#JTB #Kenmin Show #Michi Chen

JTB Kenmin Show Travel Award 2026: A Celebration of Local Love

The highly anticipated JTB Kenmin Show Travel Award 2026 ceremony is set to take place, hosted once again by the talented actor Eiji Wentz and the vibrant model Yu-Chami. This collaborative initiative by the Kenmin Show Travel Award Executive Committee, which includes Yomiuri Telecasting Corporation and Progress, invites participants to showcase their love for their regions across all 47 prefectures of Japan through short videos.

What makes this award special? It is designed to highlight the essence of local pride, cultural heritage, and unique characteristics that each prefecture embodies. This year, the theme for submissions continues to be love for one's local region, a notion that resonated deeply with many last year, when the contest garnered 8,432 entries from across the nation. Participants are encouraged to creatively express their local charm through various facets such as gourmet delights, sightseeing spots, dialects, customs, and engaging anecdotes about local personalities.

The award presents a platform for citizens, aspiring video creators, and local influencers to express their love for their home regions while competing for top honors. Participants aged 13 and above who have accounts on TikTok or Instagram can submit their entries between July 1, 2026, and October 4, 2026, at 23:59.

The ceremony aims to celebrate and promote these unique works, with Wentz and Yu-Chami promising once again to uplift the atmosphere, showcasing the creativity and passion of the participants. As local representatives, they will help convey the fervent regional love encapsulated in this award.

Additionally, the call has gone out for official supporters, dubbed the