The project is designed as a phased experiment rather than a simple short-term test. Teams will first analyse airport operations in detail to identify where robots can be used safely and effectively. This will be followed by repeated trials that simulate real working conditions on the ground. The idea is to gradually build a system where robots and humans work together in a structured way. In the long term, the partners hope to create a more sustainable model for airport operations. 

The robots will initially be used for physically demanding tasks such as loading and unloading cargo containers and moving equipment on the tarmac. These machines are built in a humanoid form, meaning they can move in a way that is similar to humans and operate in spaces designed for people. This allows them to work within existing airport infrastructure without major changes. During demonstrations, a robot measuring around 130 centimetres was seen carefully pushing cargo onto a conveyor belt and even waving to a colleague. The robots can operate for two to three hours before needing to recharge, and they are currently controlled remotely by human operators, mirroring human movements. 

One of the main reasons behind this initiative is the growing labour shortage in Japan’s aviation sector. The country is dealing with a declining working-age population while at the same time welcoming a rising number of international visitors. More than seven million tourists arrived in Japan in just the first two months of 2026, adding pressure to airport services. Ground handling work is often physically demanding and requires long shifts, making it harder to attract and retain staff. By introducing robots, airlines hope to reduce the physical strain on workers and maintain smooth operations. 

The issue goes beyond aviation and reflects a broader national challenge. Japan may need more than 6.5 million foreign workers by 2040 to meet its economic goals as the domestic workforce continues to shrink. This creates political and social pressure, as immigration levels remain a sensitive topic. In this context, automation and robotics are increasingly seen as part of the solution. The use of humanoid robots in airports is therefore not only about efficiency, but also about responding to long-term demographic changes. 

The technology behind the robots combines artificial intelligence, advanced sensors, and remote operation. This allows them to perform tasks that require both strength and precision while still being supervised by human operators. GMO Internet Group, the parent company involved in the project, has even declared 2026 as the “First Year of Humanoids”. The aim is to accelerate the use of this technology across different industries, not just aviation. Airports are being used as a testing ground because they present real-world challenges that require adaptable solutions. 

Robots are already present in some Japanese airports, where they are used for tasks such as security patrols and customer service. The introduction of humanoid robots for ground handling is, therefore, a continuation of an ongoing trend rather than a completely new development. What makes this project different is the focus on physically demanding back-end operations that have traditionally relied on human labour. These tasks are less visible to passengers but are essential for keeping flights running on time. 

Japan’s labor shortage is so severe it burned through its entire 5-year quota for foreign restaurant workers in record time.

The food service sector (restaurants, hospital/nursing home meal services) hit its 50,000 cap early – new Specified Skilled Worker visa applications…

— World of Statistics (@stats_feed) April 26, 2026

Despite the growing role of automation, human workers will remain essential in airport operations. Certain responsibilities, especially those related to safety and decision-making, cannot be handled by robots. Officials involved in the project have made it clear that the goal is to support employees rather than replace them. By taking over repetitive and physically heavy tasks, robots could help improve working conditions and reduce fatigue. Human oversight will continue to be necessary to ensure that all operations meet strict safety standards.

The trial at Haneda Airport reflects a wider shift in the global aviation industry. Airports around the world are exploring new technologies to handle increasing passenger numbers and improve efficiency. These include biometric boarding systems, automated baggage handling, and autonomous vehicles. Humanoid robots could become another tool in this transition, especially in locations where labour shortages are becoming more severe. Their ability to work in human-designed environments gives them an advantage over more specialised machines.

In the future, the role of these robots could expand beyond cargo handling. Japan Airlines is already considering using them for tasks such as cleaning aircraft cabins and operating ground support equipment. As the technology improves, robots may become more autonomous and capable of interacting more naturally with both staff and passengers. If the current trial proves successful, similar systems could be introduced at other airports in Japan and beyond. This would mark an important step towards a more automated and flexible airport environment.

L’article Tokyo’s Haneda Airport to trial humanoid robots for ground operations est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The change marks the first revision to the pass in three years and will affect passes sold to foreign visitors through official channels and travel agents. The Japan Railways Group (JR Group) said the adjustment reflects cumulative fare changes across several of its member companies, following earlier increases in domestic ticket prices.

JR Group will raise prices for the Japan Rail Pass from October 1, 2026, but only for passes purchased through overseas sales agents. The last major Japan Rail Pass price update was in October 2023.

Prices on the official Japan Rail Pass online reservation service will remain… pic.twitter.com/oMeT6c9aru

— Japan Station (@JPNStation) April 9, 2026

Under the new pricing structure, an ordinary seven-day adult pass will rise by 3,000 yen to 53,000 yen (about €284), while the Green Car premium version will increase by 4,000 yen to 74,000 yen (about €395). Longer-duration passes are also affected: the 14-day ordinary pass will increase to 84,000 yen (€520), and the 21-day version will rise to 105,000 yen (€650) for adults in standard cars, and by 7,000 yen to 147,000 yen (€910) for those travelling in premium seats.

The JR Group has said the price revision follows earlier adjustments made by individual regional rail companies, including East Japan Railway, West Japan Railway, Hokkaido Railway and Kyushu Railway. These changes have contributed to a broader reassessment of the nationwide pass pricing. 

The Japan Rail Pass is a key product for inbound tourism in Japan, offering unlimited travel on most JR-operated services, including many shinkansen bullet trains, as well as rapid, express and local trains. It is available only to foreign visitors entering Japan under “temporary visitor” status and is typically purchased before arrival at the designated sales offices and through official agents overseas, as well as via the official online platform, Japan Rail Pass Reservation. 

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The increase has sparked renewed attention among travel planners, as it follows a major price hike implemented in 2023. However, JR Group has also indicated that online purchasing incentives may remain temporarily unchanged to encourage direct bookings through official channels.

Japan’s record tourism boom has heightened concerns over overtourism, prompting authorities to introduce measures to manage crowds and visitor behaviour. Access gates and fees have been imposed at major attractions, including Mount Fuji and several shrine sites. At the same time, Kyoto officials have urged tourists to respect the privacy of the local geisha community. The city also introduced Japan’s highest hotel tax in March 2026 as pressure on infrastructure continues to grow.

Meanwhile, popular destinations are facing mounting environmental strain. At Oshino Hakkai, a well-known village famous for its eight natural pools, authorities have called on visitors to stop throwing coins into the water after the practice was found to cause damage to the fragile ecosystem, underscoring the broader challenges linked to surging tourist numbers.

The impact has led to stricter actions in some areas, including the cancellation of a cherry blossom festival near Mount Fuji after years of overcrowding and disruptive behaviour. The decision reflects wider efforts across Japan to balance booming visitor numbers with the need to protect local communities and cultural heritage.

L’article Japan rail pass price to rise in October, pushing tourist travel costs higher est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The eight pools in the village of Oshino Hakkai at the foot of the country’s highest peak offer scenic views and reflections featuring the volcano’s iconic form. They are fed by an underground reservoir of Mount Fuji’s meltwater and historically followers of the Fuji-ko faith, who worship the peak, bathed there in a purification ritual before climbing it. The waters were also once said by locals to bring insight into moral dilemmas.

Now, though, they are dominated by tourists who have imported coin-tossing customs that they believe bring good luck. The pond beds are said to be littered with coins, even though official workers have removed around 50,000 of them to date in a battle that has seen signs erected pleading in multiple languages for visitors to cease the practice.

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“It’s an endless cycle — as soon as we pick them up, more are thrown in,” an official spokesperson said. The village has even set up offering boxes to receive the coins instead of the pools.

The way coins erode is one of the main worries due to potential pollution of the ponds’ pristine waters, though, to date, water quality tests have found no environmental residues.

Coin-tossing or offering for luck at tourist sites occurs in many places around the world. Concerns were raised in 2025 at the Giant’s Causeway, a renowned Northern Irish UNESCO World Heritage site estimated to be up to 60 million years old, that is being damaged by tourists determined to leave their mark on the place by wedging coins that then rust between the rocks, resulting in a plea from the UK’s National Trust for visitors to “leave no trace.”

One of the most famous examples of coin-based tourist rituals happens at Rome’s Trevi Fountain, where coin throwing was immortalised by the hit 20^th-century movie theme Three Coins in a Fountain. Municipal authorities in the Italian capital regularly collect the coins and distribute them to charitable causes. But Japan has no such native tradition.

The problem has reportedly worsened since 2013, when the ponds were recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage site, attracting more visitors to the area. As part of efforts to clean up Mount Fuji and deal with overtourism, its trails now come with an access fee. But the issue continues. An annual cherry blossom festival had to be cancelled this year amid mounting pressure on locals.

The negative effect of the UNESCO designation has been in the news elsewhere recently, after villagers in the Slovakian hamlet of Vlkolínec complained about being outnumbered more than 7000-to-one by the 100,000 annual visitors that descend upon the area since the UN body included it on its list. “UNESCO has turned us into a tourist ‘zoo.’ This supposed honour has become not just a burden – but a living nightmare,” one villager told press.

L’article Tourists asked to stop throwing coins into iconic Japanese ponds est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Named NOT A HOTEL Setouchi, the development is located on the remote island of Sagishima in Japan’s Seto Inland Sea and comprises three villas embedded into a 30,000-square-metre coastal site. The project also includes a beachfront restaurant and private beach, with the architecture designed to merge closely with the island’s mountainous terrain. 

“The archipelago around Sagishima is like a Japanese landscape painting. Steep rolling hills covered in lush green vegetation erupt from the tranquillity of the Seto Inland Sea. The four pavilions are conceived as extensions of the dramatic topography,” said BIG founder Bjarke Ingels.

The villas are constructed using soil sourced directly from the site, applied through the traditional rammed earth technique, allowing them to appear carved out of the landscape, smoothly integrated into the hillside’s natural topography.

BIG arranged the three four-bedroom residences along the natural contours of the hillside, following existing infrastructure and unfolding “like a ribbon” across the terrain. Each villa is named according to the degree of panoramic view it offers — 180, 270 and 360 — reflecting the project’s emphasis on framing vistas of the surrounding archipelago. 

The design draws on both Scandinavian and Japanese architectural traditions, combining contemporary forms with references to traditional elements. Large glass facades reinterpret shoji screens, blurring the boundary between interior and exterior. The roofs are topped with low-reflective solar tiles that reference traditional Japanese roof forms, while adjustable facades and overhangs are used to support passive cooling strategies. Rainwater is collected on site and reused for landscape irrigation.

The homes are organised as open-plan living spaces, with Japanese-style baths, storage set within separate skylit pods, and heated infinity pools. Subdued colour palettes are paired with black slate flooring that references the proportions of traditional tatami mats.

“The project stands as a remarkable convergence of Danish design and philosophy, traditional Japanese architecture, and the technical sophistication and construction precision of contemporary Japan,” said Ryohei Koike, BIG associate.

Each villa responds to its specific position on the site. The 360 villa sits at the highest point and is arranged as a ring around a central courtyard, offering uninterrupted views in all directions. The 270 villa frames a wide panorama and incorporates outdoor leisure areas including a pool, sauna and firepit, while the 180 villa follows the curvature of the shoreline at the water’s edge. 

Bjarke Ingels described the project as an exploration of contrasts between openness and enclosure. “On one hand, each home is like an inhabited view, open and extroverted,” he said. “On the other, their spinal walls outline a private and protected space — open only to the sky.” 

Landscape restoration formed a key part of the masterplan. Indigenous vegetation was harvested and temporarily removed during construction and later restored, including native grasses, olive trees and lemon trees, in an effort to return the site to its natural state. 

The project represents a milestone for BIG, not only as the studio’s first completed work in Japan, but also as a synthesis of cultural influences. According to the studio, the villas seek to balance “traditional and modern” approaches, forming a striking architectural statement while pushing forward the luxury hospitality sector in Japan.

L’article BIG completes NOT A HOTEL Setouchi trio of villas in Japan’s Seto Inland Sea est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Soon after it opened in 1994, the Park Hyatt Tokyo hotel turned into something of a local landmark. Situated inside the Shinjuku Park Tower, designed by Kenzo Tange and with interiors designed by John Morford, the glass structure and the city views enjoyed from inside became part of Tokyo’s skyline and overall experience.

However, the hotel was really projected into cinematographic eternity with Sofia Coppola’s ‘Lost in Translation’. The movie featuring Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson, which appeared in 2003, quickly became a classic and piqued the curiosity of many a traveller, especially those who were taking their first steps into the travel world around that time.

Thus, although a renovation was necessary after being in business for approximately 30 years, renovating the Park Hyatt Tokyo hotel was no matter to be taken lightly. The task was given to Paris-Based design studio Join Manku, and their objective was clear: how to change exactly enough, without doing too much?

“There are places that do not ask you to transform them, but to listen. The Park Hyatt Tokyo is one of those places. A hotel suspended in the sky, formed by Kenzo Tange, inhabited by the quiet restraint imagined by John Morford, and marked forever by the luminous melancholy of Lost in Translation. A place where the city is as much sensed as it is seen. Where each step invites not only forward movement, but a turn inward,” Patrick Jouin and Sanjit Manku explain.

Tour the hotel

The Peak Lounge, situated on the 41^st floor and one of the first things guests get to see when entering the hotel, was simply purified during the renovation. Lines were made more subtle, colours softened. Yet the overall feeling remains the same, as does the splendid view over the city.

“When we were given the commission, the question was never what shall we change, but rather how has time itself already changed this place, and what can we reveal of that silent maturation. It was not about adding novelty. It was about discerning what needed to remain untouched, what called for transformation, and what simply hoped to be carried forward with greater gentleness,” Patrick Jouin and Sanjit Manku say.

It is perhaps in the rooms that the renovation of the hotel becomes most clearly visible. While the shapes of the spaces remained untouched, the inside flow was facilitated through the use of muted tones, subtle light additions, and custom-made furniture. The central cabinet, one of the hotel’s characterising features, was kept yet softened.

As far as the suites are concerned, the Tokyo Suite was restored to its original design, the Diplomat, Governor’s, and Presidential Suites were given an overhaul, and the new Park Suite was added to the list of options.

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“The Park Hyatt Tokyo is not only architecture. It is an atmosphere. A particular way of being in the world. A verticality that soothes. A light that absorbs. A silence that holds. We sought to prolong that presence, to make it more human, more tactile, to free the hotel from what felt too austere without ever weakening its inner strength. To understand this transformation, one must follow a visitor, perhaps the one from the film, perhaps another, arriving for the first time or returning after twenty years, and sensing in every space a different vibration, as if the hotel itself had learned to breathe in a new way,” Patrick Jouin and Sanjit Manku conclude.

The 5-star Park Hyatt Tokyo, with its 171 rooms (including 29 suites), pool, and unbeatable views, is once again open for business. Room rates start at about $800-$1,000 per night.

L’article Park Hyatt Tokyo reopens after renovation, preserving ‘Lost in Translation’ legacy est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Officials from the Japan Meteorological Agency looked at the Somei Yoshino tree variety in three destinations, and found more than five flowers on the benchmark tree in Shikoku Island’s Kochi, Gifu, north of Nagoya, and Yamanashi in central Japan. Marking an early bloom year, the standard was met six days earlier than average in Kochi, and nine days earlier in Gifu and Yamanashi, thanks to meteorological conditions such as low rainfall over the winter and early sunshine.

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But visitors and Japanese lovers of spring do not need to wait for authorities to announce the cherry blossom season to begin the annual sakura rituals of photography and picnicking beneath the ornamental bloom-laden trees that accompany the back-to-school and vibes of the new business year.

Japan has recorded consecutive years of high visitor numbers that have caused consternation and complaints about overtourism and its negative effects on local residents. Popular trails at some floating shrines and at Mount Fuji now come with access fees, and in Kyoto, overzealous tourists and Instagrammers have had to be warned to give the city’s geisha community privacy.

Cherry blossom season is likely to draw large numbers of Japanophiles again in 2026, especially since prices have dropped for accommodation, flights and tour packages to temptingly low levels this year, amid a decline in visitors from mainland China. Despite the decline from that source market, the season’s popularity around the world means visitor numbers may again trigger concerns about littering and crowds. One cherry blossom festival has already been cancelled for those very reasons.

But not everyone is there just for the sakura phenomenon. Mark Matthew, a British visitor to Japan in mid-March 2026, told Travel Tomorrow that it’s “nice to see the cherry blossom, though it’s not the reason why we came.” Even so, he waited near the radio and television broadcast structure known as the Tokyo Skytree, close to a tree in blossom where a young couple were posing for pictures, and managed to score an iconic shot of the tower alongside the pink blooms and a young woman with her parasol.

He also found trees in blossom near the river, and in Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden, where a small crowd had gathered near a popular tree. He described this garden as his personal “highlight of Tokyo.” Elsewhere, he saw blossoming cherry trees in Nara’s deer-friendly parklands.

L’article Japan’s cherry blossom season now officially under way est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

In 2024, the institute found there were 123 mobile battery incidents in 2024 alone, including mid-flight fires, some of which were captured in mobile phone footage that has gone viral, causing widespread public concern. South Korea’s Air Busan banned power banks from overhead storage compartments in early 2025, after a blaze on one of its aircraft blamed on lithium batteries of the type found in electronic cigarettes, laptops, and power banks. All 127 people on board escaped with their lives, but 27 suffered injuries.

Elsewhere on a Hawaiian Airlines flight from Honolulu to Haneda in spring 2025, another mobile battery fire occurred, and smoke began filling an All-Nippon Airways (ANA) flight from Naha to Haneda in the autumn. As a result of fears around the issue, most major Japanese airlines have brought in power bank rules requiring passengers to keep the items at their seats instead of inside lockers, where problems are more difficult to detect.

In the wake of such near-disasters, South Korea extended similar restrictions to those now in force in Japan, across major carriers, including Asiana Airlines, Korean Air, and a number of low-cost carriers. China Airlines, Scoot, and Thai Airways implemented “no-charge” policies in 2025 that strictly prohibit the use or charging of portable power banks during flights.

The propensity of lithium batteries to overheat, catch fire, and emit toxic fumes means the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) classifies them as dangerous goods and has increased monitoring and safety campaigns, as well as trialling screening equipment to improve detection rates when lithium batteries are hidden in checked luggage.

EASA says devices from mobile phones to laptops and power banks or spare batteries should travel in the cabin, have their terminals taped or be placed in individual plastic bags to prevent short circuits.

Watt-hour limits are also in place and are usually 100Wh for most standard consumer electronics (phones, laptops), or between 100Wh and 160Whonly with prior approval for items such as specialist cameras or portable medical devices. Anything over 160Wh is usually not allowed on passenger aircraft.

The International Civil Aviation Organisation, part of the United Nations, is due to rule on the use and carriage of such devices and their batteries imminently.

L’article Japan outlaws the use of power banks on aircraft due to safety concerns est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

It will be the first luxury hotel in Japan to be created from a former prison. The building is one of the so-called ‘Five Great Prisons’ constructed during the Meiji era when Japan was modernising its judicial system. Of the five, Nara is the only one to survive in its original form; the others were either demolished or altered beyond recognition over time.

In 2017, the complex was designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan, a status that imposed strict preservation obligations on any future development. Though it was not until 2024 that the final design details attracted widespread international attention, the transformation was set in motion in 2017, following an agreement with the Ministry of Justice.

This explains the inclusion of the Nara Prison Museum on site, which will allow visitors to explore the facility’s history through guided tours and exhibitions – a reflection of the kintsugi philosophy, in which “scars of a difficult past”  are woven into the experience rather than concealed.

Designed by architect Keijiro Yamashita, the prison has a radial layout inspired by the Pennsylvania System, with a central administrative building that extends outwards in a fan formation to enable surveillance from a single point. The facility operated for more than a century before closing in 2017 when the Japanese Ministry of Justice decommissioned it.

Those hesitant at the idea of sleeping behind former bars may be reassured by the extensive refurbishments and renovations. Azusa Sekkei led the architectural redesign, while the Onsite Planning and Design Office handled the landscape planning. The focus was on keeping the structure’s defining elements, namely its red-brick façades and exposed steel frameworks, while softening the interiors at the same time.

The 48 suites were created by combining nine to eleven former solitary cells to form rooms measuring approximately 50 to 60 square metres. Original brick walls and steel beams remain visible, contrasting with wooden panelling, warm lighting and soft textiles. Each suite has distinct sleeping, dining and living areas that subtly reference the building’s former layout without replicating its austerity.

The former dining hall has been reimagined as a restaurant serving Japanese-French fusion cuisine, and communal spaces now function as a guest lounge.

Founded in 1914 with the opening of its first ryokan in Nagano Prefecture, Hoshino Resorts remains family-run into its fourth generation. Today, the group operates over 60 properties across six brands in Japan and abroad.

Room rates start from ¥147,000 (approximately €800) per night. Reservations have been open since January. Ahead of the hotel’s official opening, the on-site museum is scheduled to open to the public on 27 April. The café will serve Western-influenced Meiji-era dishes inspired by early 20^th-century culinary exchanges, and the museum shop will offer souvenirs and historical publications related to the site’s past.

L’article Japan’s former Nara prison to reopen as luxury hotel in 2026 est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Nankai Electric Railway Co. has announced that its Gran Tenku service will launch on 24 April 2026. The train will run between Osaka’s Namba Station and Gokurakubashi Station in Kōya, Wakayama Prefecture. The 90-minute journey will begin in the heart of Osaka and culminate in a spectacular 20-kilometre ascent through 24 tunnels as the train climbs towards the sacred peaks, offering panoramic views of lush, forested hills.

Advertised as awakening the “spirit of discovery in every traveller,” the journey promises to take passengers through “a living tapestry of history, industry, craftsmanship, and culinary flavour” between the “mystical heritage site of Koyasan” and the vibrant, cosmopolitan district of Namba.

Nankai Electric Railway has unveiled the exterior design of the new sightseeing train, "GRAN Tenku"

This new train will operate between Osaka Namba and Gokurakubashi (Mt. Koya).

The train's emblem features a compass motif representing both direction and time. pic.twitter.com/cvEq6kXjlP

— Japan Station (@JPNStation) February 17, 2026

Blending skylines and mountains, whispers of the past and the present, the ordinary and the extraordinary, the train invites travellers to immerse themselves in Japanese culture from the moment they step aboard, beginning with the food on offer. Depending on the time of departure, seasonal breakfasts, lunches, or afternoon tea sets are included.

The train itself is designed with understated luxury in mind and features warm tones of gold and deep red. It comprises four carriages and can accommodate around 70 passengers. The first carriage has reclining seats for relaxed sightseeing, and the second has a configuration that maximises views of the scenery. The third and fourth cars are expected to include a lounge space and a sofa-style seating for a more convivial, dining-oriented atmosphere.

Upon arrival at Gokurakubashi Station, passengers can transfer directly to the cable car that ascends the final steep stretch to Mount Koya.

Nankai Railway has revealed its new sightseeing train: GRAN Tenku, launching in late 2025.

Running between Namba and Gokurakubashi, the gateway to Mount Koya, GRAN Tenku invites travelers on a refined journey through nature and culture in Wakayama.

The train’s design features a… pic.twitter.com/wkTbK7E2T8

— Japan Station (@JPNStation) October 26, 2025

A sacred mountain and its vast resting place

Kōyasan (Mount Kōya), the heart of Shingon Buddhism in Japan. It was founded in the early 9th century by the monk Kūkai, who is now known as Kobo Daishi. Situated on a forested plateau approximately 900 metres above sea level, the site comprises more than 100 temples and shrines. It forms part of the UNESCO World Heritage–listed “Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range.”

The head temple complex, Kongōbu-Ji, and the Okunoin mausoleum, where Kobo Daishi is believed not to have died but to remain in eternal meditation, are among the most revered sites. The Okunoin cemetery, which surrounds the mausoleum, is the largest in Japan, with over 200,000 gravestones lining moss-covered paths beneath towering cedar trees.

For centuries, devotees have believed that being buried near Kobo Daishi would ensure them spiritual merits and bring them closer to enlightenment. Feudal lords, samurai, merchants, and ordinary believers all sought a place in the cemetery close to the revered monk.

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Beyond the temples and tombstones, visitors can follow historic pilgrimage trails. One of the best known is the Fudōzaka Trail, which begins at Gokurakubashi Station and leads up to the Fudōzaka-guchi Nyonindō Hall. From here, pilgrims can continue along the former Women’s Pilgrimage Route towards the entrance of Okunoin.

Many temples offer shukubō, or temple lodging, where guests can sleep on futons, dine on traditional vegetarian shōjin ryōri cuisine, and join monks for morning prayers if they wish.

Bookings open one month before launch. Trains will depart twice daily at 9 a.m. and 12:45, returning to Osaka at 10:46 and 2:58 p.m., respectively. The service will stop at Shin-Imamiya, Tengachaya, Sakaihigashi, Kongō, Kawachinagano, Rinkanden-entoshi, and Hashimoto. One-way fares start at approximately €9.30, excluding the special sightseeing supplement and cable car fare.

L’article New luxury train connects Osaka with UNESCO listed Mount Kōya est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

While analysts are expecting measures to show a record 9.5 billion journeys undertaken over the Lunar New Year season, Chinese guests have chosen to stay away en masse from their East Asian island neighbour in January, plunging 61%. At the same time, Japan’s overall monthly arrival numbers dropped to 3.6 million visitors for the month, or 4.9% fewer visitors year-on-year.

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Bilateral relations between China and Japan have soured since remarks in November 2025 by Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae, saying that a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan could pose an “existential threat” and result in Japanese troop deployment. The intervening period has seen insults bandied and even threats of beheadings, as ambassadors have been summoned.

Against this backdrop, China—a major source market usually composing around a fifth of Japanese arrivals and representing the largest share of inbound spending in 2025, at 21.2%—has discouraged its citizens from travelling to Japan. The numbers show those warnings have worked, causing flights between the countries to be wiped from schedules and over 50% of Chinese hotel bookings in Japan to be cancelled.

Some Japanese commentators have spun the figures, claiming that the whopping 61% decline in guests from China has been offset by the diversification of the Japanese market. “It’s a drop overall, but negative impacts on the number of tourists have been cushioned by an increase in those coming from other areas,” said Atsushi Takeda, chief economist at Itochu Research Institute, as reported by The Japan Times.

That analysis is borne out by looking at other source market arrivals. South Korean visitors to China topped the visitor rankings for January, rising 22% to hit a record 1.18 million. Visitor numbers from Taiwan increased by 17%, those from the United States rose by 14%, and Thai and Indonesian arrivals also grew.

Takeda and others have also sought to play down the effect of the political tension between the two nations, pointing out that the drop in Chinese visitors to Japan appears “more dire” due to a shift in Chinese New Year holiday dates, pushed back from January to February, making a direct year-on-year comparison of January arrivals data difficult.

The long-term impact of the political stand-off remains to be seen, but Masato Koike, senior economist at Sompo Institute Plus, has warned that a similar row in 2012 affected Japan’s arrival data for 15 months.

L’article Japanese tourism declines for first time in four years as Chinese visitors cancel trips est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.