Halloween in Shibuya? Tourists urged to stay away from famous Tokyo destination

The shoji screen door slides closed behind me. The room is sun-dappled — paper door and latticework walls letting light in while keeping prying eyes out. My shoes have been spirited away and the tatami floor is cool underfoot, its summer-hay scent hanging in the air. The rush grass used for the flooring, I’m told, comes from neighbouring Kumamoto Prefecture. The latticework carpentry forming the walls and arched ceilings are Okawa Kumiko style, originating in Fukuoka, which is where I currently find myself. Although not for much longer. At the blow of a whistle, this room will soon be on the move. The delicate confection of paper, wood and grass is, in fact, inside a train.

He moves like a dancer, light-footed and nimble, gliding along the polished expanse of the wooden bar area. Naruki Takimoto, chef-patron at his eponymous sushi restaurant in Himi city, is slicing fish for my omakase sushi menu — and it’s as much performance as it is dinner. He fans slivers of beet-red maguro tuna and brushes soy sauce over shrimp, handling morsels as delicately as precious gems. And in a way they are, because Toyama Bay’s fish is considered the crown jewel of the seas.

The bright red and yellow maple leaves have started to fall in Nikko, one of Japan's most scenic but elusive destinations.

Monsters might be fictional characters in books and movies, but these ominous, otherworldly creatures are often linked with real-life places.

International tourists have been flocking back to Japan with visitor numbers nearly reaching pre-pandemic levels, according to government statistics.

Cambodia has a brand-new airport for travelers flying directly to its popular attraction of Angkor Wat, offering an upgraded experience to get to the famous site in an effort to boost tourism.

Premier custom tour operator Avanti Destinations has exciting news for independent travelers looking to journey to Japan. The company has recently added two captivating Japanese destinations, Shizuoka and Tohoku, to its already impressive portfolio. 

When my now-fiancée and I started dating, we would take each other on hometown dates. 

Japan is a magical place. It's a country where you can roam futuristic neighborhoods one minute and walk down streets that feel like stepping back in time the next.

Kyoto, Japan, was overrun by tourists a few years ago. Gift shops selling cheap souvenirs had taken over the popular Shinkyogoku shopping arcade, replacing stores that sold traditional Japanese textiles and ceramics. Pontocho Alley, perhaps Kyoto's most famous street, was so clogged with visitors during high season that you almost couldn't breathe.

Iceland has become a victim of its own popularity. As travelers continue to be drawn to the island nation’s dramatic—and Instagram-friendly—natural landscapes, the impact on its environment is growing. In an attempt to curb that mounting pressure, the country’s Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir announced late last month that a new tourist tax—with specifics still being discussed—will be implemented in 2024.“Tourism has really grown exponentially in Iceland in the last decade, and that obviously is not just creating effects on the climate,” she told Bloomberg. “It’s also because most of our guests who are coming to us are visiting unspoiled nature, and obviously it creates a pressure.”

This as-told-to story is based on a conversation with Hallie Bradley, the 39-year-old founder of the travel site The Soul of Seoul. She shares what she's learned after living in Seoul, South Korea since 2006. It's been edited for length and clarity.