The streets were full and the pubs and clubs packed Saturday night as central Tokyo welcomed Halloween revelers back in large numbers — but the celebrations remained muted in comparison to the pre-pandemic years, with memories of a costumed assailant’s 2021 stabbing spree still fresh. (Japan Times)

Tokyo police will step up security in the bustling Shibuya district from Saturday, as a large number of people are likely to gather there in the run-up to Halloween on Monday. (NHK)

The Japan Railways group says four of its group companies will introduce peak fares for Shinkansen trains and limited express services during the busiest travel seasons. (NHK)

A UNESCO advisory body has welcomed a local government proposal for a new railway for Mount Fuji, a World Heritage site in central Japan. (NHK)

This time, I traveled from Akita to Tokyo on Komachi Express(Shinkansen), fastest train with 320 kph/198 mph top speed. Enjoy the scenic views and high-speed train experience with Shinkansen Komachi. ( travelgeek)

Japan hotel room rates have soared since the country launched financial incentives to get people to hit the road, and with international tourists expected to flood into the country in the coming months, the prices are not expected to go down any time soon. (Nikkei)

A ski slope at the foot of Mount Fuji became the first ski resort in Japan to open for the season on Friday. (NHK)

The Japanese government launched a nationwide discount campaign last week to kick-start domestic tourism. (NHK)

South Korea says visitors from Japan will be allowed to enter the country without a visa from November 1. (NHK)

Japan's Foreign Ministry has lowered its coronavirus infection alert for travel overseas. It no longer requires people to avoid non-essential travel to any other country. (NHK)

At a Buddhist temple on a wooded hillside in Japan, grapes and wine bottles are given as offerings, and the head monk is also the honorary president of a vineyard cooperative. (newindianexpress.com)

A long-awaited theme park featuring beloved characters and scenes from Studio Ghibli’s hit animations is set to open Nov. 1 in central Japan’s Aichi Prefecture, treating fans to the wonders and secrets of Ghibli films such as “My Neighbor Totoro” and “Castle in the Sky.” (Kyodo)

Eager to admire colorful foliage, eat sushi and go shopping, droves of tourists from abroad began arriving in Japan on Tuesday, with the end of pandemic-fighting border restrictions that had been in place for more than two years. (pbs.org)

Access to Japan tour-related websites has been partially disrupted with the start of the Japanese government's domestic travel discount campaign on Tuesday. (NHK)

Here are seven of the very best trains in Japan, from glamorous to panoramic and plain romantic. (cntraveler.com)

Japan is reintroducing a visa waiver program for short-term visitors, and allowing visits by non-escorted individual tourists, as the country lifts most of its COVID-19 border controls. Japan's tourism industry was booming in pre-pandemic years. (NHK)

Taxi fares in Tokyo will rise for the first time in 15 years from the middle of October. The increased fares will be implemented in all 23 wards of Tokyo, as well as Musashino and Mitaka cities. (Japan Today)

After almost three years of Covid-induced border closures, Japan is finally opening up to vaccinated tourists from most countries, with no need for quarantine, PCR tests or visas. And with the yen making hotels, restaurants and shopping more affordable, demand is sure to be high. (businessmirror)

One step out of Shin-Okubo station and you will find yourself in Koreatown, a bustling Tokyo district exploding with energy. (Nikkei)

Reservations for international flights to Japan in December and January have increased fivefold ahead of next week's resumption of visa-free travel, All Nippon Airways said Friday. (Nikkei)