Blog

ユニーク長野という、外国人観光客が喜ばれる長野のユニークな体験を紹介するプロジェクトの第三モニターツアーは今日、行われした。須坂市の田中本家の田中館長に招待を頂いて、12人（内、アメリカから7人）で博物館見学及び300年前のお料理を再現した弁当体験しました。
この重要な博物館の我々欧米人の印象は？
良かった事：
＊建築
＊760年前のお茶道具
＊骨董(こっとう)品のおもちゃ
＊弁当
＊庭
＊庭の岩を動かす道具
＊300年前の松の木
＊水車の部屋
＊酒蔵
＊梅ジュース　（田中館長の手創り）

残念な所：
＊英語の説明が足りない

案：
＊英語のオーディオガイド
＊ふれあい化
（例：象さんとお坊さんの模様の碗に「お坊さんは何人か？って書くとか、「なんでこの人形は白人？欧米への輸出の為だったから。当時はおもちゃの輸出は現代の車の輸出のような大企業だった」の説明とか。

そして、最後に、田中本家は300年前の弁当を出している博物館って現状です。逆発想で、弁当を売りにする。そして、お客さんが弁当体験と庭を楽しみながら、700円を払えば、あとの部屋と建物および古い小物も見れるよと紹介すればいい。
そのやり方なら外国人観光客がきっと来るだろうと。

The Nagano Inbound Summit members and I held our 3rd in a series of "Unique Nagano" cultural activities "monitor tours" today. 12 of us, including 7 Americans, toured the Tanaka Honke museum in Suzaka, highlighted by not just eating, but experiencing their bento lunch recreated from a 300 year old menu.

So what did us foreigners think of the esteemed Tanaka Honke museum? Here are our results.

Enjoyed:
*architecture
*760 year old tea items
*antique toys
*the Bento (more on this later)
*garden
*tools used to move the garden stones
*300 y.o. pines
*mill room
*sitting room
*sake making room
*plum juice

Disappointed:
*Lack of English explanation

Suggestions:
*audio guide in English
*photo contest with the purpose of seeing what people's images are of the
museum
*more interaction
ex: What do you think this room was for? (Hint: See the black ceiling?)
Answer: sake making (smoke from cooking the sake rice blackened the
ceiling)
ex: What do you think this room was for? (Hint: See the water running down
the middle?) Answer: Mill room (there used to be a water wheel here.)
ex: Put one of the "ryo-kake" carriers on a pedestal, with the sign "What is
this used for?"
ex: By the bowl with the elephant and monks, put a sign, "How many monks are
there?"
ex: By the lidded bowl with the black exterior and autumn color leaves
interior, put a replica with the lid in place and a sign: "Open me"
ex: Why are these dolls all caucausian? Answer: Because they were for
export to Western countries. In the past, toy export was as big an industry
as car export is today.
*Bento -- needs full English explanation to make it a cultural experience,
not just a lunch

And finally, Tanaka Honkei is currently a museum that offers a 300 year old
lunch. Change that around. Make the lunch sell the museum. i.e. promote
the lunch, then as guests enjoy experiencing it and seeing the garden,
mention that for 700 yen, they can tour the buildings & gardens and see the
historical items.

That, we think, will draw guests from overseas to see this fantastic museum!

田中本家のHPはこちらClick here for the Tanaka Honke website