Japanese business and tourism delegation visits County Waterford
he head tour guide of the Lafcadio Hearn Japanese Gardens, Keith Guinan is pictured with the Mayor of Matsue, Japan, Mayor Uesada, accompanied by Matsue City International Tourism Division Director, Mr. Ikeda, Matsue City Cultural Promotions Division Director, Mr. Imaoka, Matsue City New Industry Development Director, Mr.Kouda and Ethan O’Brien, Irish CoOrdinator for International Relations.
A business and tourism delegation led by the Mayor of Matsue, Japan, recently visited the Lafcadio Hearn Japanese Gardens in Tramore, Co Waterford.
Mayor Uesada was accompanied by Matsue City International Tourism Division Director, Mr. Ikeda, Matsue City Cultural Promotions Division Director, Mr. Imaoka, Matsue City New Industry Development Director, Mr. Kouda and Ethan O’Brien, Irish Coordinator for International Relations.
The city of Matsue, capital city of Japan’s Shimane Prefecture, is where Irish/Greek writer Lafcadio Hearn resided during his time in Japan between 1890 and 1904.
The popular Lafcadio Hearn Japanese Gardens was created to tell the story of Japan’s most famous Irishman, in 2015, and is now one of the leading tourist attractions and event spaces in Ireland’s South East region.
The visiting delegation took a guided tour of the Japanese Gardens with head tour guide Keith Guinan, in the company of Mayor of Waterford City and County, Cllr Seamus Ryan, Senator Joe Conway, Councillors Lola O’Sullivan and Sandra Conway, Board members, Therese Fennell, Laura Cassin, Lonan Lardner, Gary Graham and Business Development and Marketing Manager, Janet Carey.
During the tour the visitors were introduced to the many references to the city of Matsue, told through the story of the gardens and following their tour the delegates met with garden staff and were then invited inside to preview the new Kokoro Café and Cultural Centre, by Chairperson and founder of the gardens, Agnes Aylward.
Mayor Ryan welcomed Mayor Uesada and his delegation on behalf of Waterford City and County Council and spoke of the growing connections between Waterford and Japan that had developed as a direct result of the creation of the Gardens.
Mayor Uesada, speaking on behalf of City of Matsue and his delegates, expressed delight at being able to visit the gardens.
He also highlighted their wish to explore the possibility of future collaboration between Matsue City, the Lafcadio Hearn Japanese Gardens and the new Kokoro Cultural Centre.
The visit was also seen as an opportunity to further develop economic and tourism links between Japan, Tramore and the wider region.
