Society

Autumn colors on display in Kyoto

Nov 24 (NHK) - The autumn leaves are at their peak in many parts of Japan. Visitors have been flocking to the ancient capital of Kyoto to enjoy the colors.

Many headed to the scenic Arashiyama area on Tuesday's Labor Thanksgiving Day holiday.

A woman in her 60s visiting from Tokyo said, "I haven't come to Kyoto in a while, so I'm enjoying myself."

The main shopping street was filled with sightseers. Tourist numbers have started to recover since plummeting due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The head of the Arashiyama shopping street association, Hosokawa Masahiro, said, "We're hoping that more visitors from far away will come to Kyoto for sightseeing."

It has been more than a month since the Japanese government lifted the coronavirus state of emergency. Some shop owners voiced concern that the influx of visitors may lead to another surge in infections.

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