Hong Kongers flock to Japan for 'revenge travel'
With many people unable to go out of the territory for nearly three years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Japan could benefit from Hong Kongers' "revenge travel."
Only 5,900 Hong Kongers visited Japan in the first eight months of this year, down 99.6% from the same period in 2019, before the pandemic. But more than 10,000 Hong Kongers appear to have visited Japan in just one week starting from Oct. 11, according to industry estimates.
Trips to Japan, which at one point nearly disappeared, have recovered thanks to changes in policies by the governments of Japan and Hong Kong. The Japanese government abolished its daily arrival cap and started accepting individual travelers again, while the Hong Kong government also eased its entry restrictions.
Previously, Hong Kong required inbound travelers to quarantine at designated hotels for up to 21 days, but the measure was scrapped in late September. Now the government has introduced a measure called "0+3," which only requires international arrivals to undergo three days of medical surveillance at home or at a hotel of choice. ...continue reading

Japan Times - Feb 07
A group of airlines in Japan, including Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways, plans to make passenger mask-wearing a “personal choice” in May in line with the government’s planned downgrading of COVID-19, which involves a revision of mask guidelines.

Japan Today - Feb 05
The 73rd Sapporo Snow Festival began in Sapporo, Hokkaido, on Saturday. The festival, featuring more than 160 ice and snow sculptures, is open to the public for the first time since 2020. It was held online only in 2021 and 2022 due to the coronavirus.

Nikkei - Feb 05
Hotel prices in Japan have soared as government subsidies boosting travel kick in and foreign tourists return, with room rates nearly 20% higher in December compared to the same month before the pandemic delivered a serious blow to the sector.

Paolo fromTOKYO - Feb 05
Legoland Japan Resort is located in Nagoya, Aichi prefecture, about a 25 minute train ride from Nagoya station, and the Legoland hotel sits conveniently right in front of the theme park.

lifestyleasia.com - Feb 03
While Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka are the top-tier locations that every traveller wants to explore, Japan's magnificence lies in the cities hidden away from the crowds, where quaint places in the lap of nature take your breath away.

NHK - Feb 03
In Kyoto, geisha apprentices called maiko have taken part in a traditional bean-throwing ceremony for the first time in three years.

Nikkei - Feb 03
Japan's two biggest airlines expect to benefit unequally from the country's recovery in domestic travel, though both have high hopes for the return of Chinese tourists.

NHK - Feb 03
The transportation authority of the western Japanese city of Kyoto says it will do away with one-day bus passes at the end of March, 2024. The aim of the move is to ease passenger congestion by reducing the number of tourists on buses.

Spotlight on China - Feb 02
On Sunday, January 29, the Chinese regime resumed issuing travel visas for Japanese nationals but not South Koreans after the Chinese government suspended the two visas for the countries earlier this month.

japan-guide.com - Feb 01
Kanazawa is an attractive city known for its delicious seafood, distinguished traditions, important history and harsh winters. Here are our top 5 places in Kanazawa.

newsonjapan.com - Feb 01
We’ve all heard the news: Japan has finally reopened its borders to the world. In the wake of this announcement, how does the tourism situation look in Japan and what should we expect for 2023?

drifttravel.com - Jan 31
If you’re in Tokyo and looking to explore the city’s rich cultural traditions, we recommend that you visit the Taito City area.

dw.com - Jan 30
Japanese citizens will once again be able to get Chinese visas, Beijing said, reversing a previous ban over COVID testing China had slammed as "discriminatory."

Abroad in Japan - Jan 30
Tokyo is the world's largest city. We set off 25km across the city through markets, restaurants and neon lit streets to see if it's possible to walk across it in a day!

NHK - Jan 30
A winter festival featuring about 30 ice sculptures has been drawing many tourists to a hot spring resort in Japan's northern prefecture of Hokkaido.

Japan BackpackersXpress - Jan 28
大荒れの京都