-2025, we created an
English language version with over 80 pages, which we printed
and published online. An English language version was provided
at the time of the review.
We explained that this plan has been passed on to the newly
merged organization.

Creating a
In May 2022, the English language list of National Treasures anddatabase ofImportant Cultural Properties of the Izu Peninsula was completed.
cultural properties A total of 134 cultural properties, including folk cultural properties
and cultural properties designated by municipalities, werecompiled into a database, and the English language version wasmade available online. Most of the cultural properties aredescribed in English, but there were outstanding issues withinformation about intangible cultural properties. Accordingly, acomprehensive inventory of cultural properties was reported inInitiatives

Summary of explanations given at the time of the Global
Geoparks recertificationaccordance with the previous recommendations.

Conducting
lectures on
intangible cultural
heritage andcontributing
newspaper
articlesIn order to enhance the inventory of intangible cultural heritageand smoothly implement conservation programs, Research
Fellows gave lectures to geo guides and local residents andcontributed columns to Shizuoka Shimbun newspaper on theprinciples and systems of intangible cultural heritage to raiseawareness.

Production ofliterature exhibits
at the Amagi
Visitor Centre

In response to the recommendation to catalogue and promote thefuture use of literature and art related to Izu, a permanent
exhibition of literary works set in the Amagi Pass was launched at
the Amagi Visitor Centre in July.

Accumulation anddisclosure of
information on
corporate
governance

Substantial updates were made to the English language versionof the website. The organisation’s decision-making process, thesignificance and background to the organisational merger,
medium-term strategy, single-year business plan, and financial
information were published in English.

Development of
tours in inland
areas○ In cooperation with Ikeshiro District in Matsuzaki Town, theKamo Agriculture and Forestry Office, and the Geo Guide
Association, we started work on developing compact andsustainable Wasabi Sawa tours.
○ We also developed E-bike tours in Nakaizu. (See 6-v above)ii. International exchange and cooperation projects (see 7-iv for
UNESCO-related projects)
1) Exchange with Ciletuh-Palabuhanratu UNESCO Global Geopark
in Indonesia
November 2019: Courtesy visit by the Government of West Java Provinceand senior officials from Sukabumi Regency, Indonesia.
At the Shizuoka Prefectural Office, a “Bilateral memorandum of cooperation
between Izu Peninsula UNESCO Global Geopark and CiletuhPalabuhanratu UNESCO Global Geopark” was signed by representatives ofboth parties (Chairperson Kikuchi of Izu Peninsula Geopark PromotionCouncil and Deputy Minister Somantri of Sukabumi Regency) as well as theattending governors, Governor Kawakatsu of Shizuoka Prefecture andGovernor Kamil of West Java Province.
In response to the memorandum, the following exchange projects were
undertaken in the current fiscal year.
○ August: Research Fellow Dr. Asahi gave a keynote speech at the“Summer School for Geodiversity” hosted by Professor Mega,
Academic Advisor, Ciletuh-Palabuhanratu Global Geopark.
○ September: Both parties participated in the Asia-Pacific Geopark
Symposium held in Thailand. Specifically, Research Fellow Dr..
Asahi and Professor Mega reviewed their efforts to date and agreed
to conduct online school exchanges next year as an outstanding
issue to be tackled. In addition, the two sides agreed to renew andcontinue the “bilateral memorandum of cooperation” after 2024.
○ The two geoparks exchanged information and certification materials to
support one another in the process of recertification, as bothgeoparks are scheduled to undergo on-site inspections by the end of
the year.

○ Evaluation and improvements• The revalidation application was highly evaluated by the reviewers as an“extremely detailed and comprehensive” application, allowing us to achieve
global recertification. In this way, we achieved our goals. Furthermore, one of
the issues in recertification was clarifying the significance of theorganisational merger. It is likely that the improved dissemination oforganisational information in the English language and improved
accountability, including on the above point, have become medium-term
assets for the organisation.
• It should be noted that global recertification will only be possible through thediversification of programs and accumulation of results over the five years
since global certification. We also need to note that there is a need for abudget and personnel to be allocated annually, and that ongoing efforts will
be required for the next round of recertification.
• The following point requires improvement. Despite the fact that theaccumulation of information and results for recertification purposes is a jobthat needs to be steadily implemented from a medium-term perspective, inthe process of achieving recertification, some areas still lacked accumulated
information with just a few months to go until the review, and the response
was slow. It is necessary to execute programmes more systematically in
preparation for the next recertification. Furthermore, attention needs to be
paid to the possibility that the next round of recertification will require overallchanges to the organisation, such as the promotion of bottom-up andgrassroots civic engagement and the correction of gender imbalances among
the organisational leadership.
• In addition, exchanges with Ciletuh-Palabuhanratu Global Geopark continue
to be difficult due to the COVID-19 pandemic, including difficulties with inperson visits, but good human relations between the officials in charge havebeen maintained, and revitalization can be expected after the resumption of
travel from FY2023.

Georia Management and Operation Project○ Project outline and purpose, etc.

Georia was opened in April 2016 as a central base for Izu Peninsula Geopark. It
is used as a base by full-time geo guides for popularising the Geopark, as wellas introducing and explaining the best places to visit in the peninsula, and forcarrying out educational activities.
Under the basic plan, in addition to the permanent exhibitions of Georia, we willhold planned exhibitions (about three times a year) and events to create anenvironment where visitors can learn while enjoying the Geoparks; we will also
conduct planned exhibitions and guided tours by geo guides. Georia’s function
as the central facility for disseminating information among visitors will bestrengthened by entrusting the guide function to the Izu Peninsula Geo Guide
Association while continuing to take all possible measures against COVID-19. It
has also strengthened efforts to build a network of visitor centres, andappropriately disseminate information to visitors as a base for disseminating
information on the Geopark to visitors to the region, for improving visitor
satisfaction, and for promoting travel within the region.

○ Status of project implementation
Item

Overview

Status of
implementation forplanned exhibitions[Permanent exhibition]
Exhibition introducing Ciletuh-Palabuhanratu UNESCO Global
Geopark in Indonesia[Planned exhibitions]○ 16 June to 19 July: Small and Medium-Sized Mammals
Exhibition - 1,460 visitors○ 20 July to 31 August: Large Mammals Exhibition - 1,707
visitors○ 1 September 1 to 4 October: Insect Mimicry Exhibition - 1,023
visitors○ 5 to 25 October: Izu Festival and Performing Arts
○ 19 January to 14 March: Lost City Opened to the World(Industrial History of Izu Stone)* An online lecture related to the exhibition was given on 29
January.

Outdoor Workshop
Events(COVID-19
measures)○ 21 August: Oshiba Workshop (co-organised with Shizuoka
University) - 7 participants○ 28 August: Shuzen-ji Temple Japanese Paper-Making
Experience (co-organised with Shizuoka University) - 7
participants○ 25 December: Crafting using marine plastics - 17 participants○ 12 March: Making glass drops by melting silica stone - 10participants○ 12 March: Sweet potatoes baked on Izu stones - 11
participants○ 25 March: Mountain nature observation - 11 attendees○ Year-round: Digging Izu soft stone... a relay-style outdoorstone excavation experience
Anybody is free to borrow a hammer and chisel at Georia andcarry out light excavation of the Izu stones placed in the
courtyard.
Georia touring workshops○ 4 May: Painting samurai with rock paint (Izu City Museum)○ 23 February: Mt. Fuji Itadaki Marche (Rakujuen) - 82

participants
Hosting of Visitor
Centre Information
Exchange Meeting○ 1 June: The First Visitor Centre Information Exchange
Meeting was held.
(Venue: Shuzen-ji Temple General Hall)
The participants included 24 administrative staff and visitor
centre staff.
A workshop was held on the theme of “Increasing recognitionof visitor centres,” which was identified as an issue at theliaison meeting last year. Many of the participants expressedthe view that such information exchange meetings should beheld on a regular basis, and confirmed that they would
continue to strengthen visitor centre network activities andstrengthen the geopark as a base for the dissemination ofregional information.
○ 14 December: The Second Visitor Centre Information
Exchange Meeting was held.
The venue was Community Nagaizumi, the Nagaizumi Visitor
Centre.
Nagaizumi Visitor Centre activities and geo tour