AN ARISTOCRAT is using his Japanese language proficiency in order to help attract tourists from the country to North Wales.
Lord Gregory Mostyn, the 7th Baron Mostyn, is already something of a celebrity in Japan, with long-established family links to the country.
His family’s close connections with the East Asian country date back to the early 20th century and the fascination of Lady Augusta Mostyn, the daughter in law of the second Baron Mostyn, with all things Japanese.
As she felt she was too old and frail to go herself, Lady Augusta suggested that her son Llewelyn, the third Baron, and his wife and children, should visit Japan and embark on a major tour.
Yet Gregory Mostyn would form his own bond to Japan and her culture, dating a Japanese girl at while at university.
Despite the relationship not lasting, his love affair with Japan grew over the years.
However, it was a chance discovery of a unique family album by a member of staff at Mostyn Hall in 2015 that rekindled a connection, with the album including pictures and stories of the Mostyns’ 1908 trip to the Land of the Rising Sun.
It inspired the current Lord Mostyn to recreate the original visit and take new versions of all the pictures taken by his ancestors for his own updated album, even staying at the same hotels a century later.
Since then, he has appeared several times on Japanese television, including a feature on the popular TVS channel about the incredible story of him following in his ancestors’ footsteps.
This has also inspired his collaboration with North Wales Tourism in an aim to attract Japanese tourists to the region, and tap into what could be a very lucrative market for North Wales.
Helped further by the easing of Covid restrictions, the drive towards more overseas tourism is in partnership with Wales’ multilingual drive funded by the Welsh Government, which aims to ensure that travellers from abroad can enjoy a warm Welsh welcome and information in their own language.
Other countries being targeted include European nations like Germany, Spain and France along with visitors from China and India.
As part of the campaign, North Wales Tourism is going to be building on existing ties with Japan that were forged though the twinning of Conwy and Himeji castles in 2019.
Lord Mostyn said: “I think with the Japanese tourists coming round, it’s pretty unique because it’s one thing to come to a historic house where you’re given a tour by the person who lives there but for them to be conducting the tour in Japanese as well is something else.
“I love Wales and Japan hugely.
“It’s just a dream of mine to bring both countries closer together.
“Japan doesn’t have these historic landed estates.
“They had aristocracy in the past but in Britain, we’re quite unique because we still have the aristocracy but also the houses, so for someone coming over from Japan is really quite mind-blowing for them.”
“I am delighted that North Wales Tourism have seen the potential to forge these links with Japan, for mutual benefit and to be one of their official ambassadors, it’s a big honour.”
Tours for overseas tourists include visits to the UNESCO World Heritage sites of Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, the Norman castles in Conwy and Caernarfon and the newly crowned Slate Landscapes of North West Wales.
One of the highlights of the trip for Japanese visitors will be a guided tour in their own language by Lord Mostyn of his historic 15th century stately home, Mostyn Hall in Flintshire.
The 6,000-acre estate also includes the seaside resort of Llandudno which also features as part of The Road of Castles in Wonderland tour which was designed by North Wales Tourism specifically with the Japanese market in mind.
At Mostyn Hall, with has a Japanese-inspired garden, visitors will also have the chance to admire what is believed to be the second oldest continuous collection of family portraits in Wales, second only to the Royal Family, and which goes all the way back to 1617.
Jim Jones, the chief executive of North Wales Tourism, was hugely grateful to Lord Mostyn for helping to cement the growing links with Japan and also to the Welsh Government for funding this campaign.
Mr Jones said: “This is a totally unique experience that you cannot get anywhere in the world and I am really excited about rebooting our relationship with Japan.
“I would imagine that the people in Japan, as well as the rest of Asia, are desperate to come over to the UK for a holiday, so we need to capture some of that market.
“We are really looking for wealthy visitors who want to stay over because they spend more money and become totally immersed in the North Wales experience.”
The campaign is also being championed by Emiko Corney, who hails from the Japanese city of Yokohama and now lives in Betws y Coed.
Emiko, who is a tourism ambassador for North Wales, said: “I feel sure Japanese visitors will come in their droves because they will be enchanted by the region’s history and heritage.
“It’s something I feel passionate about because I want to bring more Japanese people to this beautiful place.
“North Wales has absolutely everything to offer visitors and the connections between Lord Mostyn and Japan are an absolute gift for the tourism industry.”
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