HAPPO-EN Co., Ltd., a comprehensive event production company, who participated as DMO GATEWAY Shin-Shinagawa, won the Japan Convention Study Group Chairman’s Award at the “MICE Future Action Convention 2022.

Among 10 cities nationwide, Happo-en was selected as the winner for their proposal and implementation strategies that presented new possibilities for the MICE industry.

Happo-en (DMO GATEWAY Shin-Shinagawa), the only participant from Tokyo, demonstrating the potential for next-generation MICE events, and was selected from 10 cities nationwide to receive the Japan Convention Research Association Chairman’s Award.

About the MICE Future Action Convention 2022 in Toyama

The MICE Future Action Convention 2022 in Toyama was a pitch contest organized by the Japan Convention Study Group and supported by the Japan Tourism Agency, as well as the Japan National Tourism Organization, with the aim of improving the ability and attractiveness of MICE events in Japan. Ten cities from all over Japan, including Sendai, Tsukuba, and Nagasaki, participated in the contest, which was streamed as a hybrid event from Nanto City in Toyama Prefecture.

Official website for the “MICE Future Action 2022 in Toyama (City/Area) Competition” : Website

MICE is an abbreviation for Meeting, Incentive, Convention, Exhibition/Event, and is a general term for business events.

Presentation by Happo-en (DMO GATEWAY Shin-Shinagawa)

Happo-en participated in this contest as DMO GATEWAY Shin-Shinagawa. Happo-en, a comprehensive event production company with a 400-year old Japanese garden in Shirokanedai, Tokyo, has expanded its business beyond the operation of Western and Japanese-style restaurants and weddings. As a unique venue that embodies the history and tradition of the location, Happo-en has begun producing a new method of exchange through “people” and “food” by holding hybrid events that fuse real and online events, and promoting the MICE industry.

(Left) Introduction of a food delivery robot / (Right) Inclusive diversity design products

In the presentation, Happo-en (as DMO GATEWAY Shin-Shinagawa), presented a new method of generating MICE tourism for the next generation by conveying the appeal of Japan through “food” and “interaction”. In the service and banquet industry, which has been confronted with a number of challenges due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Happo-en presented a new method of operation that incorporated the Japanese cultural mindset. These methods included inclusive and diversity-designed products that embodied the seasons and the garden, while combining Japanese technology such as catering robots, barrier free designs and the Japanese esthetic “ma” also referred to as negative space.

Tokyo is a leading area for business events with many unique characteristics, such as creative venues, traditional culture, food culture, and nightlife. Happo-en aims to expand the possibilities of MICE tourism by combining the analog world of unchanged culture and tradition with the ever-changing digital world.

Comments from the Presenter

Corporate Event Production Global Sales – Naoki Takahashi

“While the global spread of the Covid-19 pandemic has stagnated the MICE industry, both the DMO and Happo-en have been proactively taking on the challenge of introducing a variety of initiatives and facilities and exploring new ways to promote MICE and cultural exchange. We are very honored to receive such a wonderful award for our efforts, which has been well received by people in the industry involved in the MICE industry. Among the very appealing presentations from the nine other cities, we believe that we were able to best convey the exciting MICE possibilities that only Tokyo can offer.

Up until now, Happo-en has been blessed with the opportunity to produce many international events. In this global environment, we realized once again that we have a chance to attract more and more PR by rethinking the way we think about MICE, events, and exchange, as well as the charm, culture, and traditions of Japan, and combining them. Participating in this contest has given us a strong sense of hope that we can continue to share information and improve, not only in Tokyo but also in other cities throughout Japan and assisting in the promotion of attractive MICE cities throughout Japan.”

About DMO GATEWAY Shin-Shinagawa:

“DMO GATEWAY Shin-Shinagawa” is one of the nine areas in Tokyo designated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau as an advanced business event area and has established a secretariat with Happo-en to attract and introduce business visitors to events and accommodations in the Shin- Shinagawa area (Shinagawa, Tamachi, Shiba, Takanawa, Shirokane and Konan). DMO GATEWAY Shin-Shinagawa promotes the development of unique venues that can be used for international conferences and corporate events, while actively proposing and producing MICE projects. By collaborating with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s DMO bases, we are able to promote Tokyo as a whole as an attractive place to live and work.