The “TOKYO Besties” is a team comprised of young people that was formed by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government in August 2023. Their mission was to showcase Tokyo’s unique sightseeing spots from a local’s perspective to young people around the world. The 9 members from the “TOKYO Besties” team posted series of their favorite spots in Tokyo on social media over the course of 7 months.

Looking back on the project

The team members filmed, edited and posted short videos on social media highlighting Tokyo’s undiscovered sightseeing spots to attract foreigners who are visiting Japan. They went on a field trip to Asakusa and Kappabashi to show tips and recommendations from a local’s perspective. The videos were captioned in English and made easy for tourists to find the spots when visiting for the first time.

The members came together on March 17th to discuss what they learned from the project. They were excited to share the rediscoveries they found of Tokyo and its rich history that is inherited for generations. They also discussed some challenging aspects of filming and editing content for social media.

Members commented, “It was refreshing to see the Tokyo I already knew from a different perspective. I didn’t know that Tokyo could surprise me with more interesting places!” and another mentioned, “My friend from overseas saw my post and followed the account! It was very exciting!” It was a transformative and meaningful experience for the members who were involved.

We hope that through this project, tourists can rediscover Tokyo’s many exciting offerings and embark on a new journey when visiting Tokyo!
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