Shirahama Approves Accommodation Tax Up to 1,000 Yen Per Night

Jun 17, 2026 | News On Japan

Wakayama - Shirahama, one of the Kansai region's leading tourist destinations, has approved the introduction of an accommodation tax, becoming the third municipality in the region after Osaka Prefecture and Kyoto City to adopt such a measure.

Under a new ordinance approved by the Shirahama Town Assembly on June 16, guests staying at hotels and other lodging facilities in the town will be charged an accommodation tax ranging from 200 yen to 1,000 yen per person per night, depending on the cost of their stay. Children under the age of 12 and students on school excursions will be exempt from the tax.

The town government has been considering the measure as a way to secure a stable source of funding for tourism promotion while addressing concerns over declining tax revenues caused by a shrinking population.

According to town officials, the accommodation tax is expected to generate approximately 650 million yen in additional annual revenue. Following approval from the national government and completion of other required procedures, Shirahama aims to begin collecting the tax from March next year.

Source: YOMIURI

Typhoon No. 18 to Strike Okinawa as Flights Face Disruption

Strong Typhoon No. 18 is set to hit Okinawa and the Amami Islands at around midnight with storm-force winds, disrupting flights during the summer vacation season as other parts of Japan faced torrential rain, flooding, dangerous heat and sudden thunderstorms. The typhoon was located about 160 kilometers east-southeast of Okinoerabu Island at 4 p.m. and moving west-northwest at 20 kilometers per hour.

Fukushima Decontamination Soil to Be Reused at Government Offices

The Japanese government plans to reuse low-radioactivity soil generated by decontamination work after the Fukushima nuclear accident at government office complexes in Saitama and Sendai, marking the first such reuse outside Tokyo.

Osaka Couple Donate 400 Million Yen for Giant Myaku-Myaku Statue at Expo Site

An 85-year-old couple have donated a combined 400 million yen to Osaka City with a request that the money be used to create a giant Myaku-Myaku statue about 20 meters tall at the former site of the Osaka-Kansai Expo, envisioning a landmark that could become a lasting symbol of the event and of renewed prosperity for Kansai and Japan.

Lawson to Cut Onigiri Prices by 10 Yen

Lawson plans to cut prices on its main line of onigiri rice balls by 10 yen from September 29 as falling rice prices begin to feed through to retail costs.

Taiji Boosts Security Against Anti-Whaling Activists

Police have established a temporary police post in the whaling town of Taiji, Wakayama Prefecture, ahead of the September 1 opening of the annual drive hunt for whales and dolphins.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Travel NEWS

ANA-JAL Cooperation Signals Possible Shift in Japan's Airline Industry

ANA Holdings' All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines will begin coordinating departure times on the Haneda-Okayama route from October 25, an unusual move by Japan's two largest airline groups as weak business travel, a weaker yen and rising fuel and labor costs put increasing pressure on domestic operations.

Haneda Airport Unveils New Boarding Area With Wood-Finished Gates

Haneda Airport has unveiled a new boarding area at Terminal 1 that will begin operations in September, featuring extensive wood interiors and self-driving transportation within the facility.

220-Meter Skybridge Opens at Biwako Valley in Shiga

A new 220-meter pedestrian suspension bridge has been completed at Biwako Valley in Otsu, Shiga Prefecture, offering visitors sweeping views of Lake Biwa from mountains about 1,100 meters above sea level.

Taiji Boosts Security Against Anti-Whaling Activists

Police have established a temporary police post in the whaling town of Taiji, Wakayama Prefecture, ahead of the September 1 opening of the annual drive hunt for whales and dolphins.

Typhoon No. 18 Disrupts Flights as ANA Cancels 119 Services

Air travel in Okinawa is beginning to be disrupted by the approach of Typhoon No. 18, with All Nippon Airways canceling 119 flights and more than 20,000 passengers expected to be affected.

Kyoto Expands Night Tourism

Kyoto is stepping up efforts to capture Japan's growing nighttime economy, with Toei Kyoto Studio Park extending its hours to 9 p.m., a new theater drawing visitors near Kyoto Station and nighttime tours expanding in Gion as the city seeks to encourage tourists to stay out longer and explore more areas after dark.

Hokkaido Town Keeps Its Steam Railway Heritage Alive

The whistle of a steam locomotive still echoes through the mountains of Engaru in northeastern Hokkaido, where the historic Amemiya No. 21 continues to run through a region once sustained by forestry.

Foreign Tourist Attacked by Bear at Lake Towada in Aomori

A foreign tourist was injured after being attacked by a bear near an observation deck on the shore of Lake Towada in Towada, Aomori Prefecture, on August 22, suffering a bite to his right arm and a bruised right shoulder.

< 2 3 4 5 >