Travel

Four Japan Rail Companies to Link Online Reservation Services

TOKYO, Sep 21 (News On Japan) - JR’s online reservation systems, long operated separately by different regional companies, will be linked together for the first time in an effort to eliminate the inconvenience faced by passengers when booking tickets across multiple areas.

Currently, services such as JR West’s e5489 and JR Central’s EX Service each operate independently, with differing coverage areas and ticketing methods, prompting complaints that the systems are difficult to use.

In response, the four JR companies announced at a joint press conference on September 19th that they will integrate their systems, allowing smoother use across service boundaries.

Starting in October, passengers who hold accounts with both e5489 and EX Service will be able to log in to both platforms using only one of their IDs.

The companies also plan to introduce a system in which linked accounts can be used across services without the need to re-enter login details, making transfers between reservation platforms seamless.

Source: YOMIURI

20 People Trapped on Japan’s Tallest Ferris Wheel

A Ferris wheel at the Expocity commercial complex in Suita, Osaka, known as the tallest in Japan at 123 meters, came to an abrupt stop on November 25th after a lightning strike disabled its operating system, leaving 20 passengers trapped in nine gondolas until the early hours of the following morning.

Okinawa Water Crisis Hits Airport Restaurants

A large-scale water outage continued across parts of Okinawa on November 25th after a damaged pipeline caused significant leakage the previous day, with local authorities reporting ongoing disruptions as of 11:35 a.m.

Yellow Dust to Arrive in Fukuoka From November 25th to 26th

Yellow dust is forecast to reach Fukuoka from the morning of November 25th through November 26th, prompting the city to urge residents—particularly those with respiratory or allergy-related conditions—to take precautions such as wearing masks when going outdoors.

Fire Engulfs Waste Plastic Plant in Ibaraki

A large fire that broke out late on November 23rd at a waste plastic recycling plant in the city of Bando in Ibaraki has continued to burn for roughly 18 hours, with no clear timeline for containment. The blaze was first reported at around 10:40 p.m. on November 23rd when nearby residents alerted firefighters after seeing flames and smoke rising from the site.

Japan’s Labor Shortage Pushes Thousands of Firms Toward Failure

A deepening labor shortage is increasingly weighing on the Japanese economy, forcing businesses to shorten operating hours or scale back services and generating massive lost opportunities that are estimated to reach 16 trillion yen in fiscal 2024.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Travel NEWS

Japan's Sleeper Trains Sell Out Fast

Japan’s sleeper trains are enjoying a resurgence as overnight rail travel evolves from simple transportation to a form of tourism. One of the most popular services is JR West’s WEST EXPRESS Ginga, which made its debut in September 2020 and is priced at 12,950 yen, yet has become so sought after that reservations are now extremely difficult to obtain.

Japan's Ski Resorts Take Precautions Against Bears

Ski resorts in Japan are stepping up precautions as bear activity remains unusually high this season, prompting operators to introduce emergency alarms, deterrent tools, and additional patrols to protect visitors as winter tourism begins in earnest.

JR East Adds New Teppay Payment Function to Suica App

JR East and PASMO announced on November 25th that they will introduce a new mobile payment function called 'teppay' for their Suica and PASMO smartphone apps, enabling barcode and QR code payments as part of a broader expansion of their digital services.

High-End Luxury Cruiser Set for Nagara River

Gifu City has unveiled the design for an ultra-luxury viewing boat that will operate during cormorant-fishing cruises on the Nagara River, with construction scheduled to be completed by next season at a cost of roughly 28 million yen.

Chinese Tourists Plunge in Kyoto

Kyoto’s famed autumn foliage reached its peak in late November as crowds gathered at Eikando, a temple with more than a thousand years of history and one of the city’s most celebrated spots for viewing fall colors, with visitors posing for photos along the bridge railings and foreign tourists standing out prominently among them.

Hikers Flock to Scenic Abandoned Railway Track

The former JR Fukuchiyama Line track bed along the Mukogawa ravine, now a popular hiking route, has reached peak autumn colors on the trees surrounding the trail as large numbers of hikers visit the area to enjoy the seasonal foliage.

Hunter Mountain Opens Early

Hunter Mountain Shiobara, one of the largest ski resorts in the Greater Tokyo area, opened for a limited three-day pre-season run in Nasu-Shiobara on November 23rd after a strong cold front brought earlier-than-expected snowfall to the region.

Japan Plans Major Increase in Immigration Fees

The Japanese government is moving to substantially raise fees for residence-related administrative procedures for foreign nationals, aiming to secure stable funding for its foreign resident policy as the number of foreign residents in Japan continues to grow.

< 2 3 4 5 >