Riverside Hot Spring Opens in Wakayama

The annual winter-only Sennin Bath opened along the riverbed of Kawayu Onsen in Tanabe, Wakayama, on December 1st, drawing visitors with its open-air pools heated by hot spring water bubbling up naturally from beneath the river.

The winter tradition of kotatsu-equipped boats has begun in Yanagawa, Fukuoka Prefecture, where small hibachi braziers are placed beneath the tables on shared boats as the seasonal service gets underway.

The Imperial Palace’s Inui Street opened to the public on November 29th, drawing large crowds from across the country who came to enjoy a leisurely walk beneath rows of trees glowing in shades of red and yellow.

A tour of a traditional Japanese onsen and ryokan in Yufuin Onsen, a small town on Kyushu island in southern Japan. (Gabriel Traveler)

From high above Kyoto, the city’s autumn colors can be seen spreading vividly across the landscape, with trees throughout the area turning a deep, striking red that stands out even from the air.

Tokyo announced on November 26th that it will overhaul its lodging tax system by replacing the current fixed-rate structure with a uniform tax equivalent to 3% of accommodation fees, a move intended to respond to sharply rising hotel prices.

Japan’s sleeper trains are enjoying a resurgence as overnight rail travel evolves from simple transportation to a form of tourism. One of the most popular services is JR West’s WEST EXPRESS Ginga, which made its debut in September 2020 and is priced at 12,950 yen, yet has become so sought after that reservations are now extremely difficult to obtain.

Ski resorts in Japan are stepping up precautions as bear activity remains unusually high this season, prompting operators to introduce emergency alarms, deterrent tools, and additional patrols to protect visitors as winter tourism begins in earnest.