A gilded traditional fan-shaped dish of Ishikawa Prefecture was chosen Friday as the most attractive Japanese souvenir for foreign visitors by panels of foreign and Japanese judges, the Japan Tourism Agency said.''Various ideas are built into it so that Japan can be felt, and we believe tourists from abroad will like it, too,'' said Kazunori Sakuda, president of the craftwork maker Sakuda Gold & Silver Leaf Co., based in Kanazawa, Ishikawa.
The gold-leaf dish also won top prize in the contest's ''Traditional Japan'' category that selects souvenirs which foreigners can recognize at first glance as a traditional Japanese craftwork from its design or quality.
The contest was launched in 2005 to discover and foster attractive Japanese souvenirs from the viewpoint of visitors from overseas. Panels of foreign juries from 15 countries and regions as well as Japanese versed in tourism and marketing are involved in the selection, according to the agency.
The agency said it is considering exhibiting and selling the golden dish at international airports, including Narita, Haneda and Kansai.
