JNTO X V&A Dundee

To do this, we organised a bespoke press trip for Scottish-based freelance journalist Gabriella Bennett (writing for The National), to generate high-quality, in-depth editorial shaped around a narrative arc of “Kimonos, Kyoto and Kengo Kuma.” The itinerary combined Tokyo, Kyoto and Kanazawa, weaving together visits to kimono designers and workshops, textile centres, contemporary museums and architectural icons, culturally significant locations like the Kanazawa Castle and curated culinary stops to show Japan’s design culture in depth. During the trip, Gabriella also stayed in hotels designed by Kengo Kuma including One@Tokyo and Ace Hotel Kyoto.

A second leg in Dundee completed the story loop, with time at V&A Dundee’s kimono exhibition, meetings with the curator and director, a visit to a Japanese-inspired garden and an overnight stay in the very room Kengo Kuma used during the V&A Dundee design phase at Apex City Quay Hotel.

The campaign delivered a double-page feature in The National titled “I went from Scotland to Japan with a focus on fashion – here’s my verdict,” including the sub-head “Kimonos, Kyoto and Kengo Kuma,” which gave Japan multi-page, narrative-rich coverage in print and online. Online, the article achieved an estimated 1,300,000 unique monthly visitors (UMV) with an AVE of £26,000, while the print piece ran in the Sunday National with a circulation of 3,555 and an estimated value of £1,100. The coverage told a nuanced story linking Japanese kimono craftsmanship, contemporary design and architecture, food culture and city experiences directly back to V&A Dundee and Dundee’s waterfront, reinforcing Japan-Scotland creative ties and underlining Japan’s appeal for design-conscious and culturally curious travellers.