Foreign tourists set May record in Japan, but Hong Kong figure falls

Matsuyama Castle in Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture, was a popular tourist destination in May. (Asahi Shimbun file photo)
A record number of tourists visited Japan in May despite a decrease from Hong Kong, the source of spreading predictions that a major earthquake will hit the country, the Japan National Tourism Organization said.
The inbound tourist figure was 3,693,300, up 21.5 percent year on year and the most ever for the month of May, the JNTO said on June 18.
It was also the eighth consecutive month for Japan to receive more than 3 million visitors from abroad.
From January to May, 18,140,100 tourists made trips to Japan, up 23.9 percent from the same period last year.
In May, South Koreans accounted for the most inbound tourists, with 825,800, up 11.8 percent from the same month last year, followed by China with 789,900, up 44.8 percent, and Taiwan with 538,400, up 15.5 percent.
The number of visitors from Hong Kong was 193,100, down 11.2 percent year on year.
Hong Kong was the only region with a decrease in tourists to Japan.
The rumor sweeping Hong Kong through social media is that a huge earthquake will strike Japan in July. It stems from separate prophecies by a famed local feng shui master and a Japanese manga artist.
The JNTO said it did not know if the rumor led to the drop in visitor numbers from Hong Kong in May.
But demand for flights from Hong Kong to Japan have remained uncharacteristically low since the earthquake prediction started to circulate.
The Japanese government has tried to put the rumor to rest by saying it is impossible to accurately forecast an earthquake.

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SoraNews24

2 hours ago

• SoraNews24

Japan's top 10 travel experiences in the sky【Survey】

High praise for these destinations and activities high above the ground. Your feet being in contact with the ground is a pretty fundamental aspect of walking, so the concept of going for a mid-air walk might sound like something you'd hear about from aspiring musicians or college freshmen philosophy majors. Today, though, it's Japanese travel provider Jalan that's broaching the subject, releasing its list of the top 10 places for 'a walk in the sky' in Japan. So what's Jalan's criteria? It has to be somewhere with high altitude-related breathtaking views and/or thrilling activities. That means places like skyscraper observation decks, suspension bridges, and alpine cable cars/ropeways are all eligible, and to compile its list, Jalan collected survey responses from 1,036 of its users, aged 20 to 59, with each participant allowed to vote for up to three places. 10. Kobe Port Tower Rooftop Observatory Website Adjacent to Meriken Park on one side and Kobe's harbor on the other, Kobe Port Tower is a symbol of the city that offers beautiful views, with the best coming from its observation deck, the 'Brilliance Tiara Open-air Deck.' It earns that opulent name, though, thanks to a 2024 renovation that now allows guests to get out in the open air 90.28 meters (296.2 feet) above the street for 360-degree views, and with Kobe boasting some of Japan's best after-sundown city-lights skyline scenery, it's worth a visit day or night. 9. Ryujin Suspension Bridge Website Continuing on to another place with a cool name, Ryujin means 'dragon god,' and this suspension bridge that crosses the Ryujin Gorge in Hitachiota, Ibaraki Prefecture, is fittingly dynamic. It's 375 meters across and, more importantly, 100 meters straight down to the river below, with clear acrylic viewing panes for you to look down through if you're brave enough…and if you're really courageous, you can bungee jump off the bridge too. Meanwhile, those who get enough adrenaline from the height alone can stay firmly on the bridge while admiring the surrounding forestland, which turns a beautiful shade of crimson in the fall. 8. Shibuya Sky Website We're back in the big city for Tokyo's Shibuya Sky, which refers specifically to the rooftop observation deck of the Shibuya Scramble Square entertainment complex high-rise. The building also has observation spaces on its 14th, 45th, and 46th floors, but it's Shibuya Sky that really puts you in the skies of downtown Tokyo's most popular international tourism district, and the unobstructed lines of sight from 229 meters up are a great place to watch the sun set and the neon lights of the city come on from. 7. Tateyama Ropeway Website Having trouble seeing to the other end of the route in that photo? That's because at 37 kilometers (23 miles) in length, Toyama Prefecture's Tateyama Ropeway is the longest single-span ropeway route in all of Japan, with no support beams in the middle so as to lesson the impact on the surrounding environment and keep the view as pristine as possible. The ropeway is part of the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route, a multi-mode-of-transportation linking the town of Tateyama with Omachi in Nagano Prefecture, and includes a stop at Kurobe Dam, Japan's largest dam, along the way. 6. Mt Hakodate Ropeway Website Hokkaido Prefecture's Hakodate is beautifully situated on a narrow strip of land with ocean on two sides and a mountain rising up on another. With few tall buildings within the town, the best way to appreciate its picturesque positioning is to take a ride on the cable car that whisks you up Mt. Hakodate, and it's an especially popular date-night destination when the lights of the city twinkle like jewels. 5. Umeda Sky Building Kuchu Teien Observatory Website Osaka's Umeda Sky Building skyscraper sticks with the Japanese name for its observatory even in its official English-language documentation, but Kuchu Teien translates to 'midair garden.' The facility bridges the 39th and 40th floors of the twin-spire building, letting you see one of Japan's most vibrant cities below, gaze at Mt. Rokko off in the distance of neighboring Hyogo Prefecture, and watch the planes coming and going at Osaka Airport. 4. Biwako Valley Zipline Adventure Website Looking at a map of Japan, it's hard to miss Shiga Prefecture's Lake Biwa ('Biwako' in Japanese), since the country's biggest lake sits right in the middle of the main island of Honshu. It's also hard to miss Lake Biwa while ziplining around Biwako Valley, an outdoor activity center at the summits of Mt. Uchimi and Mt. Horai. 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Mishima Skywalk Website Also in Shizuoka is the massive Mishima Skywalk suspension bridge, which is 400 meters across, but if instead of walking all the way back you'd rather return by its 560-meter zipline course, that's also an option. The big draw here, though, is the view of Japan's biggest mountain, Mt. Fuji, which isn't all that far away, and with Mishima being at the northern end of the Izu Peninsula, you can see Suruga Bay as well. 1. Akashi Kaikyo Bridge Bridge World Website When it was completed in 1998, the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge finally linked Hyogo Prefecture's Iwaji Island with Japan's main island of Honshu, crossing the Akashi Strait and coming ashore in Kobe. It also created an opportunity for incredible views like the one seen in the photo above. As you can probably guess, the spot where that picture was taken isn't part of the regular route across the bridge, as it's part of the Bridge Tower Top Tour that the facility offers. Yes, prior reservations are required, and there are a number of special safety precautions (such as all participants must be 13 years old or older), but fans say the extra trouble is worth it to see the scenery from 300 meters above sea level, making it the list's top pick for an unforgettable sky experience in Japan. On the other hand, if you're looking for lower-altitude travel suggestions, don't forget that it's hydrangea season down here on the ground. Source, images: PR Times ● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! [ Read in Japanese ]

Kyodo News

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2 SDF planes leave Japan for Djibouti for possible Mideast evacuation

KYODO NEWS - 10 hours ago - 17:46 | All, Japan Two Self-Defense Forces planes departed Japan on Saturday for eastern Africa to stand by for a possible evacuation of Japanese nationals from the Middle East amid mounting safety concerns over the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran. The C-2 transport planes left Miho Air Base in Tottori Prefecture, western Japan, carrying about 120 personnel, according to the Defense Ministry. They will stand by at a Self-Defense Forces base in Djibouti, with no specific airlift plans at present as major airports in Israel and Iran remain closed. Since Israeli strikes on Iran on June 13, the two countries have exchanged attacks, with tensions further escalating after U.S. President Donald Trump suggested using military options to pressure Tehran to abandon its nuclear program. On Friday, a total of 87 Japanese nationals and their family members were evacuated, with 66 traveling from Iran to Azerbaijan and 21 from Israel to Jordan on government-arranged buses, according to the Foreign Ministry. Before the bus evacuation began, about 280 Japanese citizens were in Iran, and around 1,000 were in Israel, the ministry said. On Tuesday, Japan raised the travel alert for all of Iran to its highest, Level 4, advising nationals to "evacuate and avoid all travel." Most of Israel has remained subject to the second-highest Level 3 advisory, which urges people to "avoid all travel." Related coverage: 87 Japanese nationals, family members evacuated from Iran, Israel

16 hours ago

Sulnoon: Serving Up the Authentic Flavor of Pyongyang Cold Noodles in Chiba

Korean-style cold noodles is a familiar dish in Japan, where it is known as reimen . Brought by Korean immigrants in the 1950s, the chewy noodles in chilled broth are relished as a cooling treat during the warmer months and other times of the year. Moon Yeon-hee takes the cuisine back to its northern roots at her restaurant Sulnoon with a recipe for Pyongyang cold noodles that has been in her family for generations. The tradition of making the noodles started with her grandmother, who operated a restaurant specializing in raengmyon , the North Korean variation of the dish, in Haeju in South Hwanghae Province. Her mother also served up bowls as a cook at one of the best hotels in Pyongyang and taught the technique to Moon, who now carries on the culinary tradition. Moon followed a circuitous route to Japan after fleeing her homeland when she was 25. Wanting to share the traditional flavors of her home with Japan, she opened Sulnoon with her Japanese husband in the prefectural capital of Chiba in March 2024. The restaurant's name means 'New Year snow' in Korean, carrying with it an auspicious connotation of good things to come. A bowl of Pyongyang cold noodles at Sulnoon. (© Gomi Yoji) Pyongyang cold noodles are made primarily from buckwheat flour, giving them a distinct fragrance and dark tint not unlike Japanese soba. The dish dates from around North Korea's founding in 1948. It first appeared at stalls and restaurants in the capital and quickly proved a popular favorite, with connoisseurs even purporting that the flavor would haunt the dreams of anyone who had eaten a bowl. The dish has deep cultural and social importance as the culinary symbol of the North Korean capital. When South Korean President Moon Jae-in met his counterpart Kim Jong-un for a historic summit in 2018, the leaders famously dined on raengmyon prepared by a chef from the iconic Pyongyang restaurant Okryugwan, sparking interest in the noodles in the south. Moon notes that most renditions of cold noodles enjoyed today have changed from the original form of the dish. In North Korea, for instance, starch is commonly added to noodles to make them chewier, and chicken is the norm for making the broth rather than pheasant meat, which was used early on. Toppings typically include generous helpings of sliced cucumber and pear along with boiled eggs. In South Korean, too, the dish has taken on a distinct local flair as Pyongyang cold noodle restaurants, most of which were opened by northerners who came around the Korean War (1950–53), have adjusted their offerings to match local tastes. Japan's Morioka reimen is another regional rendition that features wheat noodles stiffened with starch and a soup made from beef, pork, and chicken topped with a hardy serving of kimchi to add a touch of heat and sourness. At Sulnoon, though, Moon recreates the authentic taste of Pyongyang's beloved dish. She makes her noodles in the traditional style with buckwheat flour and uses beef, pork, chicken, and all-natural seasonings to create her stock, making certain to carefully skim off any impurities for a clear broth rich in flavor. Customers who prefer more of a kick can ask for red chili paste, but the clear soup is the best way to experience the original flavor of raengmyon . Moon Yeon-hee at her restaurant Sulnoon, near Keisei Inage Station. (© Gomi Yoji) Whispers from the Outside Moon was born in the eastern port city of Wonsan in 1991, where lived until her parents moved to Pyongyang when she was in junior high. However, her family roots are in the south of the Korean Peninsula and Japan. In the 1930s, her grandparents left their home on Jeju Island and settled in Asakusa in Tokyo, where they served in the leadership of Chongryon (the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan). When North Korea called on Zainichi Koreans (ethnic Koreans living in Japan) to return during the repatriation movement (1959–1984), her grandparents along with her mother and father, who were still children at the time, were among the initial wave of the some 93,000 people who eventually relocated from Japan. Boats moored at a port in Wonsan, North Korea. (© Pixta) Moon's family was well off by North Korean standards. When famine ravaged the country in the mid-1990s, they received financial support from connections in Japan and were mostly untouched by the calamity, although the hordes of orphaned children called kotjebi who roamed the streets in search of food served as a stark reminder of the disaster. Although among the privileged class, Moon began to harbor doubts about her homeland. In high school she witnessed the public execution of a friend who had been caught selling pirated DVDs of South Korean dramas, a shocking event that struck her as inordinately cruel. Having connections with Japan made her and her family members the brunt of discrimination and claims of having been 'poisoned' by capitalist ideas. Moon's skepticism grew, and seeing no future for herself in North Korea, she made the decision to flee to the south. A Treacherous Journey Getting out of the country was an arduous and dangerous task. The first leg of her journey was a 12-hour car ride from Pyongyang north to the border town of Hyesan. There she paid a Chinese broker $3,000 to facilitate her escape. On a dark, rainy May night, she crossed the swollen river dividing North Korea from China alone and spent the next two days waking nonstop without food or water to evade Chinese authorities. Over the next three weeks she made her way by train and car to Laos, where she charged into the South Korean embassy and asked for asylum. A truck crosses from China to North Korea over the Tumen Border Bridge in 2009. (© Jiji) Having made her escape, Moon settled into a new life in South Korea. She initially relied on government support provided to those who had defected from the north, which included a monthly stipend, a one-room apartment, and basic necessities. She found work and studied to become a certified bookkeeper She felt immense gratitude for being welcomed into South Korean society and took citizenship after about a year—she remembers tears welling up in her eyes the first time she looked at her new passport. Her mother and younger brother had also defected, and in 2019 the three opened a Pyongyang cold noodle shop in Seoul. Recreating the Flavor of Home Running her restaurant, it was obvious that her beloved raengmyon was in decline. North Korea was still shut to foreigners due to the pandemic and many of the Pyongyang cold noodle restaurants in China and Southeast Asia had been forced out of business by UN sanctions. In Japan, too, the dish had changed to fit local tastes, making an authentic bowl almost impossible to find. It was around this time that Moon met and married her Japanese husband Katsumata Shigeru. Looking at the state of raengmyon and hearing stories from her parents' time in Asakusa, she was inspired to come to Japan and open a restaurant specializing in cold noodles based on her mother's recipe. When the couple opened Sulnoon, Moon's story drew the media's attention, bringing with it a steady stream of customers eager to try 'real' Pyongyang cold noodles. The cozy shop quickly gained a reputation as a must-try place, and it still enjoys a steady stream of weekend foot traffic. Dappokusha Support Network Moon is among some 200 North Korean defectors, known as dappokusha in Japanese, who have settled in Japan. Most, like Moon, are from long-established Zainichi Korean families. South Korea, by contrast, has around 33,000 North Korean defectors, to whom the government provides training programs and other assistance to aid in adjusting to life in the country, which has enabled many to forge successful careers in fields like journalism, politics, and business. Japan, on the other hand, lacks a well-established support system for dappokusha . The Korean Residents Union in Japan (Mindan) offers some assistance, but the amount is far below what most recipients need to become fully independent. Subsequently, many dappokusha are forced into insecure jobs in construction or the night entertainment industry just to make ends meet. Dappokusha are stigmatized in Japan, but Moon is open about being from North Korean and readily shares about her life and experiences in the country as well as her escape. She is aware that some people are prejudiced toward Koreans, but she is undaunted by such views, declaring that 'I want to show what life is like for North Koreans. It's a dark reality, but by being frank and upfront about it, I want to change people's perspective for the better.' Looking Back, Looking Forward Japan has proved to be different from what Moon initially expected. 'In South Korea, I often heard that Japanese can be quite cold and distant,' she says. 'But nothing could be further from the truth. Everyone has been so incredibly kind and supportive.' She looks forward to interacting with her customers each day, some of whom have traveled from as far away as Hokkaidō and Okinawa just to taste her Pyongyang cold noodles, and takes great pleasure in hearing their satisfied exclamations after a meal. The homemade kimchi she serves at the restaurant has been especially well received, and Moon's next ambition is to establish a factory to up production, confidently declaring, 'I've set myself a goal of five years.' Moon packs her homemade kimchi. (© Gomi Yoji) Moon has big dreams, including opening restaurants in other areas of Japan. As she plans for the future, she takes strength from her memory of crossing the swollen river at the North Korean border on that dark, rainy night. 'Nothing compares to the fear I felt at that moment,' she says, a smile spreading across her face. 'Not even close.' The interior of Sulnoon. (© Yamashita Tatsuo) Sulnoon 2-5-27 Chitose Building 1F, Inage Ward, Chiba, Chiba Prefecture Tel.: 043-216-2866 Open 11:30 am to 2:30 pm for lunch, 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm for dinner (except on Tuesdays) Closed Wednesdays and the second and fourth Tuesday of each month (Originally published in Japanese. Banner photo: Moon Yeon-hee and her husband Katsumata Shigeru; Sulnoon's specialty, Pyongyang cold noodles. © Gomi Yoji.)