Society

Shinkansen bullet train tickets go half-off until spring of next year in east Japan travel push

Jul 10 (soranews24.com) - The tourism industry in Japan came to a screeching halt earlier this year with the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, as pretty much the whole country stayed home for both cherry blossom season and the Golden Week vacation period, two of the springâ€™s busiest travel periods.

Things arenâ€™t looking much rosier for the Obon celebration in early August, when people in Japan traditionally take a week off from work to go back to their home towns (or, if they feel like theyâ€™ve already seen enough of their relatives lately, go somewhere else). But Japan Railways has faith that eventually people will be able to travel again, and when they do, the rail operator wants to make it easier on their wallets with massive 50-percent-off discounts for Shinkansen bullet train tickets.

The deal is being offered by East Japan Railway Company, also known as JR East, the division of Japan Railways that connects Tokyo with the Tohoku, Joetsu, Hokuriku, and Yamagata Shinkansen lines that stretch north and northwest from the capital. Travelers taking the following Shinkansen trains between August 20, 2020 and March 31, 2021 will be able to purchase their tickets for half-price.

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