The cities of Okazaki, Toyota and Anjo, in the Mikawa region of Aichi Prefecture, are known as the hometown of the Tokugawa clan, which ruled the country for nearly 300 years from 1603 and laid the foundations of modern Japan.
The cities are now launching joint tourism campaigns to take advantage of the growing popularity of the clan in China, where a translated novel portraying Tokugawa Ieyasu has become a best-seller, and attract more visitors.