Iran hopes to lure more Japanese visitors with ‘The Glory of Persia’

4 May, 2007

Iran is expecting a remarkable increase in the number of visitors from Japan in 2007.

An official from the Iran Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organisation has said that, in the first month of the current Iranian year itself (beginning March 21, 2007), 626 visas were issued for Japanese tourists seeking to visit cities in Iran. The figure represents a 21% rise, compared to the same period in 2006.

More and more people from Japan, hailed as the ‘Land of the Rising Sun,’ are eager to discover Iran’s ancient history, especially after exhibit called ‘The Glory of Persia’ was open to visitors in different parts of Japan since 2006.

In 2006, the exhibit toured through three venues – the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum in August, the Hokkaido Museum of Modern Art in Sapporo in October, and the Aichi Museum of Art in Nagoya in late 2006. It will close later in 2006 in Osaka.

A total of 210 artifacts dating from the 5th millennium BC to the end of the Sassanid era (226-651 AD) are on display at the touring exhibit. The pieces are on loan from the National Museum of Iran, the Reza Abbasi Museum and the Azarbaijan and Persepolis museums.

The objects were carefully selected by Iranian experts at the request of the Japanese organisers in accordance with an agreement signed by the curator of the National Museum of Iran in Tehran.

A good number of Japanese have visited the exhibit so far, according to officials of Japan’s Department of Culture.

The ‘The Glory of Persia’ exhibit encouraged the Japanese to travel to Iran in late March and early April for the Iranian New Year holidays (Norouz), which mark the rebirth of nature following the cold season, according to official of the Iran Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organisation. The organisation expects that
Iranian cities will also be among the favourite destinations for Japanese tourists who want to spend their Golden Week holidays (May 3-5) abroad.