Japan Osaka launches digital tourist map(Expo 2025 Osaka・Kansai)

The digital map, which aggregates sightseeing information from multiple locations in Kansai, was launched on the 2nd at the tourism project base “MUIC Kansai” (Osaka City) established by Mitsubishi UFJ Bank and other banks. Developed jointly with the Kyoto-based startup “Stroly”, the map allows travelers to conveniently search for tourist spots and strive to increase local tours in anticipation of the 2025 Osaka Kansai Expo.

The digital map was released online on the 2nd. The first to join were the local governments and tourist associations in Osaka Prefecture, Kyoto Prefecture, Shiga Prefecture, Hyogo Prefecture, and Mie Prefecture. Clicking on the icons on the map will give you the latest information input by local governments and others.

MUIC will strive to expand to two prefectures and eight prefectures in Kansai and its surroundings by recruiting local governments and others to join. Local governments and others participating in the project provide sightseeing information and maps, which are digitized by Stroly. In the future, it is planned to release English introductions for foreign visitors and set a function to collect sightseeing spots searched in advance.

At the briefing session on the 2nd, Hirohito Masuda, the deputy manager of the Ishi Fuyou business department, which operates the sightseeing shopping street “Tofuku (Oyumi) Yokocho” near the Ise Jingu Shrine (Ise City, Mie Prefecture), attended. The company introduced a digital map in 2022 with the technical support of Stroly. Masuda emphasized the advantages, saying, “If it is a paper map, you have to reprint it if there is a change, (digital map) you just have to input the data, so updating is easier.”