The Cotswolds Plus Local Visitor Economy Partnership (LVEP) is delighted to announce a significant expansion of its international reach into Asia, thanks to a strategic collaboration with Hankyu Department Stores Japan. This partnership will see a curated selection of Cotswolds businesses showcase the quintessential English countryside charm at the highly anticipated British Fair in Osaka this October.
Now in its 58th year, the Hankyu British Fair is Japan’s largest and longest-running celebration of British culture.: "Attracting over 250,000 visitors and generating millions in retail sales across multiple cities, the 2025 Fair will specifically highlight the English countryside." This presents a prime opportunity for Cotswolds-based producers, who will feature prominently at Hankyu's flagship Umeda store in Osaka, with additional satellite fairs planned for Kobe and Fukuoka. The event will also benefit from extensive TV, print, and social media coverage across Japan, alongside online sales and live demonstrations.
Keiji Hayashi, UK project and business development executive of Hankyu Hanshin Express, owner of the Osaka department store, has been liaising with CotswoldsPlus over the past six months and scouring the Cotswolds to select a range of businesses that best represented the very English character of the area.
A diverse range of local businesses have been invited to take part and showcase the best of the Cotswolds, including the Cotswold Cheese Company, Bakery on the Water, and local lace maker Jane Wright of Chalford. The Cotswolds Plus team will also be on hand in person to represent North's Bakery of Winchcombe and Cotswold Lavender, providing invaluable regional support and facilitating commercial activity.
“The Japanese market is of huge strategic value to the Cotswolds’ visitor economy,” said a spokesperson for Cotswolds Plus LVEP. “We’re proud to support businesses in building long-term international links that can grow beyond tourism into retail, trade and brand partnerships as well as encouraging inbound tourism to the region.”
This year's delegation builds on the success of previous appearances, notably by Huffkins Bakery, which has since expanded into Japan with its own local branch – a testament to the significant commercial potential offered by participating in the Fair.
“We are excited to promote these wonderful Cotswold businesses to Japanese audiences,” said Yukiya Matsunaga, Event Planning & Marketing Manager at Hankyu. “During our recent visit, I enjoyed a lavender scone in the middle of the fields where it was grown—this sense of place and quality is exactly what appeals to our customers in Japan.”
Cotswold Lavender owner Charlie met both Yukiya and Keiji taking them on a tour of the Lavender fields so they could understand the history and process of harvesting the lavender which is then used by North’s Bakery to make the scones.
Charlie said “Being a small rural business we were delighted Hankyu want to feature us within the British Fair. Opportunities like this are rare and we appreciate the support that CotswoldsPlus team have given us to ensure we have been able to make the most of this. This isn’t just about selling products and raising the profile of our brand —it’s about storytelling, place-making and expanding the global footprint of us as small rural businesses. The Japanese market values quality, heritage and authenticity—qualities the Cotswolds and the many small businesses that operate here has in abundance.”
For more information on the Cotswolds Plus LVEP and international trade support, visit: