FX Excursions

FX Excursions offers the chance for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in destinations around the world.

Immerse your Team in Modern and Traditional Japanese Culture in Tokyo.

by Richard Newton

May 6, 2021

PHOTO: © VOYATA | DREAMSTIME.COM

April/May 2021

Let’s toast our event with Japanese wine. That might sound like a joke. Japanese wine? You mean rice wine? No, Japanese wine. Red or white, fermented from Japanese grapes. At first sip you know you’re tasting something of genuine quality. Why have you never sampled it at home? Because hardly any of it is exported; it is mostly consumed domestically. To try the full range of varieties, you must come to Japan. The wine is just one reason among many to choose this unique country for your MICE event.

The wine is just one reason among many to choose this unique country for your MICE event. There’s nowhere quite like Japan, and the MICE options reflect that. Tokyo, in particular, boasts a well-developed MICE infrastructure, including experiences tailored for small or large groups.

Business Events Tokyo offers team-building sessions involving sushi making, robot building or taiko drumming. All require teamwork. Other cultural experiences available include karate lessons, flower arranging and learning the art of the tea ceremony.

As you’d expect of a sophisticated metropolis of 9 million people, you’ll find no shortage of world-class venues. The flagship is arguably the Tokyo International Forum, with 1.5 million square feet of floor space in four buildings and the flexibility to accommodate everything from a small business meeting to a major exhibition. The Forum will host weightlifting competitions for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, rescheduled for this summer.

Tokyo invested nearly $4 billion in infrastructure and facilities ahead of the Olympics, including upgraded expressways and expanded rail stations. Despite the coronavirus pandemic, the International Olympic Committee pledges a safe event, with infection prevention measures in place for the delayed games.

Another heavyweight venue is the Tokyo Conference Center Shinagawa, located in Shinagawa District. The Venue boasts two halls and a range of boardrooms on three floors, all just a short walk from Shinagawa Station, with convenient connections to Haneda and Narita International airports and to the country’s bullet train network.

Tokyo Big Sight (also known as the Tokyo International Exhibition Center), is the most distinctive venue in Tokyo and the biggest exhibition space in Japan. Resembling four upside-down pyramids balanced on four stocky support columns, the building originally opened in 1996, instantly becoming an unmistakable fixture of the skyline in the Waterfront Area. The venue features five exhibition spaces, three conference halls, a ballroom and numerous smaller meeting rooms.

In addition to dedicated venues, most of Tokyo’s international hotels (of which there are many) offer MICE facilities. Park Hyatt Tokyo, the unforgettable setting of the movie Lost in Translation, occupies the top 14 floors of a 52-floor tower with stunning views of the cityscape and Mount Fuji on a rare clear day. The hotel has three versatile function rooms as well as boardroom facilities and private dining options.

The Mandarin Oriental, Tokyo, in Nihonbashi District (styled “Fusion City” in tourism literature because of its blend of old and new), has 14 event spaces, the largest of which can seat up to 260 people. Every event includes an assigned dedicated manager and can fold in cultural experiences as part of the program, including its new Mindful Meetings approach which incorporates wellness in every meeting to inspire and energize participants.

Japanese cuisine should feature in any visit to Tokyo, and where better to experience it than in a restaurant that recreates the atmosphere of the Edo Period? Tofuro, in the swank Ginza District, comes complete with an indoor street, a running stream and several traditional wooden buildings. The seasonal menu includes, of course, sushi and sashimi. MICE groups can rent out an entire floor for up to 100 people or private rooms for two to 100 people.

UNIQUE VENUES
Alongside all of the standard international- class venues, Tokyo offers a variety of unusual options.

The Maxell Aqua Park within the Shinagawa Prince Hotel belongs to the breathtaking category. The exhibits combine aquarium displays with interactive technology as well as a central pool for spectacular dolphin shows. The Aqua Park can be hired exclusively after it closes to the public at 10 p.m., either for stand-alone events or to supplement events in the more formal surroundings of the hotel’s ballroom.
aqua-park.jp

Tokyo is so unrelentingly urban it is hard to imagine rural Japan lies within easy reach. Around 90 minutes inland from downtown, close to the city of Ashikaga, is Coco Farm & Winery. The winery produces Japanese variants of European wines (Chardonnay, Merlot) as well as genuinely Japanese wine derived from the local Koshu grape. Sample some of the wines in a tasting room suitable for small groups, and enjoy vineyard views from the terrace of a small café.
cocowine.com

Introducing

FX Excursions

FX Excursions offers the chance for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in destinations around the world.

Explore Excursions

#globility

Insta Feed
eFlyer Reviews
Jul 9, 2025

The Westin Maui Resort & Spa, Ka’anapali Review

Maui’s well-heeled vacationers have long flocked to Wailea, a verdant paradise lined with upscale beachfront resorts. Kaanapali, 45 minutes up the coastal Honoapiʻilani Highway, was the island’s bustling alternative.

Explore Europe with the Best River Cruise Line this November

Experience Europe from a fresh perspective with AmaWaterways, just awarded Best River Cruise Line by Global Traveler for the third consecutive year. Step aboard, unpack once and embark on a cruise through iconic capital cities and awe-inspiring landscapes. AmaWaterways' ships, which accommodate an average of just 156 guests, offer a spacious yet intimate setting. Throughout your journey, you'll enjoy exquisite farm-to-table dining; unparalleled service; and a variety of included excursions, from city tours for gentle walkers to thrilling bike rides along the rivers.

eFlyer News
Jul 9, 2025

Uber Announces New Features for 2025

In time for summer, Uber announced some new features to make travel smoother and more convenient for personal getaways, business trips and everything in between. Uber continues to expand its reach in the suburbs and areas with limited transit options, and Uber Reserve now grows its offerings to 70 additional airports in the United States and Canada, primarily focusing on smaller airports in suburban towns. This expansion includes airports like Augusta, Georgia (AGS); Green Bay, Wisconsin (ATW); Harrisburg, Pennsylvania (MDT); Knoxville, Tennessee (TYS); Reno, Nevada (RNO); and more.

eFlyer News
Jul 9, 2025

W Hotels Opens in Florence, Italy

W Hotels, part of Marriott’s portfolio, opens its second Italian property with W Florence. Situated on Piazza dell’Unità Italiana, the hotel occupies a building originally designed by Florentine architect Lando Bartoli.

Smarter Business Travel: 12 Tips from IHG Business Edge

For small- and mid-sized businesses, travel is often a necessary part of growth — helping to strengthen client relationships, explore new markets and attend key industry events. But with rising costs and limited resources, keeping business travel efficient and budget-friendly is more important than ever.

eFlyer News
Jul 9, 2025

Oman Air Joins oneworld Alliance

Oman Air officially joins oneworld alliance, making it the 15th member airline of the alliance. With the alliance, Oman Air strengthens its presence across the Middle East and makes new opportunities for global travel.

July 2025
Jul 9, 2025

Global City Guidebook: Buenos Aires

Travelers visiting Argentina’s capital, Buenos Aires, will find themselves in awe while exploring the destination’s history, culture, landmarks and European-influenced architecture.

Royal Air Maroc Introduces Groundbreaking Safety Video: A Captivating Invitation to Discover Moroccan Heritage

Royal Air Maroc continues to elevate the passenger experience with the launch of its new in-flight safety video — a cinematic journey that seamlessly blends essential safety instructions with a celebration of Moroccan cultural heritage.

Daily
Jul 8, 2025

Soak, Hike and Cycle California with Bindlestiff Tours

If bioluminescent kayaking sounds as dreamy to you as it does to us, book an adventure with Bindlestiff Tours and let the paddling begin. This award-winning adventure tourism company specializes in destinations within the American West, Canadian West and Alaska, and offers fully private group tours and women-only departures.