Japan is no stranger to millions of fascinated tourists from all over the world. Being one of the most bustling and sought after travel destinations in the last few years, the demand to explore what the country has to offer puts a big question mark on everyone’s mind. The COVID-19 outbreak is one catastrophic event that continues to shake up the global tourism industry as many countries continue to confirm cases in various parts of the world from China, Iran, to South Korea, and Japan to name a few.
Popular attractions in the most visited regions of Japan have been reported to be temporarily closed as a number of cases continue to manifest in different parts of the country. In light of the upcoming Tokyo 2020 Olympics, how the country will adjust to the precautionary measures will take in effect, however, its overall appeal to spectators, athletes, and sponsors will vary in impact. Channel News Asia brings forth the gradually increasing effects of the COVID-19 outbreak on the country’s tourism.
With many tourist attractions like Sanrio Puroland, Hirakata Park, Fuji-Q Highland, and Tokyo Disneyland temporarily closing its doors, several avid travelers tend to wonder, what else is there left to see in Japan? If you’re still pushing through with travel plans to the “land of the rising sun,” check out our list of non-touristy attractions and places that are still open to the public and worth exploring.
Kanto Region: Japan attractions that are temporarily closed
Tokyo
■ Ad Museum Tokyo: February 26 (Wed) - undecided
■ Asakusa Hanayashiki: March 1 (Sun) - March 15 (Sun)
■ Architectural Warehouse Museum: February 29 (Sat) - March 16 (Mon)
■ Edo Tokyo Tatemono Garden: February 29 (Sat) - March 16 (Mon)
■ Epson TeamLab Borderless: February 29 (Sat) - undecided
■ Guest House Akasaka Rikyu: February 29 (Sat) - March 15 (Sun) [NOTE: New reservations are not available during this period. However, the garden is still open for strolling even without a reservation]
■ Japan Soccer Museum: February 26 (Wed) - March 16 (Mon)
■ Kasai Rinkai Aquarium: February 29 (Sat) - March 15 (Sun)
■ Kidzania Tokyo: March 2 (Monday) - March 13 (Friday)
■ Konica Minolta Planetarium: February 27 (Thu) - March 15 (Sun)
■ Maxell Aqua Park: February 29 (Sat) - March 15 (Sun)
■ Mega Web: March 2 (Mon) - March 15 (Sun)
■ Mitaka Forest Ghibli Museum: February 25 (Tue) - March 17 (Tue)
■ Mori Art Museum: February 29 (Sat) - March 13 (Fri)
■ Namjatown: February 29 (Sat) - March 15 (Sun)
■ New National Theatre: February 28 (Fri) - March 15 (Sun)
■ Sanrio Puroland: February 22 (Sat) - March 15 (Sun)
■ Shinagawa Aquarium: March 3 (Tue) - March 15 (Sun)
■ Snoopy Museum: February 29 (Sat) - March 13 (Fri)
■ Sunshine Aquarium: March 3 (Tue) - March 15 (Sun)
■ teamLab Planets TOKYO: February 29 (Sat) - March 15 (Sun)
■ Tokyo Dome City Attractions March 1 (Sun) - March 8 (Sun)
■ Tokyo Joypolis: till March12 (Thu)
■ Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building Observatories: February 26 (Wed) - March 15 (Sun)
■ Tokyo One Piece Tower: February 28 (Fri) - March 17 (Tue) [NOTE: Tokyo Tower is open as usual]
■ Tokyo Sea Life Park: February 29 (Sat) - March 15 (Sun)
■ Tokyo Sky Circus: February 29 (Sat) - March 15 (Sun)
■ Tokyo Sky Tree / Sumida Aquarium: March 1 (Sun) - March 15 (Sun)
■ Tokyo Summerland: March 15 (Sunday)
■ Toshimaen: February 29 (Sat) - March 15 (Sun)
■ Ueno Zoo: February 29 (Sat) - March 16 (Mon) [NOTE: Other facilities in Ueno Onshi Park are also closed]
■ Yomiuri Land: 2 March 29 (Sat) - March 15 (Sun)
Events:
■ 34th annual Nakameguro Cherry Blossom Festival: March 21 (Sat) and April 8 (Wed)
■ Bunkyo Cherry Blossom Festival: March 21 (Sat) - April 5 (Sun)
■ Chiyoda Sakura Festival: March 25 (Wed) - April 5 (Sun)
■ Meguro River Cherry Blossom Festival: March 20 (Fri) - April 10 (Fri)
Why not check out these staycation options in Tokyo?
Kanagawa
■ Cup Noodle Museum Yokohama: February 29 (Sat) - March 11 (Wed)
■ Enoshima Aquarium: March 3 (Tue) - March 15 (Sun)
■ Hakkeijima Sea Paradise: February 29 (Sat) - March 15 (Sun)
■ Sagamiko Resort Pleasure Forest: March 2 (Mon) - March 6 (Fri)
■ Yokohama Anpanman Children’s Museum: February 29 (Sat) - March 15 (Sun)
■ Yokohama Cosmoworld: February 29 (Sat) - March 15 (Sun)
■ Yokohama Municipal Nogeyama Zoo: February 29 (Sat) - March 15 (Sun)
■ Zoorasia, Yokohama Municipal Zoo: February 29 (Sat) - March 15 (Sun)
Chiba
■ Kamogawa Sea World: March 4 (Wed) - March 17 (Tue)
■ Tokyo Disney Resort / Tokyo Disneyland / Tokyo DisneySea: February 29 (Sat) - early April [NOTE: The opening of their major development area which was scheduled for April 15 will also be rescheduled to mid-May the very least.]
Saitama
■ Moominvalley Park: March 2 (Mon) - March 13 (Fri)
■ Railway Museum: February 29 (Sat) - March 15 (Sun)
■ Seibuen Yuenchi: February 29 (Sat) - March 15 (Sun)
■ Tobu Zoological Park March 2 (Mon) - March 15 (Sun)
Yamanashi
■ Chateraise Hakushu Plant: March 1 (Sun) - undecided
■ Fujikyu Highland (Fuji-Q Highland): March 1 (Sun) - March 8 (Sun)
■ Linear Tour Center: February 29 (Sat) - March 16 (Mon)
Editor’s note: Most national museums in the region are temporarily closed. Do check with the respective museums before your planned visit.
Kansai Region: Japan attractions that are temporarily closed
Osaka
■ Abeno Harukas 300 Observation deck & Abeno Harukas Art Museum: Remains closed
■ Cup Noodle Museum Osaka Ikeda: Remains closed till May 13
■ Hirakata Park: Remains closed till July 2020
■ Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan: Remains closed till further notice
■ Osaka Castle Museum: Remains closed till further notice
■ Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts: Remains closed till May 1
■ Osaka Museum of History: Remains closed till further notice
■ Osaka Museum of Natural History: Remains closed till May 2020
■ Osaka Science Museum: Remains closed till further notice
■ Osaka Tennoji Zoo: Reopened with some facilities closed
■ Osaka Umeda Sky Building: Reopened
■ Universal Studios Japan: Remains closed till April 12
Why not check out these staycation options in Osaka?
Kyoto
■ Kyoto Aquarium: Remains closed till May
■ Kyoto International Manga Museum: February 29 (Sat) - April 19 (Sun)
■ Kyoto National Museum: Remains closed till further notice
■ Kyoto National Museum of Modern Art: Remains closed till further notice
■ Kyoto Railway Museum: Remains closed till further notice
■ Kyoto State Guest House: February 29 (Sat) - April 12 (Sun) [NOTE: New reservations are not allowed during this period]
■ Kyoto Tower: Reopened with limited visiting hours
■ Toei Uzumasa Movie Village: Remains closed till further notice
Why not check out these staycation options in Kyoto?
Hyogo
■ Himeji Castle: March 7 (Sat) - April 6 (Mon)
■ Himeji Municipal Zoo: Reopened with some events cancelled
■ Kidsania Koshien: March 2 (Mon) - April 19 (Sun)
■ Kobe Animal Kingdom: Reopened with some events cancelled
■ Kobe Port Tower: Reopened
Wakayama
■ Adventure World: Reopened
Nara
■ Nara National Museum: Remains closed till further notice
Editor’s note: Most national museums in the region are temporarily closed. Do check with the respective museums before your planned visit.
Tokai / Hokuriku Regions: Japan attractions that are temporarily closed
Aichi
■ Japan Monkey Park: March 2 (Mon) - March 13 (Fri)
■ Laguna Ten Bosch: February 29 (Sat) - March 15 (Sun)
■ Legoland Japan Resort: February 29 (Sat) - March 15 (Sun)
■ Linear and Railway Pavilion: February 29 (Sat) - March 17 (Tue)
■ Museum Meiji Village: March 2 (Mon) - March 13 (Fri)
■ Nagoya Castle: February 29 (Sat) - March 15 (Sun)
■ Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium: March 2 (Mon) - March 16 (Mon)
■ Takeshima Aquarium: March 2 (Mon) - March 24 (Tue)
Mie
■ Ise Meotoiwa Fureai Aquarium (Ise Sea Paradise): March 2 (Mon) - March 15 (Sun)
■ Nagashima Spa Land: March 2 (Mon) - March 13 (Fri)
■ Shima Spain Village: March 2 (Mon) - March 15 (Sun)
■ Toba Aquarium: March 2 (Mon) - March 15 (Sun)
Fukui
■ Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum: February 29 (Sat) - March 15 (Sun)
Shizuoka
■ Lake Hamana Palpal: March 3 (Tue) - March 15 (Sun)
Hokkaido / Tohoku Regions: Japan attractions that are temporarily closed
Hokkaido
■ Historical Village of Hokkaido: February 29 (Sat) - March 15 (Sun)
■ Otaru Aquarium: Febraury 25 (Tue) - March 13 (Fri) [NOTE: Reopening date may be postponed]
■ Sapporo Hitsujigaoka Observation Deck: March 2 (Mon) - March 19 (Thu)
■ Sapporo Maruyama Zoo: March 1 (Sun) - March 19 (Thu)
■ Sapporo TV Tower Observatory Deck: March 2 (Mon) - March 19 (Thu)
■ Shiroi Koibito Park: February 29 (Sat) - March 15 (Sun)
Travel Advisory
An “Emergency Declaration” was issued on February 28, 2020. Do note that many tourist attractions in Hokkaido will be closed for three weeks from February 28 to March 19 (tentatively). Kindly check the official websites of the attractions you are planning to visit before heading down.
You might be interested in these Airbnbs!
China / Shikoku / Kyushu / Okinawa Regions: Japan attractions that are temporarily closed
Okinawa
■ Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium: March 2 (Mon) - March 15 (Sun)
■ Orion Happy Park: February 29 (Sat) - undecided
Events:
■ Okinawa Azalea Festival: March 1 (Sun) - March 22 (Sun)
Nagasaki
■ Huis Ten Bosch: February 29 (Sat) - March 15 (Sun)
Oita
■ Sanrio Character Harmony Land: February 22 (Sat) - March 12 (Thu)
Tokushima
■ Otsuka International Art Museum: March 4 (Wed) - March 16 (Mon)
Hiroshima
■ Hiroshima Castle: February 29 (Sat) - March 15 (Sun)
■ Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum: February 29 (Sat) - March 15 (Sun)
■ Yamato Museum: March 2 (Mon) - undecided
Fukuoka
■ Fukuoka Tower: March 3 (Tue) - March 15 (Sun)
■ Kyushu National Museum: February 27 (Thu) - March 16 (Mon)
Kumamoto
■ Kumamoto Castle: March 1 (Sun) - March 15 (Sun)
Japan attractions that are still open & worth exploring
Trip101’s list: Read more
Jumping in or out of Japan?
The current viral outbreak of the COVID-19 may seem daunting from a global perspective and taking necessary precautions to be free of risk is a must for several people, thus the need for some travelers to take a step back from flying to their next travel destination. Many of the country’s popular tourist attractions may be closed at the moment, but there are still a couple of non-touristy places in Japan to check out for the bold explorers looking to set off with new adventures. Time to explore the off-the-beaten places!
Stay updated on the latest travel advisories and recent news before you make any travel decisions.
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