Post by @mdvmitarashi

AUTUMN 2026 UPDATE: All the things that have and will impact tourism in Japan From the time you probably started planning your trip up until now there are a few things you need to know that changed: A devastating earthquake hit the southern portion of Kyushu and the areas of travel that were heavily affected are the areas in and around Kumamoto, Yuki, Yatsushiro, Kashima, and Mashiki. 38 people lost their lives, 96 were injured and more than 6k people are without homes living in designated shelters. If you would like to donate to the Red Cross in Japan to support relief efforts here is the link: https://www.jrc.or.jp/contribute/help/20260731/ There is also a physical relief sign up app that Kumamoto has on their city website where you can sign up to help with physical clean up and reconstruction. 🔗 https://www.city.kumamoto.jp/kiji00372213/index.html Aside from Mother Nature the Japanese government has also already made changes that will impact the overall affordability of visiting Japan. The things already in effect are: July 1, 2026 ↳ ¥3k departure tax rather than 1k March 1, 2026 ↳ Kyoto accommodation-tax increase ↳ Japan Railway Company changing it to where IC cardholders (Suica, Pasmo) will pay 9% lower fare costs than those with paper tickets. March 14, 2026 ↳ JR East overall base fare increases Starting this Fall: October 1st, 2026 ↳ The national JR Pass will be increasing their prices again. New Nationwide JR Pass Prices (Effective Oct 1, 2026) 7-Day Ordinary: ¥53,000 (up from ¥50,000) 14-Day Ordinary: ¥84,000 (up from ¥80,000) 21-Day Ordinary: ¥105,000 (up from ¥100,000) 7-Day Green Car: ¥74,000 (up from ¥70,000)  This will affect purchases made on or after October 1, 2026. ↳ Tokyo Metropolitan Expressway tolls will increase by approximately 10%. Ordinary-car ETC rates will rise from ¥29.52/km to ¥32.472/km, with the maximum toll increasing from ¥1,950 to ¥2,130. This will only affect car renters and over time it will impact some bus services that go to and from the Tokyo Airports. November 2026 ↳ Japan will be changing their tax exemption system for tourists. When this happens tourists will pay the full tax upfront and apply for a refund at the airport during departure. Pros: + Removing the need for special sealed packaging. + Daily ¥500k purchase limit will be lifted on consumables. #japan #kumamoto #japantravel #japantrip #japan2026