A nationwide survey of popular hot spring destinations released on December 10th shows Oita Prefecture rapidly climbing in traveler preference, underscoring shifting tourism trends as visitors seek both tradition and new experiences. The annual rankings, based on votes from travel site members, again placed Kusatsu in Gunma at the top for the third consecutive year, while Beppu rose from fifth to second and Yufuin made a notable leap to fifth from eleventh. (News On Japan)

When the sun dips below the horizon and paints the sky in shades of gold and crimson, Dubai's vast desert transforms into a playground for thrill-seekers and explorers. (News On Japan)

A regular passenger ferry connecting Okayama City and Shodoshima is set to begin commercial operations using autonomous navigation technology within the current fiscal year, according to an announcement on December 10th by the Nippon Foundation, which confirmed that the vessel Orinpia Dream Seto has been certified by the national government as the world’s first regular passenger ship approved for commercial autonomous operation, a milestone expected to ease the industry’s chronic crew shortages. (News On Japan)

On the morning of December 9th, the chill in the air surrounded the Imperial Palace as a long line stretched from the Otemon Gate along the moat, with more than 200 people waiting from the early hours in pursuit of what has become known as the “Imperial Palace Wallet.” (News On Japan)

Shibuya Ward has approved an ordinance that would impose a 2,000-yen fine for littering on public streets, while also penalizing shops that fail to provide trash bins. The measure was passed on December 10th and targets both individuals who discard waste and businesses near major stations that offer takeout services, raising questions about whether the approach will meaningfully reduce trash on the streets. (News On Japan)

Fukuoka Mayor Takashima said during a press conference held on December 9th that the city will begin studying a subway extension to the international terminal at Fukuoka Airport as part of broader efforts to address transport challenges across the city. (News On Japan)

A plan to sharply raise Japan’s departure tax is taking shape as the government and ruling coalition have begun coordinating a proposal to lift the current 1,000 yen levy to a flat 3,000 yen per person in next fiscal year’s tax reform, adding new momentum to calls for expanded funding to deal with overtourism across the country. (News On Japan)

A powerful earthquake with a seismic intensity of 6+ struck Aomori late on December 8th, prompting the Meteorological Agency to issue a temporary tsunami warning for coastal areas along the Pacific side of the prefecture. While the warning has since been downgraded, the government is urging caution after authorities announced, for the first time, a heightened possibility of another large earthquake occurring off Hokkaido and the Sanriku coast. (News On Japan)

Chinese tourists are disappearing from major destinations across the Kansai region as diplomatic tensions between Japan and China continue to deepen on the heels of comments by Prime Minister Takaichi regarding a potential Taiwan contingency, prompting Beijing to urge its citizens to refrain from traveling or studying in Japan. (News On Japan)

China’s major airlines have extended the period during which Japan-bound tickets can be cancelled free of charge, with carriers announcing by today that the deadline—initially set to run through the end of this year—will now continue until March 28th 2026. (News On Japan)

Autumn travel to Nikko, which draws visitors from across Japan for its bright foliage, is seeing an unexpected wave of vehicle troubles on mountain roads, with everything from flat tires and sudden breakdowns to off-road mishaps and stranded foreign tourists prompting repeated calls for roadside assistance during busy weekends in November. (News On Japan)

Osaka’s Minami district, one of the busiest entertainment areas in Kansai, is grappling with a worsening garbage problem as the sharp increase in foreign visitors coincides with a rise in litter throughout the area, and when the reporting team walked through the neighborhood last week they found trash piling up in abandoned bicycle baskets and food containers tossed into alleyways just off the main shopping streets. (News On Japan)

A mass of cold air on December 4th brought midwinter-level temperatures across Hokkaido, sending the entire region below freezing and prompting warnings of heavy snow and blizzard conditions along the Sea of Japan coast. (News On Japan)

Tokyo’s Tsukiji Outer Market has taken the unusual step of asking tourists not to visit in December as operators move to prevent crowd-related accidents during the busy year-end shopping season, with local officials also confirming that Shibuya’s New Year’s Eve countdown will be canceled for the sixth consecutive year. (News On Japan)

Kobe welcomed a new waterfront destination this year as the redevelopment of the former Shinko No. 2 Pier area gave rise to TOTTEI, a spacious coastal district designed to connect the city more closely with the sea while offering visitors a range of leisure attractions that highlight the port city’s unique blend of ocean and mountains. (News On Japan)

The annual winter-only Sennin Bath opened along the riverbed of Kawayu Onsen in Tanabe, Wakayama, on December 1st, drawing visitors with its open-air pools heated by hot spring water bubbling up naturally from beneath the river. (News On Japan)

The winter tradition of kotatsu-equipped boats has begun in Yanagawa, Fukuoka Prefecture, where small hibachi braziers are placed beneath the tables on shared boats as the seasonal service gets underway. (News On Japan)

The Imperial Palace’s Inui Street opened to the public on November 29th, drawing large crowds from across the country who came to enjoy a leisurely walk beneath rows of trees glowing in shades of red and yellow. (News On Japan)

A tour of a traditional Japanese onsen and ryokan in Yufuin Onsen, a small town on Kyushu island in southern Japan. (Gabriel Traveler)

From high above Kyoto, the city’s autumn colors can be seen spreading vividly across the landscape, with trees throughout the area turning a deep, striking red that stands out even from the air. (News On Japan)