This paper discusses the proliferation of online classes due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the utilization of the metaverse in education. Online classes come in various forms, and the metaverse has gained attention as part of this trend.The year 2022 is referred to as the “metaverse year,” with significant societal focus in education and business sectors. The metaverse is anticipated to complement the drawbacks of online classes. Previous cases suggest its effectiveness in ProjectBased Learning (PBL) environments. However, challenges like proficiency in IT device operation and issues like VR-induced discomfort are noted. Successful use of the metaverse in pre-enrollment seminars has demonstrated heightened student interest and motivation. Future efforts should concentrate on improving IT support and resolving connectivity issues, while also exploring methods for providing more realistic learning experiences.

This study aims to make clear factors promoting the recovery progress in the tourist industry in Oarai Town, Ibaraki where its recovery has been achieved earlier than other suffered areas by the East Japan Earthquake. Accommodation facilities were chosen as representative of the tourist industry of the town. The effectiveness of measures for recovery of the facilities is evaluated based on quantitative data through our questionnaire survey designed according to the result from preliminary interviews to managers of the facilities. We found that three factors contributed to the recovery in accommodation industry: firstly, tourist industry’s participation in pre-earthquake conventional events, sedondly, post-earthquake production of an Anime TV program which made the town a stage, and lastly, measures precisely aiming to regain the number of visiting tourists.