Last March, Japan's cherry blossoms attracted more than three million foreign visitors. The number of visitors from the United States (+64.3%) and Germany (+66.1%) has also increased considerably.
The city of Kyoto recently decided to prohibit access to certain private roads in Gion, its famous geisha district. From this summer, a daily quota of people will be imposed to take the most popular path to climb the mythical Mount Fuji. Access will cost a little more than 12 euros (2,000 yen). As for the city of Osaka, the main metropolis in western Japan, the mayor said he is considering imposing a tax on foreign tourists, in addition to the existing hotel tax. The government has been trying since 2022 to bring them back en masse, considering them a welcome reinforcement to support consumption in the country. The archipelago was completely closed to foreigners during the pandemic, but the government is now trying to bring it back. In Japan, it is possible to buy a ticket to see the cherry trees in bloom.