Hokkaido aims to resume visa-free and independent travel in October

For all those travellers who’ve been counting the days until the opening of Japan for independent travellers, it’s finally here! Earlier this month, it was announced that travellers are free to visit Japan independently. The visa waiver programme was recommenced as well allowing travellers from 68 nations to travel to the island visa-free. Travel was further made easier with lesser covid-19 regulations to adhere to. Immigration requirements related to Covid-19 now only include the submission of a vaccination certificate or a negative PCR report within 72 hours of departure.

With the challenge Japan faced in the past two and a half years, many hotels in Hokkaido Japan faced difficulty until the rebound of domestic tourism this summer. Grand Park Otaru and other hotels in Hokkaido and around Japan are now prepared to receive foreign visitors.