The number of passengers using the shinkansen and limited express train services of six Japan Railways Group companies during this summer's Bon holiday period in Japan increased 8% from a year earlier.

A total of 13,179,000 passengers used these services on 46 major routes between Aug. 8 and Sunday, the JR companies said Monday. The increase partly reflected steady demand for visiting the 2025 World Exposition in the city of Osaka.

According to the JR companies, passengers using the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen services for visiting the Kansai region increased 13% and 7%, respectively.

In eastern Japan, train usage increased for trips to cooler destinations, such as the Tohoku region and the town of Karuizawa in Nagano Prefecture.

Meanwhile, train usage for traveling to destinations in the Kyushu region was affected by service disruptions caused by record-breaking heavy rainfall between Aug. 8 and 11.

Airlines also announced their usage figures for flights during the Bon holiday period. All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines both saw a rise in the number of passengers on their domestic flights, increasing 7.4% and 5.9%, respectively.

As for passengers on international flights, ANA logged a 13.2% increase and JAL saw a 10.5% rise. Demand was especially high for flights to Hawaii and Asian destinations.