The Metropolitan Police Department on Monday asked go-kart companies to improve safety as the popularity of their driving tours grows. The MPD asked five go-kart rental companies in Tokyo to encourage patrons to wear helmets and protective gear while driving amid an uptick in fender-benders. The ...
Some 400 climbers may still be on erupting Indonesia volcano: officials
At least 389 climbers, including 333 foreigners, might be still on a volcano near the Indonesian resort island of Bali that had erupted Tuesday afternoon, government officials said. Mount Barujari on Lombok Island, which is located east of Bali, erupted at 3 p.m. local time ...
A field of 1.5 million sunflower plants in full bloom is attracting tourists to the city of Hokuryu in eastern Hokkaido. Some of the plants in the 23-hectare field, one of the largest of its kind in Japan, are about 2 meters tall. Visitors can also ...
Visitors to Korakuen Garden in Okayama, one of the nation's top three Japanese gardens, exceeded 800,000 for the first time in 15 years, thanks to a surge in tourism and events to lure young people. Attendance hit 817,260 in fiscal 2015 ended in March. The ...
Japan's tourism sector evolving but needs more work, cultural heritage expert says
Japan's tourism strategies have gone beyond just promoting hospitality and have put the nation on track to achieve global standards, a British-born cultural heritage expert said. The Japanese tourism industry had been somewhat complacent and self-centered, but it is evolving into a world-class business, David ...
Japan looks to reform rigid tour guide exams as part of wider tourism push
As Japan begins to adapt to the unprecedented influx of foreign visitors, the tightly regulated tour guide industry prepares for major reform.
Tokyo's Ota Ward gives OK to renting private homes, rooms to tourists
Ota Ward, Tokyo, on Friday started accepting applications from residents and businesses to let rooms or homes to visitors as a way to alleviate hotel shortages amid an increasing number of foreign tourists. The ward, home to Haneda airport, Japan's largest air hub, is taking ...
Survey ranks Hakodate as Japan's top tourist site for second year in a row
Hokkaido's Hakodate stands out as the nation's most attractive tourist destination for the second year in a row, according to a recent survey by a private think tank. The ranking of cities and as tourist spots by Brand Research Institute, a Tokyo-based think tank, found ...
The goal of having 20 million people visit Japan annually by 2020 appears to be within reach thanks to a tourism boom.
Kansai International scrambles to offer better services amid spike in foreign arrivals
Kansai International Airport is urgently making efforts to improve its services amid the recent sharp increase in foreign tourists coming to Japan. It aims to boost convenience with 24-hour limousine bus operations and more space for travelers who need to rest. Currently, an increasing number ...
Kintetsu's flagship store opens salon geared toward foreign tourists
Kintetsu Department Store's flagship store in Abeno Harukasu, the tallest building in Japan, opened a salon Monday that caters exclusively to tourists from abroad. The salon offers duty-free shopping, bag storage and other services, plus a corner where people can briefly delve into various Japanese ...
Thais flock to Japan for holiday, ignore freeze on flight increases
Thai tourists took advantage of a weaker yen and relaxed visa restrictions to flock to Japan over the three-day Songkran holiday ending Wednesday, but a temporary freeze on Thai flight increases to the country was likely to impact numbers. Japan's popularity among Thais as a ...
