News On Japan

Kansai Airport Crowded Ahead of Peak Obon Travel Season

OSAKA, Aug 09 (News On Japan) - Ahead of the Obon holiday period beginning on August 9th, Kansai International Airport is already seeing a wave of travelers heading overseas. The international departures lobby was crowded from the morning, with families and other travelers carrying large suitcases.

According to Kansai Airports, the number of outbound passengers is expected to peak on August 9th, with approximately 47,000 people departing that day. Over the entire Obon period, which runs from August 9th to 18th, a total of 765,000 passengers are projected to use the airport's international flights.

A traveler heading to Bangkok said, "I'm going to Bangkok, Thailand." When asked if this was an annual tradition, she replied, "Not every year, but fairly often. My husband is staying home. So is my daughter’s husband."

Another traveler commented, "We're going to Guam. I don’t just want to swim—I want to relax and do nothing." To which a child quipped, "Why are you going just to do nothing?"

The most popular destination is expected to be China, followed by South Korea. The peak for returning travelers is forecast for August 16th.

Source: KTV NEWS

News On Japan
POPULAR NEWS

A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck eastern Japan at around 7:46 p.m., with a maximum seismic intensity of lower 5 recorded in parts of Gunma and Saitama prefectures, though no injuries or major damage had been confirmed and there was no risk of a tsunami.

JR Ueno Station has unveiled "Ueno Canvas," a new 75-square-meter LED display featuring videos that highlight the area's cultural attractions, tourism destinations, and artistic heritage as part of a station renovation aimed at connecting people and the city through culture.

Japan's Fair Trade Commission has conducted on-site inspections of six major food manufacturers over suspicions they formed a cartel to coordinate ice cream prices, with authorities investigating whether the companies exchanged information and unfairly adjusted planned retail price increases in response to rising costs.

A parent bear and two cubs were spotted near an interchange in Kyoto Prefecture, just a few minutes' drive from a nursery school, in one of many bear sightings reported across Japan in recent days.

Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako watched Japan's opening FIFA World Cup match against the Netherlands together with King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima, highlighting the close ties between the Japanese Imperial Family and the Dutch Royal Family.

MEDIA CHANNELS
         

MORE Travel NEWS

Aragi Island, a tongue-shaped plateau surrounded on three sides by the sharply winding Arida River in Aridagawa, Wakayama Prefecture, is drawing attention for its spectacular terraced rice fields, which create giant geometric patterns reflecting the sun and sky during the planting season.

Every spring, as visitors flock to Kyoto's Uji City to see landmarks such as Byodo-in Temple and sites associated with The Tale of Genji, another seasonal attraction appears in overwhelming numbers: swarms of tobikera, or caddisflies.

A parent bear and two cubs were spotted near an interchange in Kyoto Prefecture, just a few minutes' drive from a nursery school, in one of many bear sightings reported across Japan in recent days.

The YOSAKOI Soran Festival wrapped up its five-day run in Sapporo on June 14th, drawing 275 teams from across Japan and overseas as dancers in colorful costumes performed energetic routines with wooden naruko clappers throughout the city.

Each year from late April, rising water levels caused by melting mountain snow partially submerge lakeside trees at Lake Shusen in Semboku, Akita Prefecture, creating a seasonal landscape known as the flooded forest. The spectacle, highlighted by vibrant spring foliage emerging from the water, disappears by early June as the snowmelt season comes to an end.

A district once known nationwide for its concentration of day laborers and social challenges is undergoing a dramatic transformation, with new hotels, cafes and restaurants reshaping Osaka's Nishinari Ward as tourists, entrepreneurs and younger visitors increasingly flock to the area.

Kyoto welcomed a record 62.79 million visitors last year, an increase of more than 6.7 million from the previous year, according to the Kyoto city government, highlighting the continued recovery and expansion of the city's tourism industry.

Authorities in Kyoto Prefecture received another report of a bear sighting at the famous Amanohashidate sandbar on June 12th, just two days after a bear was captured in the area, prompting temporary road closures and heightened precautions for local residents and visitors.