5 days of Japanese hospitality at The 10th International Conference on Legionella in Yokohama

The 10th International Conference on Legionella was held at Hamagin Hall Viamare (Nishi-ku, Yokohama) for five days from Tuesday, September 20 to Saturday, September 24, 2022. Held in a hybrid format combining onsite and live/on-demand streaming, the conference attracted a wide variety of participants from all over the world. Of the 182 onsite participants, 72 participants hailed from 24 different countries overseas, and of the 296 online participants, 155 were tuning in from abroad. This was one of the last conferences to be held before Japan fully lifted its border restrictions on travel to Japan.

A long-awaited gathering of global experts

The International Legionella Conference is an international medical conference held once every four years, covering a wide range of infectious diseases, including Legionnaires' disease, as well as infectious disease epidemiology, prevention, and diagnosis. The conference was met with great success, as global experts in infectious disease research and epidemiology gathered in person in Japan and online to present research cases and actively exchange information and opinions. To ensure a safe and secure conference, organizers, exhibitors, and attendees worked together to implement strict infection control measures.

A carefully selected conference space with diverse refreshments

Hamagin Hall was chosen as the event space for its excellent accessibility and easy-to-navigate layout. A coffee break space was set up in the foyer area of the hall to provide refreshment to participants during the five-day long conference. Starbucks coffee was served alongside traditional Japanese sweets and snacks, to provide international guests with home comforts as well as an opportunity to experience local Yokohama culture.

Deepening international ties through cultural excursions

After finishing the day’s conference session on Wednesday, September 21, participants were invited to Yokohama’s Sankeien Garden for a reception at the historic “Kakushokaku” residence located on the grounds. 35 attendees, including conference committee members and participants, strolled around the picturesque Japanese garden to the reception venue carrying traditional lanterns to light the way in the early fall dusk . The attendees then enjoyed deepening their international friendships at a formal dinner provided by the Yokohama Royal Park Hotel.

An unforgettable experience of Japanese hospitality

Dr. Tateda Kazuhiro (Professor, Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Toho University School of Medicine), and the members of his research team came up with the idea for the Sankeien Garden walk and dinner reception. He explains, “I wanted to provide an exceptional level of hospitality to our attending members at a standard befitting our first conference reunion since the COVID-19 pandemic began”. The result of these efforts was a high level of participant satisfaction and valuable exchange of research and ideas.

[Postscript]

The Yokohama Convention & Visitors Bureau (YCVB) provided support for The 10th International Conference on Legionella through the Safe and Secure MICE Events in Yokohama Support Subsidy system. YCVB provides various kinds of support so that conferences and events can be held safely and securely in Yokohama. For more information, click here .

Name of Event：Event Name: The 10th International Conference on Legionella

Dates：Dates: Tuesday, September 20 to Saturday, September 24, 2022

Venue：Place: Hamagin Hall Viamare

Organizer：Organizers: The 10th International Conference on Legionella