A village boasting a 600-year-old history, a historical site of Confucianism in South Korea. This small, traditional village is known by many names, but in recent years it has come to serve another purpose: a bridge to better ties with Japan.

Isao Tsuchikawa started running Tokyo-based travel agency IO Travelers Co. with his younger brother, Osamu, in 2009 and saw the tourism potential of the Andong Hahoe folk village before it was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2010.

"We suggest and give ideas on what kind of travel would be interesting in Andong. And that is something that cannot be found in guidebooks," Isao Tsuchikawa said, noting that their close ties with Andong-based travel groups and authorities give the agency an edge.