Travel
Camping in Japan: A trip to Yamanashi
It’s the middle of summer and I step off the overnight bus from Osaka. I was pleasantly surprised by clear blue skies when I expected another typical muggy day in Japan. The destination is Kawaguchi, on the north side of Mount Fuji in Yamanashi Prefecture. My companions were a bunch of buddies from Kobe, two experienced campers and… Read
Aviation chiefs warn of prolonged ticket price pain
Aviation industry leaders warned this week that travelers must brace for even higher ticket prices as the sector battles fallout from the COVID pandemic, high oil prices and conflict fears. International Air Transport Association director general Willie Walsh also said that airlines' recovery would be delayed if China maintains its… Read
Tokyo Port Wild Bird Park: An urban nature park for feathered friends
The inexorable changes of season and the delights they bring are a particular point of pride in Japan. These changes aren’t always as obvious in urban areas, but the signs are there for those who seek them. As we head into autumn, the changing leaves (koyo in Japanese) may be… Read
Taiwan to scrap COVID quarantine for travelers in October
Taiwan will fully reopen its borders by ending mandatory COVID quarantine for arrivals next month, the government said Thursday. The island has largely kept its borders closed and implemented strict quarantine rules throughout the coronavirus pandemic, keeping infection numbers low at the expense of being internationally cut off. The government… Read
Outbound Asian tourists to hit pre-pandemic levels by 2024: Agoda CEO
Asian tourists are only expected to resume international travel at pre-pandemic levels gradually, by 2024, the new chief executive of online travel agency Agoda said. The Asia-focused company expects tourists from Asian countries, excluding China, will take about six months after respective COVID-19 restrictions are lifted to travel confidently, said… Read
China plans easier border entry rules for some foreign tourists
China's government issued draft rules aimed at making it easier for some foreigners to enter China for visits to tourism sites along the Chinese border. Travel groups organized by tour agencies in border areas in China can choose their port of entry and exit "flexibly", the Ministry of Culture and… Read
Asia-Pacific airlines report 58.8% rise in July traffic
IATA has reported that airline traffic in July 2022, measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPKs), was up 58.8% compared to July 2021. Globally, traffic is now at 74.6% of pre-crisis levels. Domestic traffic for July 2022 was up 4.1% compared to the year-ago period and is now driving the recovery.… Read
Visit the mythical cave that hid the Sun Goddess in Japanese mythology
It’s no exaggeration to say that Amano Iwato in Takachiho, Miyazaki Prefecture, is the most famous cave in Japan. Literally translated as “Heavenly Cave”, this rocky chamber is famous for being the place where the sun goddess Amaterasu was said to have hidden, according to the Kojiki and Nihonshoki, respectively the oldest and second-oldest… Read
Air France introduces new amenity kits on long-haul flights
Air France has introduced a new range of amenity kits on its long-haul flights. Available in the Business and Premium Economy cabins, the new kits have been developed with an eco-friendly approach and designed as genuine gifts that can be kept, collected and reused after the flight. The new kits… Read
Taiwan eyes earlier end to COVID quarantine for arrivals
Taiwan is eyeing an earlier end to its mandatory quarantine for all arrivals and has been making relevant preparations, Premier Su Tseng-chang said on Friday, as the government continues to ease controls put in place to contain the spread of COVID-19. Taiwan has kept its entry and quarantine rules in… Read
