The sharp appreciation of the yen and the dramatic fall of South Korea's won has had a big impact on tourism on both sides of the Sea of Japan.
South Korea has proved a popular destination for thrifty Japanese travelers who prefer spending the yearend holidays closer to home, but tourist spots in Japan have been seeing dwindling numbers of foreign visitors, particularly South Koreans.
Japan has been staging national campaigns to attract more overseas tourists, and the South Koreans have been the industry's top customer in recent years.