Market goes live in Tokyo

Nelson Market goes live in Tokyo for the New Year

Audiences in Tokyo will soon be treated to a first hand view, up close and personal of the delights of the iconic Nelson Saturday Market.  A Japanese TV crew were onsite last Saturday to capture the vibrant ambience and bustle of the Market, and to interview and film various stallholders.  The film crew are working on the Chikyuu Bus Kikou programme which  translates as ‘Bus trip around the World”.  They began in Christchurch and have worked their way up the South Island to finish their series in Nelson.

  The Line Producer on behalf of a Japanese TV Production approached Nita Knight, founder & owner of The Nelson Market last month, looking to film everyday people enjoying themselves at the Market as part of the relaxed New Zealand lifestyle.  They have a particular interest in introducing their viewers to New Zealand natural scenery, our unique culture, and Maori craft.   The Bus trip will profile 40 countries.  The TV Director commented that during the bus journey from Christchurch to Nelson he noticed the highest number of people of different nationalities visiting and working in the South Island area than he had experienced in any of the other countries they had visited.  He felt this was very unique.  He said the Nelson Market stallholders were the most warm and friendly people and very welcoming of the film crew and that he would like to come back again to film or for a holiday.    The programme will air weekly on channel BS TBS in Tokyo in the New Year for the duration of the series to a potential audience of 5 million people.  Nita Knight says ‘we were very happy to have the film crew come to the Nelson Market and the TV series will help to promote the Nelson region to Japanese viewers as the wonderful tourist destination it is.”