The Jeju Olle Foundation will open some new walking trails, but not here on the island ? in Miyagi, Japan. This will be the third “export,” as it were, of the popular paths. Mike Laidman reports.

Report

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Olle Trail 6

Japanese tourists from Miyagi Prefecture visit Jeju, enjoying the landscape near (쇠소깍) Seosoggak, on Olle Trail 6.

Members of the Jeju Olle Foundation explain both the meaning and symbology of the walking path, and the island’s culture, as well.

Recording
Hatakeyama Kazuyoshi / Councillor, Miyagi Prefecture
Olle trails are just regular walking paths, but they incorporate the lifestyle and culture of Jeju people. I really like that.
<싱크 : 하타케야마 카즈요시 / 일본 미야기현 의원>
"올레길이 그냥 보통 길인데, 이 길속에 제주사람들의 생활이나 문화가 녹아있어서 너무 좋은 것 같습니다.

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Jeju Olle, Miyagi Prefecture sign partnership deal

The Jeju Olle Foundation has now teamed up with Miyagi Prefecture to develop paths in the Japanese prefecture.

Jeju and Miyagi have many things in common - the sea, mountains, and small communities.

Most importantly, the two areas also have their own distinct features.

The Japanese prefecture is trying help the communities that experienced the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011 recover to their previous state. Also, it wants to boost the number of tourists - a number which plunged after the earthquake - by developing Olle trails in the area.

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3 Olle trails to open next year in Miyagi

To this end, the prefecture is planning to open three different paths in three cities next year.

INTERVIEW
Yoshihiro Murai / Governor, Miyagi Prefecture
When we were looking for new opportunities related to hiking, our government came across the Jeju Olle trails. We’re truly impressed by the established hiking culture of the trails.
<인터뷰 : 무라이 요시히로 / 일본 미야기현 지사>
"걸어서 몸으로 느끼는 콘텐츠를 찾다가 올레라는 성공한 콘텐츠를 알게 됐고, 올레가 문화로 정착해 있다는 점이 인상깊었습니다."

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Prefecture to pay Jeju Olle Foundation annual royalty of ￥1m

The Japanese prefecture signed a contract that will pay an annual royalty of 1 million yen to the Olle organization. These are the same terms reached with Kyushu Island, where two Olle sister trails were opened in 2015.

INTERVIEW
Seo Myeong-suk / President, Jeju Olle Foundation
Miyagi is a popular tourist destination for Japanese people. I hope the Olle trails provide opportunities for Japanese visitors to learn about Jeju, and maybe inspire them to visit.
<인터뷰 : 서명숙 / (사)제주올레 이사장>
"미야기현은 일본 국내 관광객이 많이 가는 곳이에요. 미야기를 통해서 제주가 더 알려지고 제주 올레길을 더 찾아올 수 있기를 바라는거죠."

The Jeju Olle phenomenon is now poised to branch out to mainland Japan following its successes in Kyushu and Mongolia.

[Reporter] Mike Laidman
[Camera] Ko Moon-su

Jeju’s Olle trails, which reflect the unique Jeju lifestyle, are beginning to stretch out to the world.

Mike Laidman, KCTV