Q5 Which World Heritage site has the highest recognition?

How does the world currently perceive Japan? How is the "Japan brand" – encompassing tourism, land, food, and products – evaluated overseas?

This article presents findings from the "Japan Brand Survey 2016," conducted in April 2016 across 20 countries and regions worldwide. This installment focuses on "World Heritage Sites People Know."

A5 The most recognized World Heritage site is the "Hiroshima Peace Memorial (Genbaku Dome)". Following "Mount Fuji", shrines and temples in Kyoto and Nara rank highly.
 

The Atomic Bomb Dome, which gained attention during President Obama's visit to Hiroshima, topped the list, surpassing Japan's iconic symbol, Mount Fuji. Recognition of the Atomic Bomb Dome ranked first in Asian and Oceanic countries like Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Australia, as well as in North America, the UK, and Brazil.

Illustration: Mai Beppu

 

Additionally, in China (Beijing, Shanghai), "Okinawa/Ryukyu" and "Hokkaido/Shiretoko" made the top 3, while in Hong Kong and Taiwan, "Okinawa/Ryukyu" ranked in the top 3. This offers a glimpse into the popularity of regional destinations in East Asia from a World Heritage perspective. Alongside the regional boom, awareness of Japan's diverse World Heritage sites—encompassing not only historical structures but also nature and land—appears to be gradually increasing.

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<Overview of the Japan Brand Survey 2016>
● Purpose: To understand overseas consumers' perceptions and actual behavior regarding the overall "Japan Brand" encompassing Japanese food, tourism, products, etc., and to support corporate marketing activities.
●Target Areas: 20 countries and regions
China (Beijing, Shanghai), Hong Kong, South Korea, Taiwan, India, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Philippines, Australia, USA, Canada, Brazil, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Russia
●Survey Method: Online survey
●Respondent Criteria: Men and women aged 20-59 from middle-income households and above
●Sample Size: 200 respondents per region, total 4,000 respondents
●Survey Period: April 25 to May 18, 2016

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Dentsu Inc. Team Cool Japan
A company-wide cross-functional project team established to promote 'Cool Japan-related initiatives'—expanding products and services leveraging Japanese culture and strengths into overseas markets. Dentsu Inc. also invests in the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's Cool Japan Organization (fund). The team brings together client company representatives handling overseas expansion, media and content specialists, overseas subsidiary network managers, producers, and planners to undertake initiatives promoting Japan's appeal globally.

DENTSU SOKEN INC. "Japanology" Project
DENTSU SOKEN INC. is advancing initiatives focused on culture as a management challenge for 2020 and beyond. We provide workshops and training on cross-cultural management and organizational culture diagnostics for Japanese companies advancing globalization and foreign companies aiming to penetrate the Japanese market.