Several Japanese municipalities are adopting humor-based strategies to boost tourism by embracing their low name recognition as a promotional asset. Prefectures and cities across the country are employing self-deprecating campaigns to draw attention and highlight their unique attractions.

Akita Prefecture, located in northeastern Japan, initiated a tourism campaign from May to July this year under the slogan “Akita Prefecture: Still Unknown.” Despite its limited national profile, the prefecture boasts notable destinations such as the Shirakami-Sanchi mountain range, a UNESCO World Heritage site shared with neighboring Aomori Prefecture, and the Akita Kanto Festival, a traditional summer event held in August. According to statistics from the Japan Tourism Agency, Akita recorded 339,100 overnight stays in June, marking a 34.4% increase compared to the previous year—the highest growth rate across Japan. A prefectural government official attributed this surge in part to the campaign’s impact.

In central Japan, the city of Kusatsu in Shiga Prefecture is promoting itself with the unconventional tagline “Kusatsu without onsen hot springs” to distinguish itself from the more famous Kusatsu town in Gunma Prefecture, known for its hot spring resorts. Last year, Kusatsu’s tourism and products association introduced a mascot called Onsen Dorobou—a character depicted as a thief who steals hot spring water from across Japan to create a hot spring in Shiga’s Lake Biwa. The mascot gained widespread attention, including a feature at the Kusatsu onsen festival in Gunma last August. Kana Sakamoto, 29, a tourism official, noted that while the approach may appear self-deprecating, the goal is to provide an entry point for people to discover Kusatsu’s appeal.

Tottori Prefecture presents another example of leveraging humor in tourism promotion. It became the last of Japan’s 47 prefectures to lack a Matsuya gyudon beef bowl restaurant after the chain opened a branch in Izumo city, Shimane Prefecture, in the spring. The prefectural character, “Toripy,” responded on the social media platform X with a post declaring indifference, accompanied by a photo showing him seated at a desk with a fan featuring the phrase “Come here!” The post attracted over 800,000 views. In April, Tottori’s government launched a campaign using the hashtag “#If Matsuya comes to Tottori” to encourage collaboration on menus incorporating local ingredients. Saki Nakagaki, 35, a public relations official who helped organize the initiative, said the campaign aims to turn the prefecture’s status into a positive talking point and highlight its attractions.

These campaigns illustrate a trend among Japanese local governments to use humor and candid messaging as tools to raise awareness, foster engagement, and promote tourism in areas often overshadowed by Japan’s more famous destinations.