Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Uzbekistan plans to step up the promotion of cultural and gastronomic tourism in Japan. Diplomats from the country’s embassy discussed the issue at a meeting with Akiko Nakatsubo, CEO of Japanese travel company Kaze Travel, Dunyo news agency reported.
The sides considered opportunities to develop new travel programmes for Japanese visitors and promote Uzbekistan’s cultural heritage.
According to Nakatsubo, the company’s clients are primarily interested in cultural trips and itineraries offering new experiences. During their visits to Uzbekistan, Japanese tourists explored the bazaars of Tashkent and Samarkand, craft workshops and the surroundings of Lake Aydarkul in Navoi Region.
Visitors showed particular interest in national traditions and crafts, including suzani embroidery, pottery, and horse and camel riding. In this regard, the participants proposed including mahallas known for their traditional crafts in tourist itineraries and developing special themed programmes for travellers.
Another topic discussed was the promotion of Uzbek and Central Asian cuisine in Japan.
To mark Kaze Travel’s 35th anniversary, the company, together with World’s Cuisine Museum and Silk Road Kitchen AYA, developed a ready-to-eat packaged product based on lagman.
The product has been available on the Japanese market since November 2026.
The participants noted that projects of this kind could help promote Uzbekistan’s culture and national cuisine in Japan, while also increasing Japanese tourists’ interest in visiting the country.
