The Japan Tourism Agency has announced that it will be subsidizing 139 travel packages for foreign tourists, providing unique and exclusive experiences such as participating in Kyoto's Gion Festival or being the lord of an entire castle. The JTA hopes to attract affluent overseas travelers through these programs. Over 1,000 proposals were submitted by private businesses, local governments, and other parties to the JTA, who called for tours and events that draw on natural features, cultural properties, traditional performance arts, and other resources unique to Japan. The 139 proposals were selected based on their novelty and will receive subsidies ranging from 11 million yen to 27.5 million yen ($83,000 to $207,000). These programs will be available to tourists from next February at the latest.   Many of the programs will include festivals, such as the opportunity to join a procession of "yamahoko" floats during the Gion Festival in Kyoto. The Sapporo Tourist Associ...