As the holiday As Japan observed the second day of the Golden Week holiday period, millions of tourists traveled to both domestic and foreign locations, and temperatures spiked across a large portion of the nation on Sunday.
Travelers from western Japan to southern Tohoku were met by sunny weather, with several regions experiencing temperatures above 25 degrees Celsius. The first day of summer arrived on January 1st, with temperatures in places like Kyoto reaching 30 C and Gifu getting close to that figure.
Nagoya had 28.3 C, while Osaka and central Tokyo recorded 28 C, both well above average for this time of year. In addition, the mercury reached 30 C in the cities of Maebashi, Fukushima, and Gunma Prefecture.
With families packing heavy bags and standing in long queues at airline counters, throngs of passengers descended upon airports and train stations as Japan got set for its Golden Week vacations, which run through May 6.
Approximately 835,200 passengers were expected to pass through Chiba Prefecture’s Narita foreign Airport on foreign flights, and 263,300 on domestic flights, during the busy holiday season.
Approximately 90% of Japan’s pre-pandemic population, or 23.3 million individuals, were anticipated to travel during the 11-day period, according to a report by travel service JTB.
This year’s Golden Week vacations mark the first time since last May, when the government lifted all remaining travel restrictions due to COVID-19 and lowered the virus’ classification to that of the seasonal flu.
Hawaii and Guam, which have long been favorites of Japanese travelers, were in demand, while South Korea and Taiwan, which are close by, were better options for those who were wary of the weakening yen, according to NHK.
According to the six Japan Railway operators in the country, 2.96 million seats were reserved for reserved trains and bullet trains between Friday and the conclusion of the holiday weekend. This is a 16% increase over the previous year.
On Monday, however, when a low-pressure system is predicted to hit western Japan, rain may cause disruptions to certain plans. It is expected to deluge the Kyushu region in the morning and move to the Chugoku and Shikoku provinces around midday. It is predicted that certain places will have thunderstorms and a lot of rain.
While rain is predicted to start in the evening in the Kinki region, there is a chance of sun and nighttime rain in the Tokai, Kanto, and Hokuriku regions. Rain and thunderstorms are expected in Okinawa until approximately midday, mostly over the southern islands.
Temperature predictions for Okinawa Prefecture’s capital cities of Tokyo, Nagoya, and Naha were 27 C, 25 C, and 29 C, respectively.
Rain is expected on Tuesday, mostly in the morning, from the Kyushu to Kanto regions. Showers are expected to persist into the afternoon across the Tohoku area and Hokkaido, with the potential to intensify into heavy downpours.
On Wednesday, Okinawa, Kyushu, and Kanto will see sporadic rain. However, on Thursday, the skies are expected to clear from Kyushu to Hokkaido, which might make for perfect weather for Golden Week excursions the next weekend.
Article Source japantimes
