Chiho Akashi going out of her way to help Sri Lankan tourism:

A friend in need

by Sajitha PREMATUNGE

Chiho Akaishi

Most foreigners still don't know that Sri Lanka has been able to conquer over a three decade old war on terrorism. But surprisingly even before the end of the war even when the going got so tough some, such as the brutal bombings and the Tsunami, tourists kept coming. Chiho Akaishi - who got to know about Sri Lanka through a pen pal 30 years ago - has been coming to Sri Lanka for 15 years, sometimes two or three times a year.

"I was initially impressed by Sri Lanka's war effort and their determination to stand on its own, without accepting charity. This is an example to even Japan" said Chiho. Chiho who is a graduate of a Japanese Music University on European classical music, now teaches music at a junior college. Her forte is the piano but she also plays the pipe organ. "I am a teacher by profession but this is my passion."

"I just want to make Japanese people understand Sri Lanka" said Chiho trying to explain why she was trying to promote Sri Lankan culture in Japan. She said she initially fell in love with the boundless kindness of the Sri Lankan people. "Sometimes they can be too kind" she said smiling.

Chiho organizes a huge concert every year just to achieve this objective. Her next big concert is planned to be held in Shizuoka, where Ceylon tea will be promoted by a two hour special ceremony, where a leaflet on Ceylon tea will be distributed. She had held previous concerts to help raise funds for the Tsunami victims.

"Before I came to Sri Lanka this time my friends kept asking me why I want to visit such a dangerous country." Chiho said that some people are still ignorant of the fact that Sri Lanka is now a liberated country.

She says that she hopes to do a similar concert in Sri Lanka one day. She claims that Sri Lanka should focus more on tourist promotion activities.

"Even after the Tsunami more should have been done to attract tourists back into the country" said Chiho.