A recent AFP article found on several online news sources talks about a resurgence of tourism in Atami City, an onsen resort town that has been in decline for some time, thanks to Nintendo DS dating sim Love Plus.

The city government and several local businesses have tied up with the video game franchise to create an augmented reality (AR) experience for the game’s fans. Thanks to QR codes embedded in places such as shrines, cafes, and sightseeing spots, when gamers take pictures of themselves next to these black and white squares with their mobile devices, their virtual girlfriends magically appear in the photo as if there were in the shot together.

More than 2000 Love Plus “boyfriends” have already visited Atami City thanks to these promos, with some of them coming from as far away as South Korea and Taiwan. Some 200 of these fans have also splurged on the Love Plus overnight package at one of the city’s traditional inns or ryokan. The package includes a special QR code (found nowhere else in the city) of your virtual girlfriend in a sleeping yukata in the futon next to you. Good job, Japan!

Thanks to Nina for the osm link.