SUBMITTED BY Timbo

October 29, 2003 — First came "Lord of the Rings", now "The Last Samurai". The Tom-Cruise starrer about the modernization of warfare in Japan was actually shot in New Zealand and a tour operator hopes to cash in on interest in the movie when it is released later this year.

Believing that patrons of the movie -- which is set in feudal Japan but was shot largely in the western New Zealand province of Taranaki -- will be eager to see the lush mountain backdrops in person, Maori Journeys Ltd. is launching a tour package that highlights the film's settings.

The tour, dubbed "A Mountain Like Fuji," is available in two-, five- or seven-day packages beginning in December and features a blend of mountain and marine activities, state-of-the-art museums, world-famous parks and gardens, authentic Maori experiences and visits to several of the "Last Samurai" filming locations.

The idea for the "Samurai"-themed tour package was developed by Maori Journeys director James Heremaia, a veteran travel consultant and tour leader who has led excursions to North America, Australia and New Zealand. Encouraged by the attention the Taranaki locations received during the filming of "Samurai," as well as the response of visiting Japanese and American media during the production, Heremaia decided that the high-profile film could serve as a solid launch pad for a new tour.

"This movie gives us a great marketing tool to reach both the Japanese and American markets," Heremaia says. "There's not much we can do leading up to the film's release, but come December, when audiences can actually see the film, there will be a lot of attention on this region."

Read the full article at the link below.