ASO, Kumamoto -- Tourists are flocking to buy the local specialties on sale at the Aso Premium Corner, a sales corner located at the Michinoeki Aso roadside rest area in Aso, Kumamoto Prefecture.
About 10 different products are displayed and sold at the Aso Premium Corner. They were developed based on consultations between rest area officials and local producers, with the enthusiasm of both sides contributing to their success.
Sales from the stand have risen to account for 10 percent of total sales at the rest area.
"We want to make products that represent the region," a rest area official in charge of the stand said.
The Aso Premium Corner opened in 2014 with the aim of promoting local specialty goods as brand products, and showcasing local products that were well received at domestic and overseas commercial fairs.
The lineup changes seasonally, but about 10 goods are sold at any time throughout the year, such as Aso Milk produced by Abe Farm, which received the top prize at an international competition, and ketchup produced by Kobo Aso Monogatari, which was honored for excellence at a prefectural competition. Another product is Aso Takanard from Aso Sato Farm, which won the top prize at a nationwide competition.
The product lineup includes both standard and newly developed products.
"It's a waste if excellent products remain unknown. I thought that if the products become popular, they could help create new jobs and revitalize the local community," said Taishi Oshima, 43, a rest area official who oversees the stand and initially proposed its establishment.
Product descriptions are also displayed in English, Chinese and Korean for the benefit of foreign visitors.
Rest area officials exchange views with local producers when preparing to introduce new products to the stand. Chika Sato, 31, a representative for Aso Sato Farm, said: "The officials pass along customers' opinions, and sometimes give us advice on how to disseminate information on our products. I think they watch over our products very carefully."
Oshima does all he can to introduce customers to products at the store during business hours. The products are also sold online, attracting inquiries from not only individual customers, but also retailers outside the prefecture.
Of the thousands of products available at the rest area, including vegetables and processed foods, the Aso Premium Corner accounts for about 10 percent of all sales.
Due to the stand's immense popularity, the sales area was refurbished in May, and product display methods, which previously differed by item, were standardized. A common logo and green color scheme were also adopted for all products to convey a sense of uniformity and quality.
Written messages are placed next to the products to explain producers' enthusiasm, the effort invested in the development of products, and how the specialty products differ from ordinary goods. Photos of the producers are also placed beside the products, and demonstration videos are played on two liquid-crystal display screens at all times.
"We think we should also respond to the producers' enthusiasm. We'll support them, even if we can only promote one more local product to the rest of Japan," Oshima said.
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