Visiting Japan this Summer

Many of you have written to me asking if I recommend traveling to Japan this Summer or if it’s better to wait for a while after what happened last March 11th.

My answer in one sentence: “There’s no reason to worry, all the areas that are interesting for tourists are back to normal”.

• All the trains in the country are already working. Even those that run through the most affected areas.
• Sendai airport, which was destroyed by the tsunami, is running again.
• Opening hours for museums, temples and tourist attractions are the same like before the catastrophe.
• Except some smaller roads in the affected areas near the coast of Tohoku, the rest of infrastructures are up and running smoothly.
• Cell phone coverage arrives to almost every place in Tohoku.
• Almost all the food factories that stopped their production after the earthquake are back at work like before. In Tokyo we don’t see empty shelves at the supermarkets anymore.
• It seems like TEPCO is sure that there will be no electricity shortages during this Summer
• Radiation levels are back to normal except in the restricted areas around Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant

The only inconveniences caused by the catastrophe of last March that you might encounter if you come this Summer are:

• Maybe you will find some streets that are darker because of the energy saving measures taken.
• You will not be able to visit areas within a 30 km radius from Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. Although, to my knowledge, there’s not much of interest around the area.
• If you plan on visiting the coast of Tohoku you will find everything devastated. However you can always volunteer for reconstruction tasks.

I hope that if you were doubtful about coming to Japan I’ve helped you; here and here you have some general advice on traveling to Japan.