Hotels, coaches, and guides were all fully booked. Groups looking to travel to see the pink blooms had to have their requests rejected by tour operators.
Anyone who travelled to Japan in 2023 to see the cherry blossoms saw huge lines, even longer wait times for everything from checking in at the airport to ordering food at restaurants, understaffed hotels, and streets crowded with tourists. In sharp contrast to the stereotype of Japanese “preparedness and efficiency,” it was.
Tokyo-based independent tour guide Jupiter Ishida claimed that “Japan was not prepared for the season.” He continued by explaining how after COVID-19, the seasoned workers in the tourism sector had left to pursue other careers and had not come back in time for the 2023 season.
Sakuras, or cherry blossoms, are light pink flowering trees that have come to represent the nation. Since years, their picturesque appeal has attracted travellers to Japan.
Sorce- the print
