2023年4月、豪華クルーズ客船「ウエステルダム」が外国船籍の客船として御前崎港に初寄港しました。岸壁では、地元住民、地元事業者、御前崎港客船誘致協議会の関係者など約8,100人が約2,000人の多国籍の乗船客を歓迎、おもてなししました。
“お出迎えイベント”では、客船が着岸する際に地元の「なぶら御前太鼓保存会」による演奏を披露し、たくさんの大漁旗を振って、歓迎の気持ちを表しました。また茶娘や御前崎市のマスコットキャラクター「なみまる」と「ふうちゃん」、牧之原市のマスコットキャラクター「チャーフィン」と「マキティ―」も乗船客と交流しました。
“おもてなしイベント”として、御前崎市、牧之原市や近隣市町をはじめとする静岡県の名産「お茶」をテーマに「お茶いっぱいマルシェ」と題してコーナーを設けました。お茶の試飲や入れ方講座、手揉み体験、茶娘衣装体験など、お茶に関する様々な体験を経験できる場となりました。また、浴衣の着付け体験、書道体験、生け花体験、砂絵体験などの体験ブース、特産品の販売ブース、近隣市町の観光PRブースなどが並び、乗船客は御前崎港ならではの20個を超えるブースを楽しみました。そのほか、「なぶら御前太鼓保存会」による演奏や、尺八の演奏を披露し、日本文化を味わうステージイベントも開催しました。御前崎市内や牧之原市内の観光地に移動できるシャトルバスに乗って、市内観光へ出かけた乗船客もいました。
“お見送りイベント”では、出港する直前に、大きな筆と半紙に書く書道パフォーマンスや「なぶら御前太鼓保存会」による演奏を披露しました。巨大な客船を一目見ようと集まった多数の地元住民や関係者が手を振って盛大にお見送りしました。
In April 2023, the luxury cruise ship MS Westerdam became the first foreign-flagged passenger ship to make call at Omaezaki Port. At the pier, approximately 8,100 people including local residents, local businesses, and members of the Omaezaki Port Passenger Ship Invitation Council welcomed and offered hospitality to approximately 2,000 passengers of many nationalities.
At the Welcome Event, the local Nabura Gozen Daiko Preservation Society made a drum performance, and many large fishing flags were waved to welcome passengers. Women in tea-picking attire, along with the Omaezaki City mascot characters Namimaru and Fuu-chan, as well as the Makinohara City mascot characters Chafin and Makity came to interact with passengers.
At the Hospitality Event, we set up a corner entitled Ocha Ippai Marche (Plenty of Tea Marche) with the team of tea, a specialty product of Omaezaki, Makinohara and neighboring municipalities in Shizuoka Prefecture. This event gave visitors an opportunity to try a variety of tea-related experiences, such as tea tasting, tea-brewing lessons, tea hand-rolling, and wearing tea-picking attire. There were many booths offering interactive experiences, such as wearing yukata, calligraphy, ikebana, sand painting, as well as booths selling specialty products, and booths promoting tourism in nearby municipalities, with more than 20 booths unique to Omaezaki Port welcoming passengers. In addition, there were performances by the Nabura Gozen Daiko Preservation Society and shakuhachi players, as well as stage events introducing Japanese culture. Some passengers also went sightseeing on shuttle buses to sightseeing spots in Omaezaki City and Makinohara City.
At the Farewell Event, just before the ship departed, there was a calligraphy performance using large brushes on hanshi paper, as well as a performance by the Nabura Gozen Daiko Preservation Society. A great number of local residents and related parties gathered to see the huge cruise ship, and waved to give it a grand farewell.