Travel

To mask or not to mask? The decision is yours from Monday

Mar 11 (The Japan News) - People will be advised to use their discretion regarding masking up in public from Monday, under the government’s eased mask-wearing guidelines.

The legal status of COVID-19 will be downgraded on May 8 to Category V, the same level as seasonal influenza. The eased mask-wearing guidelines are part of government efforts to help life return to pre-pandemic ways ahead of the change in the legal status.

Current guidelines recommend the wearing of masks indoors, while outdoors, masks are not required except when conversing with others in close proximity.

Under the eased guidelines, people will still be advised to wear masks at medical institutions and elderly care facilities, and when traveling on crowded trains and buses.

As in the past, mask-wearing guidelines will not be legally binding. ...continue reading

Japan To Set Rules For Higher Tourist Fees

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has announced plans to draw up guidelines for the introduction of a so-called dual pricing system that differentiates between foreign visitors and local residents.

Kyoto Raises Lodging Tax as Peak Travel Season Begins

Kyoto City significantly raised its lodging tax from March 1st, increasing the maximum charge per person per night from 1,000 yen to as much as 10,000 yen, in a move aimed at tackling overtourism and funding the preservation of cultural assets, even as questions remain about its impact on visitors and the local economy.

Foreign Visitors and Ex-Rescuer Pull 80-Year-Old Woman From Hakuba Crashed Car

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Tokyo Metro Begins Touchless Ticket Gate Trial

Tokyo Metro and Toshiba have launched Japan’s first demonstration test allowing passengers to pass through ticket gates without touching them by using their smartphones’ Bluetooth function.

Himeji Castle Hikes Admission Fee for Non-Residents

The admission fee for the World Heritage-listed Himeji Castle in Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture, was revised on March 1st for the first time in 11 years, introducing a dual pricing system that significantly raises costs for visitors from outside the city.

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