Popular tourist attractions in Tokyo were mainly visited by local residents who had decided against long-distance travel.
At Tokyo Skytree, the tallest tower in the country, families enjoyed the view from the observation deck.
Visitors have their temperatures taken at the entrance and are asked to sanitize their hands. The number of people allowed in the elevators is limited, and air purifiers have been installed.
Ventilation on the observation deck has been strengthened to double the previous level. The air is replaced every 20 minutes.
The tower usually bustles with tourists from overseas and other parts of Japan at this time of the year, but the visitors on Sunday were mostly from the Tokyo area.
A woman in her 80s from Saitama Prefecture said there were fewer people than she had expected.
She also said she felt stressed that she couldn't travel much this year, and she visited Tokyo Skytree because it was near her home and she took thorough preventive measures.
Arashiyama, a tourist district in the ancient capital of Kyoto, attracted a large number of people who wanted to view the beautiful fall colors.
Visitors crowded the shopping area near the Togetsu-kyo Bridge on the Katsura River.
The Japanese government is stepping up coronavirus countermeasures for people entering the country.
(NHK)
The Japanese government plans to suspend the entry of all foreigners as the coronavirus continues to spread around the world.
(NHK)
Little change was seen in the flow of commuters at major train stations in Tokyo and three neighboring prefectures Friday morning as a fresh state of emergency came into effect in the metropolitan area to stop the spread of COVID-19.
(Japan Times)
Japan will further tighten its border controls from Saturday by requiring all people arriving to submit negative results from virus tests taken within 72 hours of their departure for Japan during the period of the latest state of emergency.
(Kyodo)
Airlines in Japan canceled 247 domestic flights on Friday due to heavy snow and strong winds in areas along the Sea of Japan and Hokkaido.
(NHK)
Japan's public transport providers are considering limiting operations to reduce mobility under the country's new coronavirus state of emergency, which is largely voluntary with no effective punishments for those who do not comply with curfews. (Nikkei)
This April and May, Malta will host the tenth anniversary edition of the InClassica International Music Festival, a three-week long celebration of classical music featuring world-renowned soloists, leading international orchestras and celebrated conductors. (newsonjapan.com)
A pagoda at Yakushiji, a Buddhist temple listed as a World Heritage site in Japan's ancient capital of Nara, will be partially opened to the public from March after undergoing its first major renovation in more than a century. (Japan Times)
The number of people using shinkansen and conventional train services operated by Japan Railway companies plunged 68% during the year-end and New Year’s period compared to a year earlier, to 4,879,000, marking the lowest level since comparable data was made available in 1991, six JR companies said Wednesday. (Japan Times)
The Japanese government has begun considering suspending new entries of foreign nationals under business travel agreements with 11 countries and regions, including China and South Korea, in an effort to curb the spread of the new coronavirus. (Nikkei)
The number of traffic accident fatalities in Japan fell to 2,839 in 2020, marking the lowest level since comparable data became available in 1948, a police survey showed Monday. (Japan Times)
The number of domestic flight passengers in Japan during the New Year holiday period fell by more than half from a year earlier.
(NHK)
Dozens of amateur photographers gathered over the New Year holiday in a village in Hokkaido that is known for its red-crowned cranes. The bird is designated as a special natural monument of Japan.
(NHK)
Weather officials in Japan are calling for increased caution against more heavy snows predicted for parts of the Sea of Japan coast.
(NHK)
Crowds of people were visiting Meiji Jingu, a major Shinto shrine in central Tokyo, early Friday after the coronavirus outbreak put the brakes on the tradition of visiting the shrine overnight on New Year's Eve.
(NHK)
Railway operators in the Tokyo metropolitan area say they will not run trains all night on New Year's Eve into New Year's Day due to the coronavirus outbreak.
(NHK)
In this video, we explore three side-trip options from the city of Nagoya, each with something unique to offer travelers willing to venture a little off the beaten track. (japan-guide.com)
Tourist spots in Japan were rocked by the nationwide suspension of the government's Go To Travel discount program from Monday amid the novel coronavirus resurgence. (Japan Times)
Kinkaku-ji, a renowned golden temple in Japan's ancient capital of Kyoto, has a brand new roof as re-thatching work was done for the first time in 18 years.
(NHK)
The terminal for Japan's Shinkansen bullet trains in Tokyo is much quieter than usual during the year-end holidays due to the coronavirus pandemic.
(NHK)