Kusatsu tourism meets Nishikawa Takanori

Kusatsu City’s tourism account on X said on May 23 that it had met musician Takanori Nishikawa at a local food event in Kusatsu, in Japan’s Shiga Prefecture. The post tied the appearance to local tourism promotion and showed Nishikawa at a food-focused gathering linked to the city’s event calendar. The account did not announce a separate campaign or commercial partnership in the post itself. It presented the appearance as part of the city’s public-facing tourism messaging around a local event. ### Which event was Kusatsu tourism posting about? The May 23 appearance matched “Inazuma Food GPXL 2026 in Kusatsu,” a two-day food event held on May 23 and May 24 at Shiga Toyota Arena in Kusatsu, according to event listings and local coverage. The event brought together 64 food vendors from around Japan, Leaf Kyoto reported. Leaf Kyoto said the event was structured as a local-food competition, with winning vendors receiving the right to open stalls at “FEST. INAZUMA 2026” later this year. The listing said admission was free, while food purchases and voting were paid. ### What was Nishikawa Takanori scheduled to do there? (leafkyoto.net) Sony Music’s official page for Nishikawa said on May 11 that he would appear at “Inazuma Food GP 2026 in Kusatsu EXTRA LARGE” on May 23. The listing said he was booked as a stage guest for a public recording by FM Shiga e-radio from 2:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., with Koichi Sengoku as host. (leafkyoto.net) Leaf Kyoto separately described Nishikawa as the organizer of “FEST. INAZUMA 2026” and said his public radio recording would take place on the event’s main stage. That connects the tourism post to a broader Shiga-based live-event brand that mixes music, local promotion and food programming. (sonymusic.co.jp) ### Why does a food event matter to Kusatsu’s tourism push? Kusatsu’s tourism post fit the event’s format. Leaf Kyoto said the festival combined regional specialty foods from across Japan with international cuisines, and framed the gathering as a showcase for visitors to compare tastes and vote for favorites. (leafkyoto.net) The event also served as a feeder for a larger Shiga festival. Leaf Kyoto said top-ranked vendors would earn spots at “FEST. INAZUMA 2026,” scheduled for Sept. 19 to Sept. 21 at Karasuma Peninsula in Shiga Prefecture. That gives the May food event a direct link to a later tourism and culture draw in the prefecture. (leafkyoto.net) ### How closely is Nishikawa tied to Shiga? Leaf Kyoto identified Nishikawa as the organizer of “FEST. INAZUMA 2026,” and Sony Music’s event notice placed him directly on the May 23 program in Kusatsu. Those official and local listings show that his appearance was not incidental but built into the event schedule. (leafkyoto.net) The tourism account’s post therefore appears to have amplified a pre-scheduled appearance by a locally significant music figure at a public event already designed to showcase food vendors and promote a larger September festival, based on the published event materials. ### What comes next after the May 23 appearance? (sonymusic.co.jp) Sony Music’s event notice said the FM Shiga e-radio public recording from May 23 was scheduled to air on May 27 during the 10 a.m. hour of the program “Style!” The same notice said tickets for “FEST. INAZUMA 2026” were also due to be sold at the venue on the day of the event. (sonymusic.co.jp) Leaf Kyoto said the next large milestone tied to the food event is “FEST. INAZUMA 2026,” set for Sept. 19 through Sept. 21 at Karasuma Peninsula in Shiga Prefecture, where selected food vendors from Kusatsu are due to appear. (leafkyoto.net) (sonymusic.co.jp)