Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Pedestrian.tv
Pedestrian.tv
Travel
Kathleen Farmilo

Japan Is Opening Back Up For Solo Travel Soon Oops, There Goes All My Annual Leave

Japan has announced it’ll reopen its borders to individual travellers and allow visa-free travel so BRB, I’m about to sling all of my leave on a cheeky four-week holiday. The country has had strict entry requirements since the pandemic began two and a half years ago, making it difficult for tourists to scoot on over. It did loosen up restrictions earlier this year — but tourists had to travel as part of pre-packaged tours and also apply for visas. Now, Japan will be scrapping those two measures and its daily arrival cap of 50,000 people. Before the pandemic, Japan offered visa-free travel for more than 60 countries, including Australia. The main remaining requirement to enter the country? You’ll need to be fully vaxxed. I’ll be making like Scott Morrison and avoiding work by booking a flight to Japan ASAP. Japanese Prime Minister  announced the lifting of restrictions in a speech at the New York Stock Exchange. “We are a nation that has flourished through the free flow of people, goods and capital,” he said, . “COVID-19 of course interrupted these benefits, but from October 11, Japan will relax border control measures to be on par with the US, as well as resume visa-free travel and individual travel.” Do you hear that? It’s the end of Hot Europe Summer. Get me on a plane to the. Travel analytics firm ForwardKeys’ VP for insights told that there’s currently a ton of interest in travelling to Japan. “Searches for travel to Japan reached their highest point this year at the end of August,” he said. And every single one of those searches was me at my desk wistfully looking at pictures of snow monkeys hanging out in the thermal baths at the Jigokudani Monkey Park. Oh, to be one of these lil guys. With travel to Japan resuming from October, now is probably a good time to plan the solo trip of your dreams, pester your partner for a romantic holiday, or assemble your most organised group chat.
Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.