EVA Air Japan Day: Milan, January 11, 2026 

On January 11, 2026, The Westin Palace in Milan hosted EVA Air’s Japan Day, under the official title “Con EVA Air in Giappone: un mondo da visitare“ (“With EVA Air to Japan: A World to Visit”). A full day dedicated to Japan: culture, cuisine, and travel, told by those who know it from the inside.

The event marked the launch of the new daily flight between Milan Malpensa and Taipei, starting January 16, which also opens up a convenient route to Japan via Taiwan.

At Japan Italy Bridge, we managed the event from start to finish, from the setup and guest management to hosting six hours of panel sessions. Here is how it went, in our own words: what we set out to achieve, what happened behind the scenes, what proved challenging, and what we would do differently next time.

Q: What was the idea behind the event, and what was the brand or talent trying to achieve?

Answer: We wanted to showcase Japan for the first time in all its sides, going against all mainstream narratives. What really lies behind the appearance  about Japan? We wanted to put an end to stereotypes and give everyone a true picture of Japan, with true experiences and also to give everyone the experience of flying with EVA AIR and its comfortable seats and Japan feeling. 

Q: What exactly did we handle, from strategy and PR to on-site operations and cultural coordination?

Answer: Typically, we take care of the event from start to finish. In our own words, we prepare the event and hand it over to you as a complete, turnkey solution. We handled the setup, the food and beverage, and invited well-known figures from the world of Japan-related interests to share their experiences with the audience, and even more! We also conducted interviews and hosted the event itself. Over the course of six hours, we divided the event into panels based on the expertise of the celebrities on stage.

Q: What was the hardest problem we faced before or during the event and how did we solve it? 

Answer: We had to manage the timing, ensuring we stayed on schedule, including during the Q&A sessions and pay close attention to audience feedback, so as to keep interest and enthusiasm high; we believe this is essential for every event we create.

Q: Which moments or small details best capture what the day felt like?

Answer: All the panels were very interesting, but something amusing happened during the anime and manga panel: famous voice actors of anime spoke with the voice of characters that everyone, from adults to children, could easily recognize. They put together some funny skits, having characters like Vegeta from *Dragon Ball*, SpongeBob, and Luffy from *One Piece* interact one with the other. Even the children in the audience laughed a great deal! It was also a great experience to know what’s behind the dubbing itself, a great deal of study on acting. 

Q: How did attendees, the client, the talent and the press react?

Answer: Everyone reacted with great interest! The audience engaged with the guests on stage by asking pointed questions; they were clearly very entertained and intrigued. We noticed a real desire among people to see the mainstream narrative defeated, they were all curious to uncover the truth, beyond what is constantly being presented. That was precisely our target, and we achieved it. The press spoke at length about this event, describing it as different from the usual events focused on Japan, something that revealed the true face of the country and its people. The guests themselves shared their experiences with great enthusiasm, interacting with one another in a fluid and entertaining way.

Q: What did the event leave behind for the brand or talent and what would we do differently next time? 

Answer: Honestly, given the success and the impact of the event, I don’t see any issues; in fact, I see it as a perfect example of how an event should turn out. But if I really had to think of something to improve, I might introduce a musical component, to help showcase that world as well.