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Visa changes, new flight routes, events, and disruptions: what you need to know before and during your Japan trip.
JR East and six other operators will replace magnetic strip tickets with paper QR code tickets from spring 2027, covering key airport and urban rail lines.
Aomori's Nebuta Festival runs 2-7 August 2027, with giant illuminated washi warrior floats parading nightly. One of Japan's great summer spectacles.
Japan's Tanabata Star Festival runs across July and August 2027. Key dates, best locations including Sendai, Hiratsuka, and what to expect at each event.
Shuri Castle's Seiden main hall reopens 23 November 2026, seven years after the 2019 fire. Interior entry requires advance booking from the opening date.
JR East's Uchibo Line between Anegasaki and Kisarazu is closed for at least three months following a typhoon landslide in late September 2026.
The 5th Asian Para Games open in Nagoya on 18 October 2026 and run until 24 October. Venues, transport, and what to see while you are in Aichi Prefecture.
Japan Rail Pass price rises of 5-6% took effect on 1 October 2026. The 7-day pass now costs 53,000 yen. Here is what travellers need to know right now.
Mie, Ibaraki, Tokushima, Shiga and Miyagi named Japan's five trending prefectures for October 2026 - what draws visitors.
Kyoto's accommodation tax rose from March 2026, with luxury stays now taxed at ¥10,000 per person per night. What every visitor needs to budget for.
Japan launches a major travel discount covering all seven Kyushu prefectures from October 2026, with savings of up to 60 percent for overnight stays.
Shibuya is enforcing strict Halloween crowd controls again in 2026, including alcohol bans and road closures around Shibuya station from 28-31 October.
Japan's Kurobe-Unazuki Canyon Route opened 2 October, linking the Tateyama-Kurobe alpine area with Unazuki Gorge through previously restricted tunnels.
Narita Airport's free Transit & Stay programme is back after a six-year COVID break, letting layover passengers join guided tours to towns around Narita.
Japan's instant in-store tax exemption ends 1 November 2026. Tourists will pay full price at checkout and reclaim consumption tax refunds on departure.
Japan has claimed first place in the WEF's 2026 Travel & Tourism Development Index, ranking highest among 119 economies globally.
Japan's Meteorological Corporation has released its autumn koyo forecast for 2026. Here is the expected peak timing by region for planning your trip.
Typhoon No. 26 Surigae is tracking toward Okinawa with closest approach expected 27–28 September. Flights, ferries, and outdoor activities face
Typhoon Dujuan hit Tokyo on 21 September 2026, cancelling 275+ JAL and ANA flights. Check your airline before travelling - more cuts are expected today.
Tropical Storm Dujuan is forecast to approach Tokyo during Silver Week (19–23 Sep), with ANA warning of disruptions at Haneda and Narita airports.
Tourism EXPO Japan 2026 runs September 24–27 at Tokyo Big Sight. Public days are Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 September, with 200+ countries represented.
Train services between Hakodate and Sapporo resumed on 10 September 2026 after flood damage shut the entire Hokkaido route in late August.
The Asian Games 2026 open in Nagoya and Aichi on 19 September. Venues, transport links, ticketing, and what else to see while you are in the region.
The Aki Basho grand sumo tournament runs 13-27 September 2026 at Ryogoku Kokugikan - weekday tickets remain available.
Record 104mm rainfall in one hour hit Nagoya on 8 September, flooding JR Chuo Line tracks and suspending Tokaido Shinkansen for several hours.
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
Silver Week falls 19–23 September 2026 - a rare five-day holiday run. Shinkansen reservations fill fast and key sights sell out. Plan now.
The Kyushu Shinkansen resumes full service on 18 September 2026. What travellers need to know before booking trains to Fukuoka, Kumamoto, and Kagoshima.
United Airlines will operate the first-ever US nonstop to Okinawa from San Francisco, plus a new LA–Osaka route, both starting March 2027.
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.
Japan’s tourism body warns summer visitors to arrive significantly earlier at Narita and Haneda as security queues lengthen through late August 2026.
Thunderstorms and regional airspace restrictions disrupted Haneda on 19-20 August 2026. ANA logged 116 delays at Tokyo. Recovery ongoing as of 21 August.
Kyushu Expressway buses resume 17 August, three weeks after earthquake damage closed the road. The Fukuoka–Beppu corridor returns to normal schedules.
Typhoon Chan-hom hit Tokyo on 11 August, cancelling 60+ flights at Haneda and Narita. Services recovered by 12 August morning.
Hiroshima marked 81 years since the August 6 bombing; Nagasaki followed on August 9. Both cities held their annual peace ceremonies this week.
Obon 2026 runs August 13–16 with shinkansen seats sold out on peak days - festival highlights, business closures, and key travel tips for visitors.
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.
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.
A 7.1 earthquake struck Kumamoto on 28 July, killing 13. Kyushu Shinkansen suspended and Kumamoto Airport cancelled flights while aftershocks continued.
Typhoon Noul caused 1,325 flight delays and 50 cancellations at Japanese airports on 27 July. Check JAL or ANA flight status before travelling.
Tenjin Matsuri runs July 24–25, 2026 in Osaka - one of Japan's three great festivals. Ceremonial boats cross the Okawa River under fireworks.
Tropical Storm Mekkhala hit Okinawa and Kagoshima on 21 July, cancelling 120+ flights. Disruption continued 22 July with 55 cancellations and 538 delays.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Mount Fuji's 2026 climbing season opens 1 July. Pre-registration and a 4,000-yen fee are required, with daily caps and gate closures enforced.
JNTO promotes Hokkaido as a summer destination for Gulf travellers, building on 2025's record tourism numbers and strong GCC travel demand.
Mindanao's 7.8 earthquake on 8 June triggered tsunami warnings for Japan's Pacific coast, disrupting coastal travel in Okinawa, Miyazaki, and Kochi.
Sakurajima erupted on 7 June 2026, sending ash 3,500m over Kagoshima City, cancelling 43 flights and suspending ferries. The airport remains open.
Nagano, Kumamoto City, and Miyazaki City begin levying accommodation taxes from June 2026, adding to Japan's expanding patchwork of visitor levies.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Noto Satoyama Airport becomes the world's first Pokemon-themed airport from 7 July 2026, supporting earthquake recovery in Ishikawa Prefecture.
United Airlines adds Chicago-Tokyo Narita service from October 2026 and the first nonstop US flights to Sapporo from December, expanding Japan access.
Flights at Osaka Itami, Kagoshima, and Yakushima airports face 118 delays and 20 cancellations on 14 May, affecting JAL, ANA, and Peach Aviation.
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.
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.
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.
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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