A sightseeing tour following the itinerary proposed by Minato Bank, utilizing Shinki Bus Co.’s luxurious bus for transportation, is seen in Tambasasayama, Hyogo Prefecture, Dec. 19, 2025. (Mainichi/Tsuyoshi Kosaka)
TAMBASASAYAMA, Hyogo — Facing challenges like population decline, regional banks across Japan are embracing new roles, even establishing organizations to promote tourism. Leveraging bankers’ networks, their sightseeing tours have been well-received by affluent participants.
The Hyogo Prefecture city of Tambasasayama is known for its historic castle town and specialty black soybeans. On a weekday in December 2025, participants in a sightseeing tour disembarked from a luxurious, deep blue bus. The special bus, designed inside and out by Eiji Mitooka, who also designed Kyushu Railway Co. (JR Kyushu)’s luxury train “Seven Stars in Kyushu,” was provided by Shinki Bus Co. in Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture.
The group departed from Hiroshima Station, touring the Arima Onsen and Yumura Onsen hot spring resorts in Hyogo Prefecture over three days and two nights. The fee per person was around 250,000 yen (roughly $1,600) for double occupancy at lodgings, offering a lavish experience. A 79-year-old man from Kure, Hiroshima Prefecture, expressed satisfaction, saying, “I signed up for the tour because it was conducted on a luxury bus. The seats were comfortable, and the large windows offered great views.”
The tour was organized by The Minato Bank Ltd., a regional bank based in Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture. The bank has a partnership agreement with Shinki Bus for regional revitalization, using the special bus as a tour highlight. Meals were carefully selected, including a recommended “yakiniku” barbecue restaurant known by local branch staff. Many participants were elderly, but they enjoyed the taste of Tajima beef, considered the pinnacle of Japanese black beef, describing it as “tender.”
Although bankers were deeply involved from the planning stage, regional banks cannot sell travel services. So how did Minato Bank make the tour a reality?
The key lies in a mutual project with banks in different regions to attract customers. Minato Bank collaborates with three regional banks, including The Hiroshima Bank Ltd.’s Hirogin group companies, in the Chugoku region. Minato Bank proposed inns and tourist spots in Hyogo Prefecture to a travel agency affiliated with the Hirogin group, planning a three-day, two-night tour. In other words, the Hiroshima-based travel agency handled the tour’s recruitment and sales.
The tour includes visits to a local sake brewery facility and a specialty product shop as seen in Tambasasayama, Hyogo Prefecture, Dec. 19, 2025. (Mainichi/Tsuyoshi Kosaka)
Conversely, there are tours where the Hirogin group or Chugoku Bank Ltd., in the city of Okayama, propose hotels and restaurants, and individual clients associated with Minato Bank participate. Shinki Bus sells these tours. In the Seto Inland Sea tour, starting from Hyogo Prefecture, participants visited a famous sake brewery in Higashihiroshima, Hiroshima Prefecture, guided by its chief brewer, and enjoyed a private viewing of an important cultural property house in Okayama Prefecture.
Both tours featured spots known only to locals, rather than famous tourist destinations. Participants apparently appreciated experiencing places they could not easily visit on their own.
Most tour revenue goes to travel agencies and accommodation facilities. For regional banks involved in the project, the goal is not to generate revenue but to attract visitors from outside and stimulate local businesses.
In 2019, Minato Bank established the tourism promotion office to promote regional revitalization through tourism. The recent bus tour was spearheaded by this office, and in March of this year, a tour was held in collaboration with The Kagoshima Bank Ltd., using Kobe Airport, which celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2026.
The establishment of the tourism promotion office was driven by concerns about a lack of tourists in Hyogo Prefecture. Compared to nearby Osaka and Kyoto prefectures, tourism in Hyogo Prefecture has a sense of stagnation. According to the Japan National Tourism Organization, in 2024, Hyogo Prefecture’s visitor rate among foreign tourists was only 5.3%, compared to 39.6% for Osaka Prefecture and 29.5% for Kyoto Prefecture.
Nobunari Tomita, head of Minato Bank’s tourism promotion office, emphasized, “With a declining population, how do we cover the deteriorating economy? Tourism spans various industries, including dining, lodging and transportation. Using tourism as a tool to revitalize the region should lead to new employment opportunities.”
In 2025, the number of inbound tourists to Japan exceeded 40 million for the first time, raising expectations for foreign currency acquisition through tourism. However, many tourists are concentrated in areas like Tokyo and Osaka, leaving challenges in dispersing them to regional areas. How can local tourism resources be polished and promoted? As local human resources dwindle, the role regional banks can play is becoming increasingly significant.
(Japanese original by Tsuyoshi Kosaka, Nagoya News Department)
AloJapan.com