Regarding the Oct. 1 article "New tourism agency to act as policy 'control tower' ": If Japan wants to attract more tourists, city officials can begin by putting their international tourist information offices in easily accessible public places and making information signs VERY clear.

To get English-language information at Kyoto Station, for example, visitors must travel in an overcrowded lift to the ninth floor of a department store they may otherwise NOT wish to visit. Another gripe is the lack of clear information in key places. While visiting Himeji Castle this past summer, I discovered, AFTER visiting the castle, that a combined ticket at a discounted price was available for visiting the nearby Japanese garden as well.

Even though I produced a ticket stub showing I had paid for the castle visit, the garden staff refused to allow me the discounted price to enter. Staff, however, did produce a photo of the machine selling the combined ticket, which only proved that I was not the first to be refused entry. It is asking a bit much of visitors who are unfamiliar with a city, and probably the Japanese language, to find the right ticket machine, let alone notice a small, poorly written sign when they are competing for space with many other visitors in high season.

When I tried to buy a ferry ticket to Osaka from Miyazaki Port, the ticket office said I would have to make a booking by phone. Surely a ticket office is a place where people ought to be able to buy tickets. It almost seems as if ferry authorities don't want foreigners riding on ferries, since it is more difficult to make a booking by phone in a language one doesn't know.

Let me say that, on the whole, I have found traveling in Japan to be a very pleasant experience and Japanese people unfailingly helpful, which more than makes up for particular irritations. An overall national strategy for improving tourist services, systems and staff professionalism through a national body that oversees checks of tourist-service providers seems sensible.

cherie brown