UPDATE: I genuinely appreciate the input and hope I’m not coming across as someone who will just argue forever in the comments. I tried to share a lot of info on ideas, but I want to make it clear that I won’t go through with this if the outlook is poor. A lot depends on the data and info I’m collecting right now, and the fact that no one here works in tourism in Gifu is already pretty telling, haha. Thank you guys so much for all you do.
Hi, my mom and I are working toward getting startup visas for Gifu prefecture.
Our plan is in the tourism sector. We want to offer workshops at our own studio with my mom being the artist in residence (she has been a potter for 45 years). We also want to help people with their own art tourism plans. I would be the head of coordination and outreach. ETA: I plan on doing networking and outreach after confirming if there are specific parts of Gifu that are included in/excluded from the startup visa program. I want to make connections, learn, and get letters of support for my application. More details are in the comments.
Has anyone here worked in the tourism sector in Gifu?
Has anyone here been through the startup visa process for a tourism related business?
I am going to use Yorozu for my business development related questions, since they are free and can be asked questions multiple times.
https://www.gifu-yorozushien.go.jp
The Gifu JETRO page didn’t have much about the tourism industry but has really helpful links for anyone else considering Gifu.
https://www.jetro.go.jp/en/invest/region/data/gifu.html
——————
I wanted to keep the main part short, but here is some additional information:
In 2024, I made an entire rokkoyō itinerary that took us to all of Japan’s six ancient kilns. Some of them (looking at you, Shigaraki) were pretty far into the countryside. I want to help other travelers connect with rural artisan areas. I have physically done the thing and know I can plan it for others. I speak Japanese, so I’m honestly not sure which areas we visited would be smooth experiences for people who don’t.
Part of what I want to do is help lower the language barrier by building my own relationships with these areas so they know why travelers are coming. I am getting my TEFL certification right now, so I’ll know how to effectively help with ESP (English for special purposes) workshops that I would offer as volunteer work/relationship building to locals. For the tourist side, I would provide helpful phrases. The delivery would vary based on travelers’ ability. The most basic would be flash card style with Japanese on one side and English on the other that they could show artists, ryokan owners, restaurants, station workers, etc. I could also offer guided day trips to smaller towns.
There are various certifications based on whether you are acting as a guide or booking things on people’s behalf. (If you are just guiding, you don’t need it. If you’re doing any booking on someone’s behalf, you do.) I will either study to take the prefecture-limited licensing exam or have our one required employee be a native speaker who has. I also plan on taking the JLPT N2 during the startup period and attending workshops and seminars for businesses that Gifu prefecture offers at low cost. (Yorozu also has free seminars.)
Mom and I will offer various workshops, including some involving English practice for local children, family-centered ones, bilingual ones, blind-accessible ones, and ones for people with limited strength/mobility in their hands. We would also like to collaborate with local artists, but many of these programs will depend on the relationships we build. Mom will also be making and selling her own pieces. I will also be looking for galleries outside of the immediate area that would be interested in her works. She would not be there to compete with local artists. She would work to become a collaborator and colleague in the local art space while being mindful of her position as someone from abroad who does not want to increase competition in the exact same market but instead offer her own unique things to support more international outreach.
We plan on buying a house to make things easier, since we have two 6.5 KG dogs. (We will be sure to buy in a “dogs OK” neighborhood.)They are headed to a vet near us to get their ISO chips and first rabies shots on Halloween. They are hearty little cairn terriers with friendly personalities who adjust to change well, so we are confident about their ability to move.
I know business manager visa requirements have changed, and we are both taking that into account. We will also get an immigration lawyer for that stage.
I would just really like to hear from anyone who has been involved in the tourism industry in Gifu, especially if they have startup visa experience. I plan to ask Yorozu for leads on how to do the actual market research, but they can’t tell me your stories.
Thank you for reading and for any insight you can provide!
by Razzimo