Post-Covid-19 “revenge travel” and the weakest yen in decades have fuelled a tourism boom in Japan, with visitor numbers for 2024 looking certain to exceed 2019’s record of 31.9 million. While good news for the economy, it means tourist hubs such as Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto are more packed than ever – which was enough … Read more
A group of governors is aiming to have Japan’s hot spring culture added to Unesco’s intangible cultural heritage list in 2028, to bring recognition to the importance of the centuries-old practice of bathing in naturally heated water. The group, set up in November 2022, defines the culture of hot springs, or “onsen” in Japanese, as … Read more
If it was not the presence of the pouting influencers – striking a pose on the slopes in front of a yurt designed by luxury brand Louis Vuitton, no less – that had us convinced that a new era had arrived in once-humble Niseko in Japan, then it had to be the fact you can … Read more
Extending from the city’s central business district north to Hepburn, west to Portland and east to Gippsland and Mount Hotham, it will take in some of the most scenic corners of the state of Victoria once it is completed in 2030. Peninsula Hot Springs has more than 70 globally inspired bathing and wellness experiences. Photo: … Read more
The first three locations, scheduled to start opening in 2026, include the well-trodden town of Hakone (two hours southwest of Tokyo by train), the hot springs valley area of Yufu, in southwestern Japan, and Yakushima – a remote and mountainous island near Okinawa. The starting nightly rates are likely to range from US$800 to around … Read more
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