AIZU-WAKAMATSU, Fukushima -- The Aizu-Wakamatsu municipal government in Fukushima Prefecture plans to launch a project in the new fiscal year to make the city more appealing to foreign tourists who visit Japan to watch the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games.
　The city will run a shuttle service, named Samurai Route Bus, between Aizu-Wakamatsu and Saitama city, where Olympic events will be held.
　Aizu-Wakamatsu is also targeting Westerners who are interested in the culture of bushido -- the way of the samurai -- by planning samurai-themed tours.

　会津若松市は新年度、東京五輪・パラリンピックの競技観戦に訪れたインバウンド（訪日外国人旅行者）を会津に誘導する誘客事業を展開する。五輪競技が実施されるさいたま市と会津若松市を結ぶ直通の高速バスを運行。武士道文化に関心が高いとされる欧米人をターゲットに、「サムライ」をテーマにしたツアーを企画し、もてなす。

The city of Aizu-Wakamatsu announced the shuttle service on Feb. 18.
The city has a tourism partnership with Saitama, which will host two Olympic events: basketball from July 26 to Aug. 9, and soccer from July 25 to Aug. 7.
In conjunction with the events, Aizu-Wakamatsu plans to have the shuttle run one round-trip service per day from July 20 to Aug. 20.

　会津若松市が１８日発表した。同市と観光分野などで連携協定を結んでいるさいたま市では、バスケットボール（７月２６日～８月９日）とサッカー（７月２５日～８月７日）の２競技が行われる。会津若松市はこれに合わせて、７月２０日～８月２０日、「サムライ・ルート・バス」を１日１往復走らせる方針。

　 The Samurai Route Bus will take 3-1/2 hours to reach its destination, during which foreign language guides wearing armor will talk about the history of the area as well as other topics.
The round-trip tickets will be sold as a package deal called Samurai Route Pass, which includes admission to Tsurugajo Castle, city bus passes and tickets to attend a martial arts class.
　The city will also offer the Excellent Route Pass, which will allow guests to select from tours such as "Mugenkyo no Watashi," which includes a boat ride across the Tadami River, and helicopter tours offering aerial views of the Goshikinuma ponds.
　The city hopes these passes will help to expand tourism in Aizu-Wakamatsu and the surrounding area.

　乗車時間は３時間３０分程度。車内では甲冑姿の外国語ガイドが会津の歴史などを解説する。バス往復乗車券は鶴ケ城など観光施設の入場券、周遊バスチケット、武術体験チケットなどとセットにして「サムライ・ルート・パス」として発売する予定。
　只見川を和舟で渡る「霧幻峡（むげんきょう）の渡し」（金山、三島両町）や、五色沼（北塩原村）を上空から楽しむヘリツアーなども「エクセレント・ルート・パス」として販売し、会津若松市を拠点にした広域周遊観光につなげる。

　To promote the Tokyo Games and in cooperation with the town of Inawashiro, the city will operate a train running between Koriyama and Aizu-Wakamatsu on the Banetsu West Line from June to September.
　The exteriors of the train carriages will have designs featuring the national flags of Thailand -- whose boxing team is scheduled to hold a training camp in the city -- and Ghana, whose athletes will visit the town.
　The city submitted the initial budget for the new fiscal year's general account to the February assembly, which opened its session on Feb. 27.

（　Translated by The Japan News　）

　市はこのほか、五輪関連で猪苗代町と連携し、磐越西線の郡山―会津若松間で６～９月、ラッピングトレインを運行させる。同市でボクシング代表チームが事前キャンプを行う予定のタイと、同町がホストタウンを務めるガーナの国旗を車両にデザインする。
　市は２７日開会予定の２月議会に、関連事業費を計上した新年度一般会計当初予算案を提出した。

　【　２０２０年２月９日付・福島民友新聞掲載　】