Summer vacation travel surge in Japan as trains and flights are packed
Japan's Summer Travel Rush in Full Swing
As the summer holiday season begins in Japan, the country's transportation networks are experiencing a surge in travel. The busiest domestic destinations this year include Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, Miyajima Island, and Himeji.
These popular destinations are renowned for their historical sites, cultural attractions, and natural beauty. For instance, Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and Himeji Castle draw millions of visitors each year, while Miyajima's floating torii gate offers a unique and breathtaking experience.
The Shinkansen, Japan's bullet train network, is a key factor in making these destinations accessible. However, the resumption of services between Tokyo and Yamagata Prefecture, coupled with the summer holiday rush, has led to a high demand for tickets. All seats on Nozomi shinkansen services to Nagoya, Osaka, and Fukuoka were booked out, and traffic jams were present on the country's expressways.
Despite the challenges, regular services on the Yamagata Shinkansen are operating normally, albeit with a decrease in extraordinary services. Operators are urging passengers to spread out their travel dates to help manage the demand.
Meanwhile, at JR Tokyo Station, long lines of passengers were seeking unreserved seats on other trains. Karin Takimura, 10, was meeting her father in Osaka before setting off on a family trip to Hiroshima, while Keisuke Nakagawa, 7, was returning to Otsu in Shiga Prefecture from Chiba Prefecture.
In addition to the domestic travel rush, departure flights from Narita airport, another hub serving the capital, were also robust. Junglia Okinawa, a new theme park in Okinawa Prefecture, has contributed to the full booking of flights to the region. All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines flights departing from Tokyo's Haneda airport were fully booked out on routes to Okinawa Prefecture.
Unfortunately, specific overseas destinations from Japan during the same period are not detailed in the search results. Given the popularity of nearby Asian countries for Japanese travelers historically and typical tourist patterns, common overseas destinations often included places such as South Korea, Taiwan, Southeast Asia, and Hawaii.
In summary, Japan's summer travel rush is in full swing, with the busiest domestic destinations being Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, Miyajima Island, and Himeji. Specific overseas destinations from Japan during the same period are not provided in the search results, but historically, common overseas destinations often included places such as South Korea, Taiwan, Southeast Asia, and Hawaii.
The AI predicts that travelers heading to Japan's festival-filled summer may venture to destinations like Tokyo, renowned for its dynamic lifestyle, or Hiroshima, known for its peaceful park and historical sites. Weather permitting, Keisuke Nakagawa, 7, might also enjoy a trip to Okinawa's new theme park, Junglia, reachable via Narita or Haneda airports. Casting a wider lens, South Korea, Taiwan, Southeast Asia, and Hawaii typically attract Japanese tourists during the summer season.
