Tourist sites in regional areas were bustling with travelers from Tokyo on Saturday, as this is the first weekend since travels to and from the capital were included in the government's Go To Travel tourism promotion campaign, while stations and airports in the capital were crowded with many travelers.
Tourists with large suitcases were seen in a shopping district near JR Atami Station in Atami, Shizuoka Prefecture, on Saturday morning, strolling and enjoying snacks or buying souvenirs. Kaoru Tokuda, from Setagaya Ward, Tokyo, stayed at a hotel in the city with three of his friends from university. Using the Go To Travel program, which offers travel packages at discounted prices, he saw his friends for the first time in a year, although they used to get together regularly before the outbreak of the novel coronavirus.
"Thanks to Tokyo being included in the campaign, we enjoyed talking about our memories. I want to travel again, while being careful not to get infected or spread infection to others," he said.
Families were enjoying holidaying at Owakudani in Hakone, Kanagawa Prefecture, which offers the sight of a crater valley formed during the last eruption of the Hakone volcano. People queued to buy kuro tamago, boiled eggs that have black shells because they are cooked with geothermal heat and volcanic gas.
A 35-year-old man visiting the area with his family from Tachikawa, Tokyo, smiled and said: "We couldn't go anywhere this year. As soon as the government decided to include Tokyo in the program, we decided to travel."
Meanwhile, tourists visiting Tokyo expressed their joy. A high school student from Kadoma, Osaka Prefecture, who arrived at Haneda Airport with her mother the same day said she was looking forward to visiting Sanrio Puroland, a theme park in Tama, Tokyo, that features Sanrio characters such as Hello Kitty. "I couldn't come to Tokyo during summer vacation, so I'm excited," she said.
A line of cars head to Owakudani in Hakone, Kanagawa Prefecture, on Saturday.
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Tourists site are buzzing back to life on the first weekend after Tokyo was included in the Go To Travel campaign.
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