Tokyo nightlife still not fully lit despite global COVID recovery

May 14, 2023 | News On Japan

May 14, 2023 (Nikkei) - Tokyo is darker at night now than in 2019 before COVID-19 ravaged the city's entertainment districts. Nighttime satellite images show the city last year had luminosity only 90% that of 2019, while Paris and London had fully regained their glow.

Based on NASA satellite image data processed by Colorado School of Mines, a research university in the U.S., Nikkei has calculated nighttime brightness in various cities during the April-October period of 2022. Data showed that illumination levels increased 3.2% in Paris and 1.4% in London from 2019 averages, but fell 3.2% in New York and 11.6% in Tokyo.

The sharp drop in Tokyo is mostly attributed to a slow recovery in city centers frequented by business people for after-work socializing.

Nighttime luminosity fell much more in entertainment quarters than in residential areas, with light levels falling more than 15% in popular nightspots like Roppongi, Shinjuku and Ginza. People traffic downtown was about 20% less in February than three years earlier, according to mobile location data provided by Docomo InsightMarketing.

The Japanese government has not imposed a state of emergency or any other COVID-19 curbs on dining and gatherings since the spring of 2022, but Tokyo's nighttime economy remains stagnant. ...continue reading

Players to Watch When Japan Faces the Netherlands

Japan's World Cup campaign begins on June 14 when the Samurai Blue face the Netherlands at Dallas Stadium in Texas, a clash that will showcase some of the game's most talented players and pit two ambitious teams against one another in a crucial Group F opener. While Japan arrives without injured winger Kaoru Mitoma, one of its most recognizable stars, the squad still boasts a wealth of talent drawn from Europe's top leagues.

El Nino Returns, But Japan Faces Another Hot Summer

The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) announced that an El Niño phenomenon is believed to have developed this spring, warning that Japan is likely to experience above-average temperatures nationwide this summer despite the climate pattern's traditional association with cooler summers.

Narita Airport Advances Compulsory Land Acquisition for Runway

Narita International Airport Corporation is expected to announce next month that it will apply to the national government for project certification as part of the process to enable compulsory land acquisition for the construction of a new runway at Narita Airport, according to sources familiar with the matter.

Fire Destroys Historic Arima Inari Shrine

A fire broke out at Arima Inari Shrine near the Arima Onsen hot spring resort area in Kobe on the night of June 9th, destroying multiple buildings and leaving an elderly Shinto priest and his wife with minor injuries.

Japan National Team Holds First Training Session in Nashville

Japan's national soccer team arrived in Nashville, Tennessee, on June 8th from Monterrey, Mexico, where it had been conducting a pre-World Cup training camp, and held its first practice session at its base camp for the FIFA World Cup in North America.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Travel NEWS

New Tropical Depression Threatens Flooding in Southern Japan

A newly formed tropical depression near Taiwan on June 9th is expected to intensify the seasonal rain front lingering over southwestern Japan, raising the risk of warning-level rainfall across Okinawa and the Amami Islands through around June 11th.

Japanese Incense Captivates Overseas Buyers

The calming smoke and subtle fragrances of Japanese incense are fueling growing global interest, pushing exports to a record high of more than 1.8 billion yen.

How Japan's Evolving Bathhouses Are Turning Profits

Japan's public bathhouse industry is being reshaped by the sauna boom, with a growing number of "next-generation bathhouses" succeeding in tripling customer spending and returning to profitability even as many traditional neighborhood bathhouses struggle with rising costs and aging facilities.

JR East to Phase Out Traditional Paper Train Tickets

Passengers traveling on JR East services may soon no longer need to insert paper tickets into ticket gates, as the railway operator announced plans to gradually phase out its traditional black-backed paper tickets beginning next spring.

Foreign Tourists Ignore Fuji Closure Before Official Opening

Foreign tourists continue to climb Mount Fuji despite strict access restrictions ahead of the official climbing season, prompting local officials to renew calls for tougher penalties and requiring climbers to pay for rescue operations conducted during the mountain's closed period.

Rail Service Suspended on Tokushima's Dosan Line After Landslide

A slope collapse alongside the JR Dosan Line between Tsubojiri and Hashikura stations in Tokushima Prefecture, detected after a rockfall warning system was activated in the early hours of June 8th, has forced the suspension of train services with no timetable yet established for the restoration of operations.

JAL to Operate Chubu–Obihiro–Kushiro Flights Again This August

Japan Airlines will once again operate seasonal flights between Chubu Centrair International Airport and the Hokkaido cities of Obihiro and Kushiro throughout August, offering travelers from hot Nagoya a chance to enjoy the region's cooler summer climate.

Sakurajima Eruption Blankets Kagoshima in Volcanic Ash

A prolonged eruption at Sakurajima on June 7th blanketed parts of Kagoshima City in volcanic ash, turning roads gray and prompting long lines of vehicles seeking car washes after a plume of smoke rose 1,300 meters above the crater.

< 2 3 4 5 >