ADK YouTube Video Series Entitled "Meet the FURUSATO" Introduces Regional Cultures from Around Japan

ASATSU-DK (TOKYO:9747)(ADK), one of Japan’s leading advertising agencies and headquartered in Tokyo, has launched a series of videos on YouTube introducing the various highly diverse cultures of “furusato” or hometowns throughout Japan. These videos include introductions of not only various aspects of metropolitan regions such as Tokyo and Osaka, but also the great natural beauty of regions like Hokkaido, and the traditional cultures of Kyoto, Nara, Toyama, Gifu, Fukushima, Miyagi, and other regions.

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“Meet the FURUSATO” on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4nH-RuBMUQkcs13IeDhYiQ

Journalists from around the world visited various “furusato” throughout Japan to record their thoughts and comments on the local arts, cultures, history and natural beauty.

Osaka and Nara
The video produced by ADK introduces traditional products including cutlery, tin items, incense, somen noodles, goldfish and other well known products from the Osaka metropolitan area and Nara region, a World Heritage Site with many beautiful and historically significant Buddhist temples.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82MtKmKFSvE

“The artisanal culture within Japan's already rich culture is very impressive. They repeat the same tasks every day, but are always improving themselves. I was very impressed by that mentality,” said Yang Hongxun, at City Zine, China.

Toyama and Gifu
Takaoka City in Toyama Prefecture has long been known for products made by craftsman. This region is also home of the “Shirakawa-go” and “Hida-takayama” traditional architectural village sites. These renowned sites reflect the beautiful techniques of local Japanese artisans.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ly-fQx78NSQ

Janet James at HOUSE&GARDEN in Australia said “I think it's the craftsmanship and the artisans and the way that they respect the tradition, but also bringing new ideas and concepts into the furniture to make it more well known to everyone outside Japan.”

Fukushima and Miyagi
Despite the earthquake disaster that struck the region in 2011, the tradition of highly skilled artisans creating traditional products continues in the Tohoku region. ADK introduces locally made lacquerware, pottery, and Japanese sake breweries that operate in Fukushima and Miyagi Prefectures, where the disaster recovery efforts are still currently ongoing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pghI879kWS0

“It's amazing to see all the heart and effort that go into something so small. In a world of mass production, to see so much time go into something so small, really brings out the spirit of the Japanese people,” said Chua Jialing and Melissa Lorraine at “escape!” in Singapore.

Tokyo
This video portrays scenes of various “Miss International Beauty Pageant” candidates from about 70 countries window shopping in Shibuya, the heart of the fashion scene in Tokyo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afEBY4V0kC8

Hokkaido
ADK introduces furniture, woodworks, leather goods, printed products, confectionaries and other products made in Asahikawa and Sunagawa cities of central Hokkaido.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bK-I9nsfTK0

Zhu Chao at Xinhua News Agency commented, “I saw the high quality and their attention to design concepts and craftsmanship. And I was impressed by how the workers there make their products with pride.”

Kyoto
Kyoto is not only one of the world’s most famous tourist destinations, but it also boasts of a voluminous amount of highly refined traditional Japanese crafts. ADK’s video demonstrates how Kyoto endeavors to protect its long lasting and beautiful traditions, while at the same time promoting innovation to adapt these traditions to match the needs of modern lifestyles. The video also shows how Kyoto’s highly refined and sophisticated sense of beauty is reflected in its textiles, lighting, and other realms.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3KiC7iZEjMhttps:/

“As technology, it's amazing! The young generation have taken traditional methods their grandfathers valued and modernized them,” said Jens H. Jensen at Wallpaper in England. “It's great they're making products for global distribution.”

About Robot Communications Inc.
ROBOT COMMUNICATIONS began operations in 1986 as a television commercial production and facilitating agency. It provides creative production of entertainment contents planning and production in a wide range of services including website creation, character development, animation production, and graphics. Amongst its most well known creations are a movie series entitled “ALWAYS Sanchome No Yuhi,” and the 81^st Academy Award winning film “Tsukimino Ie” (La Maison en Petits Cubes). Please visit its website for more details at: http://www.robot.co.jp/index_en.html

About ADK
ADK started out under the name of ASATSU with only four employees at the time of its founding in 1956. ASATSU became the first advertising company to list its shares on the Second Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange in 1987 and elevated to the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange in 1990. It established capital and business alliance with WPP, the world leading marketing communication group in 1998. In 1999, ASATSU and Dai-ichi Kikaku merged, forming ADK. Over the following half of a century since its founding, ADK has risen to become the third largest advertising agency within Japan. Please visit its website for more details at: https://www.adk.jp/en/

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Contact information

ADK
Tsukasa Tagawa, +81-3-6830-3840
tagawat@adk.jp