Takamatsu, Japan, has no better ambassador than Tadashi Sano, chief director of the city’s convention and visitor’s bureau.
The twinkle in his eyes, a gregarious smile and laugh and his warm and welcoming personality made it seem as if we’ve known him our whole lives.
As part of a tour of Takamatsu, a city located on the Seto Inland Sea in Kagawa Prefecture, our group of three meeting planners and a representative from the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) spent two days exploring the destination.
Our dinner at Yakiniku Restaurant, and our event with Sano and his team, was representative of the spirit we found in the city.
“This is your home,” Sano told us. “Always know that.”
Sano and his team made an impression. From the beauty of Ritsurin Garden, the historic Takamtsu Castle and the city’s top meeting venues, the Sunport Convention Center and Rexxam Hall, the destination has created a niche for supporting the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions business (MICE).
“Takamatsu was a big surprise for me,” sys Marcio Deslandes, Velo-city Series and global policies director for the European Cyclists’ Federation, based in Brussels. “Although a small city, it has a very good infrastructure for events in different scales, from small to big ones. All the conference facilities we visited were not only of high quality but full of character—one really could feel Japan in pretty much every single conference room.”
Adam Bouchard, program coordinator for the Kenes Group, agrees.
“Takamatsu was a beautiful city and the (Ritsurin) gardens offer a pleasant few hours for anyone looking to step away from the congress,” he says. “The little train they had would be a nice alternative and unique venue for a smaller dinner. The tea ceremony was a nice experience and the olive-fed beef is something I believe anyone would enjoy. Takamatsu offers nice smaller venues for someone that may be looking for a true cultural experience for their event.”
Sunport Convention Center features more than 240,000 square feet of meeting space with 20 rooms including the Kagawa International Conference Center. The largest space is the Sunport Hall Takamatsu, which has more than 16,000 square feet of space and can accommodate up to 1,500 seats. The facility offers outstanding views of the Seto Inland Sea.
Rexxam Hall is a full-scale arts and cultural hall with a Grand Hall capable of accommodating more than 2,000 seats. The facility features about 300,000 square feet of meeting space—the largest has more than 21,000 square feet—in seven rooms.
The Ritsurin Gardens are among the most famous historical gardens in Japan and include indoor and outdoor space for meetings and events.
Takamatsu Castle also has space for meetings and events. The castle dates from the late 1500s and is one of the few Japanese castles built along a waterfront. It features seawater moats.
Our group stayed at the JR Hotel Clement Takamatsu, which has 300 rooms and space for more than 1,600 attendees.
The food options were exceptional throughout, from a matcha green tea experience to olive-fed beef.
“For me, Takamatsu was a peaceful city blessed with a splendid view over the Seto Inland Sea and its countless islands,” says Aurélien Bandini, a MICE specialist for JNTO based in Paris who was making his first trip to Takamatsu. “It’s a great place for delegates to take some distance from their busy lives and to have a deep discussion on the most recent challenges of their field. As a French person, the landscape and the mild climate of the Seto Inland Sea area reminded me of the Mediterranean coast and I had the feeling that the people there shared the same warmth and hospitality.”
Deslandes says the city might make an ideal destination for his cycling association.
“It is also worth to highlight the fact that it is a beautiful and pleasant city with a lot of alternatives for extra activities,” he says. “Being by the sea adds an extra pleasant character to it. Being a mid-sized city easy to navigate is also a positive side for a conference in Japan as participants can easily find their own ways around.”
