Flights
JAL Adds Daily Narita–Bangalore and Narita–San Diego Flights From September 2026
JAL upgrades Narita–Bangalore and Narita–San Diego to daily flights from September 1, 2026, boosting Japan access from South Asia and the US West Coast.
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Japan Travel News
Visa changes, new flight routes, events, and disruptions: what you need to know before and during your Japan trip.
General
Japan's Silver Week 2026: A Five-Day Holiday Run, and How to Handle It
Silver Week falls 19–23 September 2026 — a rare five-day holiday run. Shinkansen reservations fill fast and key sights sell out. Plan now.
General
Kyushu Shinkansen Resumes Full Service on 18 September 2026
The Kyushu Shinkansen resumes full service on 18 September 2026. Here's what travellers need to know before booking trains to Fukuoka, Kumamoto, and Kagoshima.
Flights
United Airlines to Launch First US Nonstop to Okinawa
United Airlines will operate the first-ever US nonstop to Okinawa from San Francisco, plus a new LA–Osaka route, both starting March 2027.
General
Typhoon Saudel Disrupts Okinawa: 279 Flights Cancelled
Typhoon Saudel (No. 18) struck Okinawa on August 25–26, 2026, cancelling 279 flights and affecting over 41,000 passengers across ANA and JAL services.
General
Japan Issues Airport Congestion Warning: Arrive Extra
Japan’s tourism body warns summer visitors to arrive significantly earlier at Narita and Haneda as security queues lengthen through late August 2026.
General
Japan Flight Disruptions: Storms & Airspace
Thunderstorms and regional airspace restrictions disrupted Haneda on 19-20 August 2026. ANA logged 116 delays at Tokyo. Recovery ongoing as of 21 August.
General
Kumamoto Transport Recovery: Expressway Buses Resume
Kyushu Expressway buses resume 17 August, three weeks after earthquake damage closed the road. The Fukuoka–Beppu corridor returns to normal schedules.
General
Typhoon Chan-hom Cancels Flights at Haneda & Narita on
Typhoon Chan-hom hit Tokyo on 11 August, cancelling 60+ flights at Haneda and Narita. Services recovered by 12 August morning.
General
Hiroshima & Nagasaki Mark 81 Years Since the Atomic Bombings
Hiroshima marked 81 years since the August 6 bombing; Nagasaki followed on August 9. Both cities held their annual peace ceremonies this week.
General
Obon 2026: Travel Impact as Japan's Biggest Holiday Begins
Obon 2026 runs August 13–16 with shinkansen seats sold out on peak days — festival highlights, business closures, and key travel tips for visitors.
General
Typhoon Dolphin: Okinawa Flights and Ferries Face Disruption
Super Typhoon Dolphin is forecast to pass near Okinawa around 7 August. Flights and ferries to Okinawa and the Daito and Amami islands face disruption.
General
Nebuta Festival : Aomori's Giant Illuminated Floats
Aomori's Nebuta Festival runs 2-7 August 2026, with giant illuminated floats parading nightly through the city — one of Japan's top summer spectacles.
General
Kumamoto Earthquake: Kyushu Shinkansen Suspended,
A 7.1 earthquake struck Kumamoto on 28 July, killing 13. Kyushu Shinkansen suspended and Kumamoto Airport cancelled flights while aftershocks continued.
Flights
Typhoon Noul: Over 1,300 Flights Delayed at Japanese
Typhoon Noul caused 1,325 flight delays and 50 cancellations at Japanese airports on 27 July. Check JAL or ANA flight status before travelling.
General
Tenjin Matsuri : Osaka's Great Summer Festival July 24–25
Tenjin Matsuri runs July 24–25, 2026 in Osaka - one of Japan's three great festivals. Ceremonial boats cross the Okawa River under fireworks.
Flights
Storm Mekkhala Cancels 120+ Flights: Okinawa & Kagoshima Hit
Tropical Storm Mekkhala hit Okinawa and Kagoshima on 21 July, cancelling 120+ flights. Disruption continued 22 July with 55 cancellations and 538 delays.
General
Mount Fuji : All Four Trails Open With Mandatory
All four Mount Fuji trails opened 10 July 2026. A mandatory ¥4,000 fee and advance reservation now apply across every route for the 2026 season.
General
Gion Matsuri Returns: Kyoto's Ato Matsuri Float Parade
Kyoto's Gion Matsuri Ato Matsuri float parade falls on 24 July 2026. Evening Yoiyama festivals run 21–23 July along Shijo-dori, free to watch.
Flights
Typhoon Bavi: JAL and ANA Cancel 80+ Flights on 9 July
Typhoon Bavi forced JAL to cancel 48 flights and ANA 34 flights on 9 July, mainly at Okinawa airports, stranding more than 15,000 passengers.
Visa
Japan Visa Fees Rise Fivefold from 1 July 2026
Japan's cabinet approved a fivefold increase in visa fees on 19 June 2026, taking effect 1 July. Single-entry visas jump from ¥3,000 to ¥15,000.
General
Japan Rail Pass Prices Rise 5–6% From October 2026
JR Group confirmed a 5–6% Japan Rail Pass price rise from 1 October 2026. The 7-day pass rises from ¥50,000 to ¥53,000. Here is what to know.
General
Mount Fuji : Climbing Season Opens July 1 With
Mount Fuji's 2026 climbing season opens 1 July. Pre-registration at fujisan-climb.jp and a ¥4,000 fee are required, with daily caps and gate closures enforced.
General
JNTO Targets Gulf Tourists With Hokkaido Summer Push
Japan's tourism board is promoting Hokkaido as a summer destination for Gulf travellers, building on record 2025 visitor numbers and growing GCC travel demand.
General
Japan Issues Tsunami Advisory After June 8 Earthquake
Mindanao's 7.8 earthquake on 8 June triggered tsunami warnings for Japan's Pacific coast, disrupting coastal travel in Okinawa, Miyazaki, and Kochi.
General
Sakurajima Eruption Grounds Kagoshima Flights
Sakurajima erupted on 7 June 2026, sending ash 3,500m over Kagoshima City, cancelling 43 flights and suspending ferries. The airport remains open.
General
New Local Accommodation Taxes Hit Nagano, Kumamoto &
Nagano, Kumamoto City, and Miyazaki City begin levying accommodation taxes from June 2026, adding to Japan's expanding patchwork of visitor levies.
General
Typhoon Jangmi Disrupts Japan Flights and Rail on 3 June
Typhoon No. 6 Jangmi caused major travel disruptions across Japan on 3 June, with over 700 domestic flights cancelled and key JR East lines suspended.
General
Tokyo's Sanno Matsuri Grand Festival Returns This June
Sanno Matsuri, one of Tokyo's three great Edo festivals, holds its full biennial grand procession through central Tokyo from 7 to 17 June 2026.
General
Tanabata 2026 in Japan: Star Festival Dates, Locations
Japan's Tanabata Star Festival runs across July and August 2026. Here are the key dates, best locations, and what to expect at each event.
General
Japan's Departure Tax Triples to ¥3,000 from July 2026
Japan's departure tax rises from ¥1,000 to ¥3,000 per person from 1 July 2026, adding roughly US$20 to every outbound flight or ferry.
General
World's First Pokémon Airport Opens in Japan's Noto Region
Noto Satoyama Airport becomes the world's first Pokemon-themed airport from 7 July 2026, supporting earthquake recovery in Ishikawa Prefecture.
Flights
United Airlines Launches Nonstop US Flights to Sapporo
United Airlines adds Chicago-Tokyo Narita service from October 2026 and the first nonstop US flights to Sapporo from December, expanding Japan access.
General
Domestic Flight Disruptions at Osaka Itami, Kagoshima,
Flights at Osaka Itami, Kagoshima, and Yakushima airports face 118 delays and 20 cancellations on 14 May, affecting JAL, ANA, and Peach Aviation.
General
Tokyo's May Grand Sumo Tournament: Ten Days Still to Go
The Natsu Basho runs at Ryogoku Kokugikan until 24 May 2026. Same-day tickets go on sale at 8 am - arrive by 6:30 am for the best chance.
General
Mitsui Ocean Cruises Launches Summer Japan Sale With
Mitsui Ocean Cruises offers up to $1,000 in onboard credit on eleven Japan sailings from June to September 2026 aboard the Mitsui Ocean Fuji.
Flights
Greater Bay Airlines Launches Daily Hong Kong–Okinawa
Greater Bay Airlines adds a daily nonstop Hong Kong–Okinawa flight from 11 July to 3 September 2026, opening a new budget option to the island.
General
Japan Launches Tourist Pasmo IC Card for International
Japan's new Tourist Pasmo IC card launches at Narita and Haneda airports in May 2026 - no deposit required, 28-day validity, usable nationwide.
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