Japan's businesses brace for long-awaited return of tourists
TOKYO, Sep 28 (straitstimes.com) - Japan's tourism industry is opening for business again. From the streets of Kyoto to the slopes of Hokkaido, retailers, restaurants and hotels are seeking to recover the revenue they lost during the pandemic with the return of overseas visitors starting Oct 11.
One of the last remaining rich economies with tight border controls, and with the yen at quarter-century lows against the dollar, the archipelago is now an affordable and attractive destination for overseas visitors.
That's welcome relief after more than 4,000 enterprises folded after retailers adopted curbs in early 2020 on operating hours and the country closed its borders to tourists.
"When Covid hit, it was hard for us," said Kenya Katayama, mayor of Niseko, a ski resort on the northern island of Hokkaido that's popular with skiers and snowboarders. "So far, winter reservations are doing well."
Spending by inbound travellers totalled 4.8 trillion yen (S$47.7 billion) in 2019 before lockdowns began, according to Nomura Research Institute. The question now is how much of that will come back, and how soon.
The archipelago topped the World Economic Forum's Travel & Tourism Development Index earlier this year; Japanese airlines are already ramping up international flights.
Even so, there's still some uncertainty. A limited reopening in June for group tours failed to attract any meaningful traffic. That's making it difficult for tourist-facing businesses to gauge the level of demand. ...continue reading

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
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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
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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.