What's New in Japan: Latest Destinations, Openings and Travel Changes

Japan's travel landscape has shifted considerably heading into 2026. The Expo 2025 Osaka concluded in October 2025, leaving behind permanent infrastructure. Overtourism countermeasures that started in Kyoto have spread to other cities. A wave of new accommodation and dining options has emerged across regions that were previously overlooked. Here's what matters for planning your trip now.

The Expo 2025 Legacy

What the Expo Left Behind

Expo 2025 Osaka-Kansai ran from April to October 2025 on Yumeshima Island, drawing tens of millions of visitors. The physical pavilions have been dismantled, but the infrastructure changes are permanent.

The Osaka Metro Chuo Line extension to Yumeshima Station continues to operate, improving access to the Osaka Bay area. New hotels that opened around Cosmosquare and Bentencho during the expo period remain, offering lower-cost alternatives to central Osaka accommodation - a useful option if central hotels are full or expensive during busy periods.

The IR Yumesaki people mover that connected Sakurajima Station to the expo site during the event has ceased operations, but the route has improved connections to Universal Studios Japan. Budget slightly less transit time than the expo-period advice suggested.

Major Infrastructure Updates

Major Infrastructure Updates

Hokuriku Shinkansen: Now Established

The Hokuriku Shinkansen extension to Tsuruga (Fukui Prefecture), which opened in March 2024, is now well-established and reliable. The route opens Fukui Prefecture - home to Eiheiji Temple, dramatic coastal cliffs at Tojinbo, and Japan's foremost dinosaur museum - within straightforward reach of Kanazawa.

Tokyo to Fukui City takes around 3 hours 7 minutes; Tokyo to Tsuruga, 3 hours 23 minutes. The JR Pass covers the full route. Fukui remains one of the least crowded culturally significant prefectures in central Japan - worth building into any itinerary that moves beyond the Golden Route.

Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen: New Private Compartments

Starting October 2026, the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen will introduce Supreme Class private compartments featuring reclining seats and lockable doors. These compartments can only be purchased online, offering a premium alternative to standard reserved seating on Japan's busiest shinkansen routes. Book in advance through official JR ticketing websites.

Visit Japan Web: Now the Standard

The Visit Japan Web (VJW) digital entry system is fully operational and now the expected norm at all major airports. Complete your quarantine, immigration, and customs declarations up to two weeks before arrival. The QR code this generates cuts 15-30 minutes from the immigration process at Narita, Haneda, Kansai, Chubu, Fukuoka, and New Chitose airports.

Paper forms still exist but queue times are consistently longer. Register at vjw.digital.go.jp. The interface works well on mobile. Do this before your flight.

Hokuriku Shinkansen: Now Established

The Hokuriku Shinkansen extension to Tsuruga (Fukui Prefecture), which opened in March 2024, is now well-established and reliable. The route opens Fukui Prefecture - home to Eiheiji Temple, dramatic coastal cliffs at Tojinbo, and Japan's foremost dinosaur museum - within straightforward reach of Kanazawa.

Tokyo to Fukui City takes around 3 hours 7 minutes; Tokyo to Tsuruga, 3 hours 23 minutes. The JR Pass covers the full route. Fukui remains one of the least crowded culturally significant prefectures in central Japan - worth building into any itinerary that moves beyond the Golden Route.

Visit Japan Web: Now the Standard

The Visit Japan Web (VJW) digital entry system is fully operational and now the expected norm at all major airports. Complete your quarantine, immigration, and customs declarations up to two weeks before arrival. The QR code this generates cuts 15-30 minutes from the immigration process at Narita, Haneda, Kansai, Chubu, Fukuoka, and New Chitose airports.

Paper forms still exist but queue times are consistently longer. Register at vjw.digital.go.jp. The interface works well on mobile. Do this before your flight.

Established Attractions Worth Knowing

Established Attractions Worth Knowing

TeamLab Borderless, Azabudai Hills

TeamLab Borderless reopened at Azabudai Hills in February 2024 - this is now fully established and one of Tokyo's most-visited attractions. Tickets cost ¥3,800 for adults and sell out weeks ahead for weekends. Book online through the official website before your trip. The venue sits between Roppongi-Itchome Station (Namboku Line) and Kamiyacho Station (Hibiya Line).

The Azabudai Hills complex itself - opened November 2023, centred on Japan's tallest building - is worth exploring beyond TeamLab. The central garden by landscape architect Hiroshi Nakamura is freely accessible and offers unexpected calm in central Tokyo.

TeamLab Planets, Toyosu – Closing by End of 2027

TeamLab Planets in Toyosu, one of Tokyo's signature immersive digital art experiences, is scheduled to close by the end of 2027. The installation has operated since July 2018. If this venue is on your list, prioritize visiting before closure. Book tickets well in advance through the official teamLab website, as visitor numbers will likely increase as the closure date approaches.

TeamLab Biovortex, Kyoto

TeamLab Biovortex opened permanently in Kyoto from October 2025, adding a second major digital art museum to teamLab's Japan portfolio. The venue focuses on biological and organic themes in immersive digital environments. Check the official teamLab website for current ticket prices, hours, and advance booking options.

Fukuoka Castle Ruins: Year-Round Illumination

Fukuoka's Maizuru Park, site of the atmospheric castle ruins, now runs permanent evening illuminations year-round (sunset to 10pm), not only during cherry blossom season. Entry remains free. This makes the ruins a viable evening activity after exploring Tenjin or Nakasu's yatai food stalls. Access via Ohori-Koen Station.

Established Attractions Worth Knowing

TeamLab Borderless, Azabudai Hills

TeamLab Borderless reopened at Azabudai Hills in February 2024 - this is now fully established and one of Tokyo's most-visited attractions. Tickets cost ¥3,800 for adults and sell out weeks ahead for weekends. Book online through the official website before your trip. The venue sits between Roppongi-Itchome Station (Namboku Line) and Kamiyacho Station (Hibiya Line).

The Azabudai Hills complex itself - opened November 2023, centred on Japan's tallest building - is worth exploring beyond TeamLab. The central garden by landscape architect Hiroshi Nakamura is freely accessible and offers unexpected calm in central Tokyo.

TeamLab Biovortex, Kyoto

TeamLab Biovortex opened permanently in Kyoto from October 2025, adding a second major digital art museum to teamLab's Japan portfolio. The venue focuses on biological and organic themes in immersive digital environments. Check the official teamLab website for current ticket prices, hours, and advance booking options.

Fukuoka Castle Ruins: Year-Round Illumination

Fukuoka's Maizuru Park, site of the atmospheric castle ruins, now runs permanent evening illuminations year-round (sunset to 10pm), not only during cherry blossom season. Entry remains free. This makes the ruins a viable evening activity after exploring Tenjin or Nakasu's yatai food stalls. Access via Ohori-Koen Station.

TeamLab Borderless, Azabudai Hills

TeamLab Borderless reopened at Azabudai Hills in February 2024 - this is now fully established and one of Tokyo's most-visited attractions. Tickets cost ¥3,800 for adults and sell out weeks ahead for weekends. Book online through the official website before your trip. The venue sits between Roppongi-Itchome Station (Namboku Line) and Kamiyacho Station (Hibiya Line).

The Azabudai Hills complex itself - opened November 2023, centred on Japan's tallest building - is worth exploring beyond TeamLab. The central garden by landscape architect Hiroshi Nakamura is freely accessible and offers unexpected calm in central Tokyo.

Fukuoka Castle Ruins: Year-Round Illumination

Fukuoka's Maizuru Park, site of the atmospheric castle ruins, now runs permanent evening illuminations year-round (sunset to 10pm), not only during cherry blossom season. Entry remains free. This makes the ruins a viable evening activity after exploring Tenjin or Nakasu's yatai food stalls. Access via Ohori-Koen Station.

Overtourism Measures: Know Before You Go

Kyoto: Restrictions Have Expanded

Kyoto's Gion Hanamikoji Street prohibits entry to private lanes (the small alleys off the main street) from 5pm to 10pm, with ¥10,000 fines enforced. Fushimi Inari has a voluntary ¥1,000 mountain preservation fee at the base of the torii pathway.

Arashiyama's bamboo grove now runs a reservation system for early morning access (6am-8am) during April, May, October, and November. Reservations open one month ahead through the Kyoto City Official Travel Guide website. The ¥500 per person fee is worth it - these slots are significantly less crowded than standard visiting hours.

Beyond Kyoto: Emerging Restrictions

Other popular destinations have introduced similar measures following Kyoto's lead. Mount Fuji's Yoshida Trail now charges a ¥2,000 climbing fee per person (introduced summer 2024) and has a daily visitor cap during peak season (mid-July to mid-September). The Fujikawaguchiko bulk barrier that blocks the viral "Mount Fuji and Lawson" photograph angle is now permanent.

Nara introduced gentle crowd management at popular deer feeding areas during peak hours, routing visitors through different sections of the park. The deer still roam freely - only the human routing has changed.

Practical approach: Visit Gion before 5pm or after 10pm. Arrive at Fushimi Inari before 8am or after 4pm. Book Arashiyama early morning slots immediately when they open.

Policy Changes Affecting Entry

Digital Nomad Visa

Japan's six-month digital nomad visa (introduced March 2024) is now an established option for remote workers from 49 countries including the UK, USA, and Australia. Requirements: proof of ¥10 million annual income (approximately £50,000) and comprehensive health insurance. Apply through Japanese embassies abroad; processing takes 5-10 working days.

The visa allows a single six-month period and cannot be extended from within Japan. It doesn't convert to other visa types in-country, so plan your timeline before applying.

JR Pass: Calculate Carefully

The JR Pass price increases of October 2023 fundamentally changed the value calculation. A 7-day ordinary pass costs ¥50,000. This still makes financial sense for itineraries covering significant ground - a Tokyo-Kyoto-Osaka-Hiroshima loop comfortably exceeds ¥50,000 in individual shinkansen tickets. Single-region travel or city-focused trips often cost less using regular tickets or regional passes.

Use Hyperdia or Google Maps to calculate your specific route's ticket cost before committing to a pass. Don't assume it's automatically worthwhile.

Food and Accommodation

Regional Accommodation Expanding

The Seto Inland Sea islands - Naoshima, Teshima, Shodoshima - continue to attract visitors drawn by the contemporary art museums and installations. Accommodation has expanded since 2023-2024 but remains limited relative to visitor numbers. Book two to three months ahead for weekends and holiday periods.

Staying overnight on Naoshima specifically remains worthwhile: the island's atmosphere after day-trippers leave on the afternoon ferries is markedly different from the daytime crowds.

Conveyor Belt Sushi Ordering

Major kaiten-zushi chains (Kura Sushi, Sushiro) now operate primarily via tablet ordering with direct delivery lanes rather than traditional conveyor belts. Order accuracy is better; the impulse-pick experience is largely gone. English interfaces work reliably at most urban locations. Budget ¥2,000-3,000 per person. Most major chains are in suburban shopping centres rather than tourist districts - a short local train ride from central stations.

Transportation

Haneda Airport Connections

Haneda Terminal 3 (international) completed its renovation in 2024, adding immigration gates and improving domestic connections. Same-day international-to-domestic connections are now viable with a 1.5-hour buffer. The Keikyu Line remains the fastest route to central Tokyo (18 minutes to Shinagawa, ¥300).

Looking Ahead to 2027

Osaka's integrated resort development (including a casino on Yumeshima) faces continued delays. Partial opening is unlikely before 2030.

Hokkaido Shinkansen to Sapporo remains scheduled for 2030. The current northern terminus is Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station.

Linear (Maglev) Chuo Shinkansen from Tokyo to Nagoya, previously targeting 2027, has been pushed back indefinitely due to environmental approval disputes in Shizuoka Prefecture. No confirmed opening date.

Nagasaki Shinkansen full integration with Fukuoka is still awaiting funding decisions. Transfer at Takeo-Onsen between conventional trains and shinkansen remains necessary.

How This Affects Your Planning

The Hokuriku Shinkansen extension makes Fukui Prefecture genuinely accessible for the first time - consider building it into any itinerary moving through Kanazawa. The San'in region (Tottori, Matsue, Izumo) similarly remains undervisited and offers deep cultural experiences with limited crowds.

Complete Visit Japan Web before your flight. Book TeamLab Borderless weeks ahead. Factor in Kyoto's access restrictions and plan around them rather than hoping to ignore them - enforcement is real.

The JR Pass price change demands a specific calculation for your route. Don't skip it.

Japan continues to evolve rapidly. The direction of travel - more digital, more managed, more explicitly priced - reflects the country handling 35+ million annual visitors. Plan with current information, build in flexibility, and you'll find the country as rewarding as it's ever been.