OITA Prefecture in southwestern Japan, host to a Sanrio character theme park, plans to temporarily pitch its airport as “Hello Kitty Airport” in hopes of luring tourists visiting the country for the upcoming World Exposition in Osaka who are eager to travel further.
Oita Airport will call itself Oita Hello Kitty Airport for six months starting 13 April, when the expo begins in Osaka, western Japan. Oita Prefecture is the only location other than Tokyo that hosts a theme park dedicated to the globally popular feline character.
The airport will welcome travellers by setting up a photo spot and banners featuring Hello Kitty and other Sanrio characters, according to the local government and the operator of Sanrio theme parks, Sanrio Entertainment Co.
A shuttle bus connecting the airport and Harmonyland, the Sanrio theme park, will also run between August and October, they said.
Noting that the prefecture saw a record high 1.5 million foreign visitors in 2024, Oita Governor Kiichiro Sato was quoted in a press release as saying he hopes to share the charms of his prefecture while the expo is under way.
Aya Komaki, president of Sanrio Entertainment, said her company is aiming to make Harmonyland an “entertainment and resort area.”
“We will make efforts so that Harmonyland can contribute to attracting tourists in and outside the country as one of Oita Prefecture’s attractions,” she said.
— Kyodo
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