Is Nara's future tied to a proposed maglev shinkansen route?
Although Nara has become a favorite of international tourists in recent years, the city, which served as the nation’s ancient capital from 710 to 784, has historically been a bit off the beaten path.
Heijokyo, or Heijo Palace, as Nara was then known, was the easternmost terminal of the Silk Road and the center of Buddhism in Japan. It drew scholars and religious leaders from Korea, China and other parts of Asia in what was a long and sometimes difficult voyage by land and sea.
Today, though neither an arduous nor dangerous journey, Nara remains less convenient to reach by rail from other parts of Japan than neighboring Kyoto or Osaka. But a campaign promise by Nara Gov. Shogo Arai, who was re-elected to a fourth term in April, has put the spotlight on Nara’s future as a major domestic crossroads if a proposed Nagoya-Osaka link for the maglev shinkansen is realized.
If Arai gets his way, there will not only be a maglev station in the city of Nara that continues to the Osaka terminus, but also a separate maglev train that runs from Nara in the northern part of the prefecture and stops at smaller cities in the southern part, as well as Hashimoto in Wakayama Prefecture, before turning west and heading to Kansai airport.
“It’s a difficult challenge. But I want to discuss demand for the route and construction costs to deepen the possibility of realizing the plan,†Arai told reporters in June.
In June, the prefectural government appropriated ¥25 million to begin studying the possibility of a maglev route between Nara and Kansai airport. At present, reaching the airport from northern Nara Prefecture takes 1½ hours by direct bus and at least two hours by train with one transfer. A maglev ride is predicted to take less than 30 minutes.
Arai justified his grand scheme by saying that when the Tokyo-Osaka maglev route is completed, now scheduled for 2037, Shin-Osaka Station, the maglev’s terminus, is likely to find itself jammed with passengers trying to then transfer from the maglev to trains for Kansai airport, saying that a Nara to Kansai airport maglev line would help reduce overcrowding concerns.
However, increasing the number of foreign tourists is clearly the main goal. Of the more than 17 million tourists who visited the city of Nara last year, 2.65 million were from abroad, up 33 percent from 2017.
NHK - Nov 26
China will soon allow visa-free entry for citizens of six countries, in a move widely seen as an attempt to spur the faltering domestic economy.
News On Japan - Nov 25
Inui Street, the famed autumn walk within the Imperial Palace in central Tokyo, opened to the public from Saturday.
News On Japan - Nov 25
Tofukuji Temple, home to 2,000 maple trees and renowned as one of Kyoto's premier autumn hotspots, features the Tsutenkyo Bridge, and the breathtaking 'sea of autumn leaves'.
News On Japan - Nov 25
The strongest cold snap of the season has brought a dramatic drop in temperatures to northern Japan, where snow began falling Friday morning, with up to 50 cm expected in Hokkaido and Tohoku by Saturday evening, and a chance of blizzards.
News On Japan - Nov 23
As Kyoto's autumn foliage reaches its peak, swarms of tourists have converged on the ancient capital, captivated by stunning displays like Wednesday evening's illumination at Kiyomizu Temple.
News On Japan - Nov 22
In the crowded halls of the Nishi-Achiyama Kannon-in Temple in Okayama City, men, completely devoid of clothing, press tightly against each other. This is the famous "Naked Festival."
visaguide.world - Nov 22
In 2024, the Japanese government aims to mandate tuberculosis tests for individuals from six countries seeking to enter Japan for over three months.
NHK - Nov 22
Japan's weather officials predict warmer-than-normal temperatures and less snow across the country in its three-month-period forecast of December through February.
VIRTUAL JAPAN - Nov 20
Checking out the first weekend of the Christmas lights in both Tokyo Midtown and Roppongi Hills.
News On Japan - Nov 20
Preparations for the New Year are underway across Japan, with a noticeable shift from overseas to domestic travel for the year-end and New Year season, stemming from the yen's historic decline.
News On Japan - Nov 19
Japan's largest projection mapping event was launched Saturday night on the sandy beaches of Odaiba Seaside Park, Tokyo.
News On Japan - Nov 19
The introduction of platform doors at Nishimagome Station on the Toei Asakusa Line marks the completion of platform door installation across all Tokyo Metropolitan Government-managed subway stations.
taipeitimes.com - Nov 19
Japan has long managed to keep its streets spotless despite having no trash cans in sight, but cities are now turning to “smart” bins as tourist numbers — and the amount of garbage — surges.
News On Japan - Nov 18
Fukuoka City, on the northern shore of Japan's Kyushu Island, observed its first snowfall of the season on Saturday, 30 days ahead of average.
ONLY in JAPAN - Nov 18
Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) reported that travelers to Japan passed the record for October set in 2019! That’s a huge accomplishment for several reasons which we will discuss today - in Tokyo’s November rain.
Ordinary Adventures - Nov 18
We are exploring the Harajuku, this is one of the most kawaii areas of Tokyo Japan. But before we get to the cute stuff we’ll explore the beautiful and historic Meiji shrine.