Back in Japan after the pandemic: Some reflections

久しぶりです！

Amanohashidate, one of Japan’s three scenic views. Photo: Dean Koh

My previous trip to Japan was in May 2019 to attend a good friend’s wedding in Tokyo, so I wondered what has changed in the country, especially through the Covid-19 pandemic. With virtually no pandemic or border restrictions now, tourist visitor numbers in Japan is back in full force. According to a recent Reuters report, data from the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) showed the number of foreign visitors to Japan stood at 2.52 million in October 2023, which exceeded pre-pandemic levels.

From my experience from the sheer numbers of tourists in Osaka and Kyoto during this trip, it was not surprising to see Japan’s swift rebound in foreign visitors.

For me, entering Japan always comes with a sense of familiarity although sadly I can feel the deterioration in my command of the Japanese language. I found it hard to even hold a conversation with a restaurant manager I met during my dinner appointment at Namba.

Below are some observations from my 8-day trip to Osaka and Kyoto:

Payments

Japan is still very much a cash-based society but what I think is impressive is the ability to have both cash and cashless payment options at almost all places, rather than the cashless or nothing else approach we have in Singapore. My…