Tag - tourism

 
 

TOURISM

By the finale, I had completely bought into Samurai Restaurant Time's spectacle — a neon-lit festival with chants and cheers.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Nov 12, 2023
Samurai Restaurant Time gives kitschy thrills fit for Kabukicho
To replace the defunct Robot Restaurant, the neon-soaked streets of Kabukicho are serving up a kitschy second course.
Blair Masters and Talisker Scott Hunter pose for a photo with their kei truck, nicknamed “KT,” outside Ebisu Circuit in Fukushima Prefecture.
LIFE / Travel / Longform
Nov 6, 2023
The little truck that could: A fresh way to tour Japan's north
Travelers have documented almost every corner of Japan. Perhaps a new kind of adventure would be doing those same journeys by different means.
The words of encouragement that star player Shohei Ohtani gave his teammates before their final game against the United States during the World Baseball Classic in March were among those nominated on Thursday to be the buzzwords of the year.
JAPAN / Society
Nov 2, 2023
Japan's 2023 buzzwords reflect light and dark sides of the year
From the year's scandals to its champions, the annual list of buzzword candidates highlights the nation's hope, fears and diversions.
In September, the Sapporo Convention Center played host to the first Adventure Travel World Summit ever to take place in Asia.
LIFE / Travel
Oct 28, 2023
Travel pros warn against diluting ‘Japaneseness’
“Don’t dilute the Japaneseness, because that’s what makes it special,” said one travel expert. “We want to come to Japan.”
A banner at the entrance to Shibuya’s Center Street makes it clear this is no place for a party.
PODCAST / deep dive
Oct 26, 2023
The specter of Itaewon has Shibuya spooked
One year on, Elizabeth Beattie joins us to discuss where Itaewon stands after its Halloween disaster, and what its legacy means for celebrations in Japan.
A poster for Uber displayed at a Tokyo subway station reads: "Meeting inbound demand together with Japan's taxis." It also notes that its service is used in 71 countries.
JAPAN / Society
Oct 26, 2023
Japan weighs allowing ride-hailing amid taxi industry opposition
The taxi industry is opposed to any change, arguing that allowing ride-hailing is just a temporary fix that will take jobs from taxi drivers.
JR Kyushu is investigating four foreign YouTubers who seemingly took free rides on trains around the country.
JAPAN / Society
Oct 24, 2023
Railway operator investigates free-riding foreign YouTubers
A YouTuber known as Fidias posted a video of the four riding trains around Japan, apparently without paying for tickets.
A bear waits for passing cars that might provide food, on a road in Covasna, Romania.
ENVIRONMENT / Wildlife
Oct 23, 2023
Keep or cull? Romania divided over its bear population
In Romania, bear attacks are on the rise as the creatures venture out looking for food, often brought by tourists or left in unsecured garbage cans.
Former firefighter Yoshifumi Usui now guides tourists in search of active pursuits in and around the Aso caldera.
LIFE / Travel
Oct 21, 2023
In volcanic Aso, the land gives much more than it takes
Locals in Aso have a saying: “The land takes away, but it gives us something, too.”
In residential areas, bears are said to be attracted to compost waste, persimmons and chestnuts.
JAPAN / Society
Oct 20, 2023
Bear attacks on the rise in Akita and Iwate due to lack of food
According to Akita Prefecture, a record 39 people were attacked from April through Oct. 11.
Tourists enjoy the sunset at Bali's Canggu beach in 2021.
ENVIRONMENT / Sustainability
Oct 19, 2023
In Bali, 'sea-sun-sand' tourists threaten ancient rainforest
The island seeks to limit visitors without scaring off too many job-creating visitors with exorbitant taxes.
United Airlines planes on the tarmac at Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark, New Jersey
BUSINESS / Economy
Oct 19, 2023
Airline investors worry travel boom may be coming in for a landing
Strong demand from travelers has so far allowed carriers to mitigate inflationary pressure with higher fares.
The majority of tourists in Japan tend to stay in Tokyo, Osaka or Kyoto, resulting in overcrowding in popular tourist spots and a strain on transportation systems.
JAPAN / Society
Oct 18, 2023
Japan unveils new overtourism countermeasures
The tourism ministry unveiled its overtourism prevention plan, summarizing the various efforts that have begun to be made in areas around the nation.
Foreign tourists in Tokyo's Shibuya Ward on Wednesday
JAPAN
Oct 18, 2023
Foreign visitors to Japan hit 96% of pre-COVID level in September
The number of foreign visitors for business and leisure was 2.18 million last month, up slightly from 2.16 million in August.
Tourists take pictures of an Enoshima Electric Railway train in Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture, in July.
JAPAN
Oct 18, 2023
Japan tries 'nudge theory' in bid to curtail littering by tourists
Thea measures come as littering and other problems related to overtourism are worsening in popular destinations.
Bento boxes at OK's new store in Tokyo's upscale Ginza district on Tuesday
BUSINESS
Oct 18, 2023
Discount supermarket OK opens store in Tokyo's posh Ginza district
Discount supermarket operator OK opened a store in Tokyo's upscale Ginza district, aiming to cater to foreign tourists and restaurant operators.
People walk into Jerusalem's Old City via Jaffa Gate, as the conflict wreaks havoc across the tourism sector.
BUSINESS
Oct 17, 2023
Israeli-Palestinian tourism sector hit hard by conflict
"Business is at a standstill since the war started," said a tour guide in the Palestinian city. "The roads were cut off, no one is coming."
The number of skiers and snowboarders in Japan has been declining, and is down about 75% in 2020 from its peak in the late 1990s, according to the Japan Productivity Center.
BUSINESS
Oct 17, 2023
Skiing in Japan is getting a $1.4 billion upgrade
Ken Chan, the former Japan head of Singapore sovereign wealth fund GIC, aims to invest $1.4 billion in the resort of Myoko, Niigata Prefecture.
A field of kochia plants is lit up in the colors of the rainbow at Hitachi Seaside Park in Ibaraki Prefecture, in September.
JAPAN / Society
Oct 15, 2023
Ibaraki regains ignominious crown as least attractive prefecture
This marks the 12th time the prefecture ranked last since the survey began in 2009 — after being dethroned by Saga in 2022.
Booking.com has issued a statement on their website apologizing for “updates to their payment system” that are causing issues for some of their partners, including many hotels in Japan.
JAPAN / Society
Oct 15, 2023
Japanese hotel owners plan to sue Booking.com over payment failure
Hotel owners say that over the past few months, Booking.com has failed to promptly transfer customer payments to hotels.

Longform

Construction takes place on the Takanawa Gateway Convention Center in Tokyo, slated to open in 2025.
A boom for business tourism in Japan?