Koreans are becoming more interested in traveling to Japan. This time, statistics from the Japanese government confirmed that.
According to a recent report, the number of Korean tourists visiting Japan as of June 2023 is showing remarkable growth. According to figures released by the Japanese Government Tourism Bureau (JNTO), 545,100 Koreans visited Japan during the period. This is a further increase from the 500,000 mark in May, the previous month, and exceeded the 560,000 mark during the peak winter season between January and February. In addition, compared to June 2019, the recovery rate reached a remarkable 89.1%. In the first quarter of this year, the recovery rate was 70% compared to 2019, but now it is close to 90%. It’s an incredible speed. However, it is expected that Koreans’ interest in traveling to Japan will increase further. Koreans also topped the list of Japanese visitors by country. Among all foreign visitors to Japan, the proportion of Koreans stood at 26.3% in June, 1.4 times that of Taiwan, the second-largest. In particular, in the first half of the year, the proportion of Koreans was 29.2%, showing a faster recovery than in other countries.Strengthen screening of gold products when entering Japan! Precautions and reporting tips
Since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, many people have been traveling abroad to Japan. Recently, however, more and more customs are strictly examining the import of gold or gold products when entering Japan, causing inconvenience. This is because screening has been strengthened to prevent smuggling of precious metals as the number of Japanese immigrants increases. Let’s look into the Japanese customs’ regulations on bringing in gold products and how to report them. Regardless of the purity, weight, or use (worn) of the reporting criteria for gold or gold products by Japanese customs, it must be reported if gold or gold products are brought in. In addition, thanks to the current low yen, the number of travelers to Japan is expected to increase more significantly during the summer vacation season. This is because the cost-effectiveness of traveling to Japan stands out due to rising domestic prices. However, the pressure of inflation in Japan is also increasing, so we don’t know how the situation will change in the future. Still, travel agency officials also say, “The proportion of reservations for Japanese products from July to August is the largest,” and that it is likely to be close to the level before No Japan. In fact, it is no exaggeration to say that Korea is currently the most important market in Japan’s inbound. The Korean branch of the Japanese government’s tourism bureau expects to catch up to the level of 2018 when there was no aftermath of COVID-19 and No Japan this year. Until now, the Japanese inbound industry has been worried that Japan may have been forgotten as a travel destination for the past three years, but as soon as the border was opened, many Koreans were visiting Japan, which is causing joy.

So many Koreans are visiting Japan, but the air route has not yet reached its old level. During the 2019 summer season, 1,200 flights per week traveled between 27 Japanese airports and 8 Korean airports. However, as of May this year, 12 airports in Japan and 7 airports in Korea are connecting about 900 flights per week, and local routes have not recovered as much as before COVID-19. So now, many Koreans are mainly visiting big cities. More Koreans are expected to visit Japan when Japan’s regional airport connections are restored in the future.Then why do you visit Japan rather than a similar travel destination in Korea? 1) Reports continue to emerge that Jeju Island/Ulleungdo Island is due to high prices and inadequacy (for accommodation costs). 2) Factors to enjoy such as leisure and entertainment are expensive and insufficient.
For example, the cost of Korean golf and water leisure is now too high to be shunned by the public.

JENNIFER KIM

US ASIA JOURNAL

Since the 10th, the Japanese government has announced that it will resume accepting foreign tourists for the first time in two years since the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare of Japan compiled guidelines to distribute to foreign tourists and tourism-related workers, and the government distributed guidelines to safely resume the acceptance of foreign tourists.

It has been announced that it will ease regulations on group package tourists, etc., not individual tourists.

However, those who want to travel to Japan and those in the tourism sector are welcoming the deregulation.

“Since the Japanese government announced that it would resume accepting tourists, there have been daily calls, especially in Asia, from Thailand,” a travel agency specializing in travel to Japan said

Due to the phenomenon mentioned by the travel agency above, people currently working in the Japanese tourism-related industry are expecting a lot. This is because more than 31 million foreign tourists came to Japan every year three years (before the pandemic).

Currently, sales and the economy have fallen in the region where foreign tourists have come for two years since the pandemic, but I believe that sales and the economy will gradually grow, starting with partial deregulation, not the whole.

Currently, various regional autonomous districts in Japan are preparing various things for foreign tourists.

In the guidebook or guidebook, it is said that the direction of preparing languages in various languages or supporting various foreign languages is being prepared.

In particular, workers in Fukuoka’s related industries, which were previously famous as tourist destinations, said that for a while, the restaurant and lodging industries were hit hard by the decrease in the number of tourists coming due to regulations.

It was said that the consumption of food and food materials decreased due to the decrease in tourists. However, he said that the economy is revitalizing again due to the deregulation and that he believes it will be more.

And based on the resumption of accepting foreign group tourists, we hope that the number of customers on personal trips will gradually increase.”

In addition, Okinawa Prefecture once saw the number of flights fall to zero due to the Pendemic, and it is currently hoping that such deregulation will revitalize the economy in Okinawa Prefecture.

Package tour fares are expected to be more than 40 percent higher than before the pandemic, but many people are trying to pay the price even if the price is a little high at this time when travel regulations have been eased because of the pandemic.

Currently, Japan-related travel package products are sold out in Korea as soon as they start selling them on the Internet.

Currently, reservations at Hana Tour, one of the travel agencies in Korea, rose 284 percent. Also, people are increasingly interested in overseas travel because it is currently the time for summer vacation and vacation from July to August.

Also, foreigners are not the only ones who like Japanese government deregulation. Fans who like foreign idols and contents in Japan have been suspended or reduced from concerts and music-related events in Japan before due to the pandemic. However, it is said that music-related events, which have been reduced so far due to deregulation from this month, will be held again. In that respect, people who like overseas idols have said they want to see concerts quickly and are showing expectations for it.

Currently, there are various reasons why foreigners want to travel to Japan.

The first reason is that Japanese animation businesses and cultural contents are very good as tourism factors.

Second, we can talk about the yen’s low current depreciation.

The Japanese yen has now fallen very much.

The falling yen value of Japan is an attractive factor for foreign tourists to choose to come to Japan. The reason is that the economic burden caused by consumption activities such as buying goods in Japan is less.

For this reason, the demand for package tours to Japan is increasing in various Asian countries other than Japan.

Currently, the Japanese government also says it expects the economic revitalization of foreigners due to this phenomenon.

SOPHIA KIM

Asia Journal 

The U.S. initially imposed travel restrictions on foreigners from countries such as Great Britain, Ireland, China, India, Brazil, and more at the beginning of the pandemic. Many of these countries were exhibiting high numbers of coronavirus cases, which led the White House to take action.

On October 25, Biden signed off on an order that would allow foreigners into U.S land. He stated, “It is in the interests of the United States to move away from the country-by-country restrictions previously applied during the COVID-19 pandemic and to adopt an air travel policy that relies primarily on vaccination to advance the safe resumption of international air travel to the United States.”

In order to enter the United States as a foreigner, you would have to show proof of vaccination that has been approved under the WHO (World Health Organization) guidelines. Those vaccines include Janssen (Johnson & Johnson), Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca-Oxford, Sinopharm, and Sinovac. The list excludes the Russian vaccine, Sputnik V, due to the WHO flagging manufacturing concerns.

Unvaccinated travelers may still be able to enter the U.S. with certain exceptions, such as those who are allergic to the COVID-19 vaccines and those who have participated in vaccine trials.

However, despite being fully vaccinated, the United States government still requires people to take a coronavirus test three days before their trip (one day before for those who are unvaccinated). Once they arrive, the CDC requires visitors to take another COVID test within 3-5 days after landing. Travelers are also supposed to self-quarantine for a week.

In accordance with the news of travel restrictions being lifted, U.S. airline, hotel and cruise industry stocks went up by small margins. This is exciting considering that international airline travel has been down by nearly half during the summer and over 20% since pre-COVID times. Now airlines are seeing a stark increase in international ticket sales, which would hopefully aid tourism in the United States immensely.

About 26,000 days have passed since the outbreak of the Korean War, 1950. Sadly, the war didn’t end. Korea has been deeply divided for decades and technically still at armistice. Two Koreas have experienced their fair share of conflict, well beyond the Korean War. Vast stretches of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) have been no man’s land for more than 60 years, which was established in the 1953 Korean War Armistice Agreement. The zone was created as each side agreed to move their troops back 2,000m from the front line, the Military Demarcation Line (MDL), creating a buffer zone 4 km wide.

The South Korean government utilizes some parts of demilitarized zones and civilian control zones, offering a mix of historic monuments and ecologically preserved parks with tourist attractions under military security. As one of the last relics of the Cold War, the DMZ tour attracts a lot of global interest. According to the Korea Tourism Organization, an estimated 1.2 million visitors come to this historic area each year. While the DMZ comes as close to a combat zone as can be, there is usually no active military action. In fact, the main purpose of the zone is to foster peace, demonstrating that safety can be achieved without having to actively exhibit force. There are numerous troops, both from the north, south, and the United States who protect the territory and can be seen actively patrolling the region. However, for a tour of the DMZ, there is absolutely nothing to worry about as guided visits are permitted. Dividing the peninsula roughly in half, the 254-km-long zone isn’t just one of the world’s most heavily militarized borders but it’s also a must-see destination.

In this article, some parts of the DMZ tour organized by Gyeonggi Tourism Organization will be given. Hopefully, you can go on a certified tour on DMZ to learn all that is noteworthy in a safe and responsible way one of these days. Make sure to bring your identification card such as certificate of foreigner registration or passport because its unique position requires it.

1. Aegibong Peak EcoPark

Aegibong Peak is located at the northern tip of Gimpo city about an hour’s drive from the downtown area. The mountain is where North and South Korea engaged in a fierce battle at the end of the Korean War; after the battle, Korea was divided into two nations. Since the peak is still a restricted area, visitors must present their passport in order to be admitted. From the peak observatory, visitors can see an open view of North Korean territory, which is the closest view from the South.

The peak was transformed into a park under the theme of peace and ecology. In the past half century, the DMZ has been a prohibited place to reside so Several species of rare animals inhabit the inside of the zone. In an exhibition hall, you can find how one and only ecosystem is well-preserved and some historical information on the Jogang area, whose name is forgotten after the armistice agreement. You can experience some virtual reality and mixed reality about cultural remains in North Korea, too. Additional gardens with five different themes and a skybridge are under construction, which will be completed next June.

2. Imjingak Pyeonghwa Nuri Park

The Nuri Peace Park which stands facing the Imjin River, just south of the DMZ, was built in 1972 as a security tourist site to reflect upon the painful history of national division and showing aspirations to reunification. War-related symbolic sites such as the Imjingang Railroad Bridge, the Bridge of Freedom, Mangbaedan Alter where displaced North Koreans pay salute to their families in the North and Peace Bell, attract as many as millions of tourists every year. The Bridge of Freedom is a former railroad bridge which was used by repatriated prisoners and soldiers returning from the North. A steam locomotive is exhibited as one of the symbols of the tragic history of division. It has been standing still in the Demilitarized Zone since it was derailed by bombs during the war.

In a large peaceful ground in the park, there are crowded visitors, especially on weekends, who come for a picnic and to view the works of art on display. There are an outdoor stage and a cafe building built by famous architecture. The Hill of Wind, where the pinwheels of various colors are installed in a way that allows them to spin all at once, has become a symbol for the Nuri Peace Park and the longing for peace.

What makes the place even more interesting these days is the Peace Gondola that carries visitors across the Imjin River. The road to the Peace Observatory is inside the Civilian Control Line, making it a unique place that symbolizes the tragic reality of Korea‘s division. Those who want to ride the gondola are required to bring ID cards as it goes beyond the Civilian Control Line. Getting off the gondola and walking about 300 meters, you will see an observatory overlooking the Imjin River. The observatory gives visitors a panoramic view of the Demilitarized Zone.

3. Camp Greaves

Camp Greaves served as a camp base for the 506th US Second Infantry Division for about 50 years after the ceasefire agreement of the Korean War. Because of its history and cultural significance after the withdrawal of the U.S. military in 2004, Gyeonggi Provincial Government and Gyeonggi Tourism Organization remodeled it as a peace and security experience facility for civilians in 2013. The site was culturally regenerated into a youth hostel by utilizing existing buildings. It is the only accommodation located within a restricted area for civilians. The camp also offers diverse programs including educational programs.

The bowling alley where US soldiers once used was renovated into a gallery. Now an exhibition, ‘TIME LOST, TIME REGAINED’ is displayed in the gallery with artworks regarding the rains of war and division, ideological conflicts, and peace in the future. Quonset Huts used by the US military are still retained. Some of them are also remodeled as monument buildings including the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission Museum and cenotaph for fallen U.S. soldiers on duty with a list of soldiers who died on duty at the DMZ.

During the tour on Camp Greaves, the officer from Camp Greaves told me a story about an American visitor who got to know that his father was deployed in the DMZ while sightseeing the gallery in the camp. The story you can face in the DMZ tour is not merely about documentary facts as the bygone past. It is still continuing in the present. It is hoped that you reminisce about the past and dream of the future through the present, while the things you go through during the tour retains the image of the past.

For travelers visiting Jeju instead of traveling abroad, the Jeju Tourism Organization has carefully selected wellness destinations and non-face-to-face destinations from an early age. For the many people who have been looking forward to overseas travel, I would like to introduce a wellness tourist destination with well prepared getaway programs for travelers to overcome Corona Blue and a spot where you can feel the charm of Jeju Island’s nature as it is.

Seogwipo Healing Forest

A “healing forest” where cypress and cedar trees harmonize. It is a stress relieving zone that strengthens mental and physical recovery and immunity. The forest road, consisting of a total of 10 themes, reflects Jeju’s history and culture.

Hwansang Forest Gotjawal Park

A primitive ecological forest where you can see Jeju’s unique topography and various vegetation in one place. It boasts the denseness of a primeval forest. The herbal foot bath therapy takes place at the Damang Foot Bath Cafe. The native plants heals the visitors’ tired body and mind.

Jeju901

One-stop healing stay where you sleep healthy, eat healthy, and exercise within the depth of nature. There are exercise rooms, vegan food cafes, and accommodation facilities that conduct meditation yoga.

Jeju Healing Meditation Center.

Healing Meditation Center with therapeutic movement and meditation. It heals the body and mind together through various activities including natural meditation, archery experience, and healing horseback riding meditation.

For travelers visiting Jeju instead of traveling abroad, the Jeju Tourism Organization has carefully selected wellness destinations and non-face-to-face destinations from an early age. For the many people who have been looking forward to overseas travel, I would like to introduce a wellness tourist destination with well prepared getaway programs for travelers to overcome Corona Blue and a spot where you can feel the charm of Jeju Island’s nature as it is.   

Seogwipo Healing Forest

A “healing forest” where cypress and cedar trees harmonize. It is a stress relieving zone that strengthens mental and physical recovery and immunity. The forest road, consisting of a total of 10 themes, reflects Jeju’s history and culture.

Hwansang Forest Gotjawal Park

A primitive ecological forest where you can see Jeju’s unique topography and various vegetation in one place. It boasts the denseness of a primeval forest. The herbal foot bath therapy takes place at the Damang Foot Bath Cafe. The native plants heals the visitors’ tired body and mind.

Jeju 901

One-stop healing stay where you sleep healthy, eat healthy, and exercise within the depth of nature. There are exercise rooms, vegan food cafes, and accommodation facilities that conduct meditation yoga.

Jeju Healing Meditation Center.

Healing Meditation Center with therapeutic movement and meditation. It heals the body and mind together through various activities including natural meditation, archery experience, and healing horseback riding meditation.

Chwidasun Resort.

A resort in a haven like area where you can take part in tea ceremonies, meditation, and natural scenery. Various activities such as yoga and meditation are provided for relaxation.

WE Hotel Wellness Center.

A customized health resort that combines tourism and healthcare services. Based on its specialized infrastructure, the Wellness Center operates healing programs such as water treatment and medical spa using natural volcanic rock water.

Cheona Forest Path.

Cheonasup-gil, Jeju’s representative maple scenery spot, is a course in Hallasan Mountain Dulle-gil and extends 10.9km from Cheonasuwonji Reservoir to the entrance of Doloreum. Cheona Valley is located at the entrance of the forest road, and the autumn leaves of this valley are so beautiful that it is a must-visit attraction in autumn. As you go along the Cheonasupgil, the red color gradually darkens and you can see a superb view of each rock and autumn leaves.

Gosali Forest Trail. Gosali Forest Trail.

A nature trail which was  built on Harye, Namwon-eup, which was designated as an excellent, natural, ecological village by the Ministry of Environment in 2013, located at the southern end of Jeju Island. Gosali Forest Road, where you can fully feel Jeju Gotjawal, is not yet well known to the general public, so you can enjoy a quiet and leisurely walk.

If you walk along the Gosali Forest Road, which is 2.1km one way, you can see a dry stream called Sokgoe. Even though it is a dry stream, water is collected all year round, and the waterfall is spectacular in the case of rain.

There is also a free Gosali Forest Road tracking program where you can hear the lives of villagers and the stories of nature.

Sinheung 2-ri Dongbaek Village & Sinheung-ri Dongbaek-gil Camelia Village & Camelia Trail.

A village where you can feel and experience Jeju with all five of your senses. They are making natural camellia soap using camellia oil produced by villagers, and experiencing camellia dining tables cooked with seasonal food. The juniper tree is magnificent and it is within a 10-minute drive. If you go inside, you can see a tunnel-type alley leading to Dongbaek, which is a good spot to take once in a life time photos.

Jeju Camellia Arboretum & Wimi Port.

A single camellia arboretum located in Wimi-ri, south of Jeju Island. It is a beautiful arboretum where hundreds of red baby camellias bloom and many tourists visit to get their best shots during the winter flowering season. Wimi Port, where Jeju Olle Course 5 passes near Jeju Dongbaek Arboretum, is a spot where you can enjoy the beautiful Jeju sea and sunset.

Famous resorts such as Hawaii, Bali, and Kota Kinabalu anywhere in Europe seem to fall short of Jeju’s unique charm.

In addition, Jeju has been selected as one of the world’s seven major attractions, as well as Jeju’s own food and various accommodations, and above all, it seems to be a true healing attraction.

Cheongju is a city steeped in the history of civilization, the mayor Han said with pride by explaining the cultural history of the city. The Jikji, the world’s oldest extant book printed with movable metal type, was published in 1377 in Cheongju and is kept as a unique book in the Manuscrit Orientaux of France National Library. It was rediscovered in 1972 in France. After the Buddhist temple, which was the birthplace of Jikji, was excavated in 1984, the citizens of Cheongju have made every effort and have made lots of progress. Thanks to these endeavors, the Jikji was registered as a Memory of the World and it was decided to confer on the Jikji Prize under the authority of UNESCO.

To reinforce its reputation as a cultural city more globally, Cheongju Craft Biennale was held in 1991 as the first craft biennale in the world. During the past twenty years, “Cheongju has shared considerable connections with global museums and artists, which would consolidate its global competitiveness”, said the mayor.

The biennale site, Cheongju Culture Factory, is quite epoch-making in urban restoration. It is a remodeled place from a cigarette factory to an art museum. The mayor explained that a cigarette used to be manufactured in Cheongju, which propped up the local economy. However, during urbanization, most of the factories were relocated to suburban areas and so did the cigarette factory. During his first tenure as a mayor, when it was the early period of urban restoration policy, he made a policy suggestion to refurbish the site into a space for art. Now it became the fourth National Museum of Contemporary Art. It is the only ‘Schaulager’ in Korea, which is modeled on an openness museum where the art preservation process is open to the public. Visitors can see artworks in a visible storage. “It gave a lesson to Korean policymakers that creating a new storytelling based on the old would be more valuable than replacing the old things completely by the new”, he added.

The mayor Han showed his opinion that the local autonomy should be based on the unique culture of the region itself. He said that he will make Cheongju a global cultural city by holding the Cheongju Craft Biennale successfully. He thinks that the city can enjoy economic added value through the international event. He still has upcoming plans to develop more art and modern infrastructures in the city. There will come the momentum that the new infrastructures including Osong Station and Cheongju Airport will interconnect with the old and historic values including Cheongju Town wall and Cheongju Culture Factory. “Finally, Cheongju will become a successful combination of old and new,” the mayor said with a determined voice.

Kayla Hong

Asia Journal

About 10.9 million people were found to have visited the cluster of traditional Korean houses in Jeongju, North Jeolla Province, in 2017. The figure was 10.5 million in the previous year. The data was compiled based on telecommunication records and credit and debit card usage in the village.

Jeonju Hanok Village (Yonhap)

The age group that made up the most number of visitors was those in their 40s, followed by those in their 30s, 20s, and 50s, in that order. More than 30 percent of the visitors came from Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon.

Based on the latest findings, the Jeonju municipal government said it would actively push to foster the city to become a global cultural tourism destination.

By Lim Jeong-yeo (kaylalim@heraldcorp.com)