Japan’s tourism board wants you to remember that though things are scary now, Japan will wait patiently until you can visit its scenic shores.

Did anyone else have plans to visit Japan either this summer? Maybe you were intending to attend the Olympic Games in Tokyo before they were postponed, or had more vague desires to wander around some of the fantastic sights the country has to offer. Regardless, many — if not all — of those plans were scuppered by the global COVID-19 pandemic, and those that weren’t were severely impacted by social distancing orders or other safety measures.

This has left many of Japan’s tourism hot spots desolate and eerily quiet. Tourism is a boon to any economy, and Japan is surely feeling the lack after being declared an “infected country” five months ago. But JNTO, the Japanese National Tourism Organization, urges any would-be travelers to remember that light lies beyond even the darkest clouds.

The video opens on high-definition shots of lush natural scenery. Images are shown in breathtakingly quick sequence: a torii gate standing in a river grove, moss-covered lanterns, beaches, a diver exploring a cobalt sea.

The camera pulls away from fish-dense waters to soar across acres of trees, languidly drift through an autumnal temple view and careen above wintery peaks peppered with snow-laden trees.

The final stretch of the video is dedicated to shots of typical tourism activities. Tourists step into traditional baths, wash hands to enter shrines, and frolic beneath showers of cherry blossom petals. The video’s thesis statement — “hope lights the way” — appears over a shot of two kimono-clad women before the video draws to a close.

The video description reiterates the message of hope and future travels by promising prospective tourists to “keep dreaming of places and experiences you will still have” and “believe that there will be a time when we all are free to explore again”. For those of us who were desperate to visit Japan this summer, it feels like a comforting balm. We all need to work together to stay safe and healthy in the meantime, or it might take even longer to go on these joyful travels… But once that time comes, Japan will be waiting, and so will all of its gorgeous sights, smells, and experiences.

Source: YouTube/visitjapan via Japaaan
Images: YouTube/visitjapan
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