Tag - tourism

 
 

TOURISM

Flowering cherry blossoms and buds from a sample Somei Yoshino cherry tree at Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo earlier this month
JAPAN
Mar 29, 2026
Cherry blossoms are now in full bloom in Tokyo
The Japan Meteorological Agency’s announcement came three days earlier than average and two days earlier than last year.
Visitors in the Dotonbori area in Osaka
JAPAN
Mar 27, 2026
Japan adopts new target for regions to address overtourism
The target is intended to strengthen measures by utilizing revenue from the nation’s departure tax, which is set to increase.
Travelers wait in line at a TSA checkpoint at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas, on Thursday.
WORLD
Mar 27, 2026
Trump orders government to pay airport security workers
Nearly 500 airport security officers ​have quit since the start of a partial government shutdown in February.
A hydrogen-powered hotel in Namie, Fukushima Prefecture, on Wednesday
JAPAN
Mar 26, 2026
World’s first hydrogen-powered hotel opens in Fukushima Prefecture
The town where the hotel is located is also home to one of the world’s largest hydrogen production bases.
People take photographs with Mount Fuji at Lake Yamanaka in Yamanakako, Yamanashi Prefecture, in December.
JAPAN / Society
Mar 26, 2026
‘Perfect Japan’ posts spark Gen Z social media backlash
Residents of tourist hotspots have expressed exasperation with selfie-taking crowds, and now an online backlash against Japan fever is growing.
Visitors line up at Hiroshima Castle's keep in the city of Hiroshima on Sunday before the facility closed its doors.
JAPAN
Mar 23, 2026
Hiroshima Castle keep closes, ending 68-year run
The city is considering rebuilding the keep in wood and plans to decide on a development approach in five or more years.
People enjoy a stroll through Inui Street at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Saturday.
JAPAN
Mar 21, 2026
Imperial Palace street opened to public for spring season
The street is open to the public twice a year to coincide with the spring cherry blossom season and the autumn foliage season.
An event is held on Thursday in Tokyo a year ahead of the International Horticultural Expo 2027 scheduled in Yokohama.
JAPAN
Mar 20, 2026
One year out, Yokohama Green Expo faces low awareness
In a survey conducted by the Kanagawa Prefectural Government last autumn, less than 50% of residents in the prefecture, excluding Yokohama, were aware of the expo.
A city bus in Kyoto. The city announced in February its plan to introduce dual pricing for municipal bus fares in the city center.
JAPAN
Mar 20, 2026
Japan Tourism Agency to launch panel on dual pricing targeting outsiders
Some municipalities have already introduced such systems in response to a surge in the number of inbound visitors to Japan.
Flowering cherry blossoms and buds from a sample Somei Yoshino cherry tree at Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo on Thursday.
JAPAN
Mar 19, 2026
Tokyo’s cherry blossom season officially begins
The cherry season for Tokyo starts when the official sample tree at Yasukuni Shrine opens at least five flowers.
Flight cancellations caused by the Iran war are prompting European travelers to cancel trips to Japan.
JAPAN
Mar 19, 2026
Conflict in Iran impacting inbound travel to Japan
Hotels in Japan have seen cancellations from those planning to visit from Europe via major airports in the Middle East.
Since the conflict in the Middle East began on Feb. 28, Emirates has cancelled more than 2,000 flights — 54% of scheduled services, according to data from Cirium.
BUSINESS
Mar 19, 2026
Phantom flight: Iran war creates 9,100-km round trips to nowhere
Surprise U-turns, dubbed “flights to nowhere” on social media, have become one of the most visible quirks of flying since the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran began on Feb. 28.
Visitors in the Dotonbori area of Osaka
JAPAN
Mar 18, 2026
Chinese tourists ditch Japan for third month running
Previously Chinese travelers were the biggest source of tourists to Japan, with South Korean visitors now taking their place.
Yamano Music's main store in the Ginza district of Tokyo’s Chuo Ward is the most expensive commercial land site in Japan, according to data released Tuesday.
BUSINESS
Mar 17, 2026
Japan’s average land price rises for fifth straight year
The average land price in Japan as of Jan. 1 rose 2.8% from a year earlier, up for the fifth straight year, the land ministry said Tuesday.
An Emirates Boeing 777 aircraft prepares for landing as a smoke plume rises from an ongoing fire near Dubai International Airport in Dubai on Monday.
WORLD
Mar 17, 2026
Emirates flying near-empty jets to Dubai as locals depart
While passenger demand is slim, the company is also loading cargo into its aircraft, providing another stream of revenue.
A "KPop Demon Hunters" sing-along event in New York on Aug. 23, 2025
BUSINESS
Mar 16, 2026
The ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ tourism wave is just getting started
A tourism spike to South Korea following the film’s release may well outlast its initial burst of popularity given that awards season is keeping it fresh in audiences’ minds.
A mother kisses her child after they returned from Dubai amid the U.S. and Israel's conflict with Iran in Mumbai, India, on March 3.
BUSINESS
Mar 16, 2026
‘Dream holidays’ in disarray as travelers count cost of Iran war
The conflict has already closed much of the Middle East’s airspace, leading to tens of thousands of flight cancellations, reroutings and schedule changes worldwide.
Las Vegas is one of the many U.S. destinations struggling with a severe drop in inbound tourism.
BUSINESS
Mar 7, 2026
U.S. hotels seek World Cup boost after tourism dip under Trump
The U.S. hospitality sector has been reeling from a tourism slump. The country became the only major destination to see a drop in foreign visitors last year.
Admission fees for the National Museum of Modern Art in Tokyo and 11 other state-run museums are set to increase for visitors from outside Japan.
JAPAN
Mar 5, 2026
Japan’s national museums to implement dual-pricing system
The planned change, a first for state-run museums, will hike admission fees for nonresidents by March 2031.
The Chinese embassy in Tokyo in November
JAPAN / Society
Mar 4, 2026
Chinese Embassy in Japan issues warning against ‘bumpers’ after viral video
The call for vigilance comes as Tokyo was pushing back against Beijing’s claims that Japan’s safety environment is deteriorating.

Longform

The Terasaka Rice Terraces are seen with Mount Buko in the background.
What Yokoze can teach Japan about rural revival