Tourists catch break from the heat with 'flowing noodles' (vertical video)
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Japan Times
2 hours ago
- Japan Times
Japan tourism arrivals hit July record despite weather disruption and quake fears
Japan's tourism boom continued in July, with record arrivals for the month despite a steep drop in visitors from Hong Kong due to typhoon-related flight disruption and jitters about possible earthquakes, the tourism board said Wednesday. Arrivals of foreign visitors for business and leisure reached 3.43 million, a 4.4% increase from the same month last year and the highest number for any July, the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) said. During the month, the number of visitors from Hong Kong fell 36.9% and arrivals from South Korea dropped 10.4%, which contributed to the slowest monthly growth in arrivals so far this year, the data showed. Contributing factors included typhoon-related flight disruptions impacting Hong Kong and social media chatter over recent earthquakes, which affected travel sentiment from both markets, according to the JNTO. A persistently weak yen, however, continued to fuel growth from other key markets, offsetting some of the decline. Visitors from mainland China jumped 25.5%, while arrivals from the United States rose by 10.3%. By country or region, mainland China had the largest number of visitors to Japan, at 9.74 million, followed by South Korea at 678,600, Taiwan at 604,200 and the U.S. at 277,100. For the first seven months of 2025, Japan has welcomed 24.9 million tourists, up 18.4% from the same period in 2024.
NHK
12 hours ago
- NHK
Foreign residents in western Japan experience Buddhist practice
Foreign residents in Ehime Prefecture, western Japan, took part in the Buddhist practice of "shabutsu," in which they traced Buddhist images. The prefectural government organized the event in an effort to encourage foreign residents to settle in the locality through cultural experiences. The participants visited Iwayaji temple, the 45th of the 88 temples on the famous pilgrimage route in Shikoku, and worshipped its main hall and the Daishido hall. Before starting the Buddhist practice, participants were advised by the temple's chief priest to draw the lines while taking a deep breath to avoid distractions. They were asked to choose one out of multiple Buddhist images printed on paper. Placing a piece of washi paper on top of it, they spent about 30 minutes tracing the Buddhist images. A female college student from Taiwan said the experience made her feel calm although it was difficult to smoothly draw lines. She added that she drew the lines while wishing for good health for members of her family. A woman from Argentina said it was her first "shabutsu" experience and she found it great.
Japan Times
a day ago
- Japan Times
Tokyo crowned No.1 'workation' spot
Tokyo is the world's best city to take a 'workation,' or a working vacation, thanks to infrastructure for remote work, safety, culture and a new digital nomad visa, according to a new global ranking. The annual Work from Anywhere Barometer survey compiled by the International Workplace Group, a Swiss-based firm that provides coworking and serviced corporate spaces globally, scored 40 different cities across various factors, including flexible workspaces, accessibility of digital nomad visas, quality of broadband and proximity to nature. Tokyo topped the rankings for its 'exceptional broadband speeds, transport infrastructure, safety, culture, and new digital nomad visa.' 'The city also benefits from proximity to mountains, coastal regions, and national parks — ideal for hybrid workers seeking an exciting urban atmosphere alongside natural escapes,' the survey said. Japan's capital beat out last year's winner, Budapest, and surpassed other competitors such as Barcelona, Beijing and Paris. This was the first year Tokyo was included in the rankings, and it remains the only Japanese city in the group. The number of cities has increased over the three years the survey has been held. In 2025, Seoul, Cairo, Cape Town, Melbourne, Rome, Mexico City, Orlando in Florida, Prague and Reykjavik were added to the list. In April 2024, Japan launched a digital nomad visa, echoing moves by other countries wanting to capitalize on an increasingly global workforce hoping to work remotely outside of their home countries. Last year, 257 digital nomad visas were issued by Japan. The visa allows individuals whose annual income is ¥10 million ($68,300) or more to work in Japan for up to six months. Passport holders from 51 countries and territories are granted access to the visa, with self-employed individuals also eligible. Spouses and children of individuals from most countries are also included under the visa umbrella. Partially fueled by the weakness of the yen against stronger currencies, tourism in Japan is booming. According to the Japan National Tourism Organization, the number of foreign visitors for the first half of this year reached a record 21.52 million, up from 17.78 million in the same period last year. Many of the factors that have drawn tourists were also cited in the annual IWG report. Tokyo scored highly on 'cultural quality,' with a high number of Michelin-starred restaurants and cultural events cited. It also performed highly on affordability of food. Rio de Janeiro was just one point behind Tokyo, followed by Budapest. In Asia, Seoul was ranked fourth and Beijing came in sixth. Workations were a burgeoning trend in the corporate world for a number of years before being turbocharged by the COVID-19 pandemic. Estimates of the number of digital nomads globally vary, but the most commonly cited number is 40 million, sourced from data marketing firm Demand Sage. In Japan, domestic workations have also gained popularity. During the pandemic, a number of national parks in Japan installed Wi-Fi and portable workstations to entice workers. 'With so many jobs now relying on heavy computer use, it's more important than ever to take regular screen breaks. ... Leaving your desk to get a cup of coffee is great. Drinking that coffee while sitting on the lake shore, or watching birds flit through the foliage, is even better,' the Japan National Tourism Organization website said.
