Travel

Blossoms Draw Crowds to Famous Plum Grove in Wakayama

Wakayama, Feb 11 (News On Japan) - Plum blossoms are now at their best viewing season at the plum groves of Minabe Town in Wakayama Prefecture, widely known as Japan’s leading plum-producing region.

At the Minabe Plum Grove, famed under the saying "a million blossoms at a glance, fragrance for ten ri," the flowers have reached between seven-tenths and eight-tenths bloom, marking the start of the peak viewing period. Despite a sharp morning chill on February 10th, many visitors gathered at the grove to enjoy the blossoms’ beauty and fragrance.

One visitor said the scenery lifted their spirits, noting that being surrounded by plum orchards in every direction felt refreshing, adding that while it may be slightly early for full bloom, the current stage offers an especially pleasant atmosphere.

The plum blossoms at the Minabe Plum Grove are expected to be enjoyed through March 1st.

Source: KTV NEWS

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

A former emergency responder and foreign tourists worked together to rescue a woman in her 80s who was trapped inside an overturned light vehicle in Hakuba Village, Nagano Prefecture.

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.

Australian Girl, 8, Dies After Snowmobile Overturns in Hakuba

An eight-year-old Australian girl died after a snowmobile overturned in Hakuba Village, Nagano Prefecture, at around 11 a.m. on February 28th, with authorities investigating the cause of the accident.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Travel NEWS

Imperial Hotel Kyoto to Open in Central Gion

The Imperial Hotel Kyoto is set to open on March 5th in the heart of Gion, one of Kyoto’s most renowned districts, with the interior unveiled to the media on March 2nd ahead of its debut.

Himeji Castle Hikes Admission Fee for Non-Residents

Tourists in Japan Flock to Capsule Toys and Food Replicas

As the number of foreign visitors to Japan continues to rise, two uniquely Japanese cultural phenomena — food replicas and capsule toys, known as gacha — are drawing growing attention as unexpected tourist attractions and potential new souvenir staples.