FUKUOKA - The Kyushu Shinkansen will resume operations along its entire route on September 18 after suffering extensive track and other damage in the Kumamoto earthquake, raising hopes that the long-awaited restoration will help revive tourism in disaster-hit areas ahead of the Silver Week holiday period.
A month and a half has passed since the earthquake, but tourist destinations across Kumamoto Prefecture have continued to struggle with a sharp drop in visitors.
The return of full Shinkansen service has been eagerly awaited by the local tourism industry, with hopes that easier access to the region will encourage travelers to return and help restore activity in areas affected by the disaster.
Attention is also turning to the Kumamoto Reconstruction Support Discount, a tourism initiative aimed at encouraging travel to the prefecture and supporting the recovery of local businesses.
With the Shinkansen reopening just before the Silver Week holidays, tourism operators are hoping the combination of restored transportation links and travel discounts will provide a much-needed boost to visitor numbers and help bring crowds back to Kumamoto's tourist destinations.
For Kumamoto, the main Kyushu Shinkansen is especially important because it provides one of the fastest links to Fukuoka, the principal gateway to northern Kyushu, while also connecting the prefecture with Kagoshima and major cities in western Japan. Its full restoration therefore carries significance well beyond rail travel, with tourism operators hoping that the return of normal services will help bring visitors back to areas still recovering from the earthquake.
Source: TBS
