The return rush from Bon midsummer holidays started Wednesday as vacationers jammed roads, railway stations and airports on the way back from hometowns and tourist resorts. According to airlines and Japan Railway companies, this summer's return rush is expected to last several days, and congestion will continue until the weekend.
Flights from the Tohoku and Kyushu regions bound for Tokyo's Haneda airport were almost full. Flights for Haneda today and Friday are 80 percent full and flight congestion will peak Sunday, the airline companies said.
Some shinkansen bound for Tokyo on the Tohoku, Akita and Yamagata lines marked up to 140 percent occupancy rates for non-reserved seats. Reserved seats on bullet trains on the Tokaido Shinkansen Line were fully booked but there were some vacant non-reserved seats, JR companies said.