Travel

USJ Ticket Buyers to Receive Expo Admission

OSAKA, Feb 10 (News On Japan) - With just two months remaining until the opening of the Osaka-Kansai Expo, new initiatives are being introduced to enhance visitor convenience.

The Expo Association has announced a new discount on admission tickets for the event. Visitors who purchase tickets to Universal Studios Japan (USJ) through the theme park's official website will be eligible for a 10% discount on Expo tickets.

Two types of tickets will be eligible for this promotion: the "Early Period Ticket," valid from the Expo’s opening until July 18, and the "Early Discount One-Day Ticket," which can be used on any day during the event.

For example, the Early Period Ticket, originally priced at 5,000 yen, will be available for 4,500 yen, while the Early Discount One-Day Ticket, normally 6,700 yen, will be reduced to 6,030 yen. The discount will take effect on February 13, exactly two months before the Expo's opening, and will apply to USJ tickets purchased from that date onward.

In addition to ticket promotions, efforts are underway to address transportation challenges, particularly a shortage of taxis. The Expo is expected to attract up to 230,000 visitors per day, with train and bus services currently being the primary transportation options. However, these alone are insufficient to accommodate the projected demand, making taxis a crucial supplement.

An estimated 2,700 taxis will be required daily to transport visitors to the Expo site, but the current fleet falls short by 1,880 vehicles. To mitigate this issue, ride-sharing services operated by general drivers will be expanded. The current daily limit of 210 ride-sharing vehicles will be doubled to 433 from April, with regulations being relaxed to facilitate this increase.

However, Osaka Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura expressed reservations about the measure, stating, "I believe this is still insufficient, but under the current legal framework, this is the maximum possible adjustment."

The Expo is expected to drive significant changes in Japan’s transportation infrastructure, with stakeholders hoping that effective solutions will be implemented and regulatory frameworks adjusted as needed.

Source: YOMIURI

Japan's Academics Demand Independence

Scholars affiliated with the Science Council of Japan formed a symbolic human chain in front of the National Diet building on May 8th, calling for revisions to the government’s proposed reform bill targeting the council’s structure, as deliberations enter their final phase in the Diet.

Inside Japan’s Failing Sewers

Across Japan, road collapses have been occurring with increasing frequency, often blamed on aging infrastructure. In one recent incident in Ashioshi, Saitama Prefecture, a truck was swallowed by a gaping sinkhole.

Two Men Arrested for Breaking Into Tokyo School

Two men who were arrested for forcibly entering an elementary school in Tachikawa City, Tokyo, and assaulting staff members have been identified as friends of a student's mother. One of the suspects denies the charges, claiming he was only brushing people off after being restrained.

Cherry Blossoms Reach Final Stage, Six Days Earlier Than Average

Cherry blossoms have begun to bloom in Wakkanai and Kushiro, marking the near completion of Japan's cherry blossom front for 2025.

Lack of Sleep After Golden Week May Signal Sleep Disorder, Experts Warn

As many in Japan returned to work or school on May 7th following the Golden Week holiday, a growing number are reporting post-holiday fatigue and sleep deprivation—conditions that experts warn may point to deeper sleep-related issues.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Travel NEWS

Kyushu's Top-Ranked Roadside Station Gets Major Upgrade

The Ukiha roadside station, ranked No. 1 in the Kyushu and Okinawa region for nine consecutive years in a nationwide roadside station ranking, is set to reopen following large-scale renovations.

Meitetsu to Introduce New Trains on Toyota Line for First Time in 48 Years

Meitetsu has announced that it will introduce new train cars on its Toyota Line for the first time in 48 years. Starting next fiscal year, the new 500-series trains will operate on the sections shared by the Toyota Line, Inuyama Line, and the Nagoya City Subway's Tsurumai Line.

In Kobe, Climbing Mountains Is a Way of Life

Kobe is a city blessed by both the sea and the mountains. One of its most defining features is Mount Ichizan, part of the Rokko mountain range. Long known as the birthplace of modern mountaineering in Japan, this area is home to a variety of distinctive peaks. Nestled within one of them, in Kobe’s Chuo Ward, lies Juzenji Temple, a Zen temple with a history spanning over 950 years.