IHG Hotels & Resorts operates 19 hotel brands with more than 6,300 hotels in over 100 countries. In Japan, the company currently operates about 47 hotels under seven brands from Hokkaido to Okinawa (as of March 2024). For this interview, we asked Shigeru Samejima, general manager of the ANA Crowne Plaza Hotel Akita, about the…

SoftBank will launch the “Overseas Giga Large Increase Campaign” to increase data capacity to 90GB while maintaining the same “Overseas Anshin Flat-rate” rates. The campaign will run from April 26 to May 6 and covers Asian countries and regions classified as Flat-rate Country L, such as South Korea, China, and Taiwan. This service is available…

Due to expected crowds from April 22 to April 24, the park will open earlier at 9:00 a.m. (closing time will be 5:00 p.m.). The parking lot will open 30 minutes prior to the opening. General admission fee + seasonal fee Adults 800 yen, seniors 65 and over 560 yen, junior high school students and…

On April 23, Alpen released the “Transformation Bag” from its private brand “TIGORA,” which can be used as a shoulder bag or a daypack depending on the purpose. The price is 2999 yen. Zippers and snaps allow the bag to easily transform from a shoulder bag to a daypack without removing the luggage. The shoulder…

The Kanazawa Office of Rivers and National Highways and the Noto Reconstruction Office of the Hokuriku Regional Development Bureau of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism have announced the prospects for securing two-way traffic on National Route 470, the Notoetsu Expressway and the Noto-satoyama Kaido, which are currently under restoration work due to…

LOWRYS FARM, an apparel brand developed by Adagoria, will start pre-order sales of five items collaborated with Sanrio’s Hello Kitty on its official web store “.st” from April 26, 2012 at 12:00 pm. Regular sales will start on May 10 at stores that carry the items. The lineup includes a women’s yukata (11,000 yen) with…

On April 23, Toyoko Inn held a groundbreaking ceremony for the opening of its first Toyoko Inn in Kochi Prefecture (2-1-13 Honmachi, Kochi City, Kochi Prefecture). The opening is scheduled for February 2026. The company has already opened 337 stores in 46 prefectures, and with the opening of this planned site (tentatively named Kochi Ohashi-dori…

JR Tokai will introduce VR training simulators for on-platform staff of the Tokaido Shinkansen. The simulator will be deployed at all 17 Shinkansen stations to increase the frequency of training, and is expected to be used in conference rooms and other locations. The VR simulator displays realistic images of station platforms. It is possible to…

JR East will conduct the “JRE POINT Upgrade Discount Campaign” to offer a discount on Grand Class (without beverages and snacks). The period of use is from June 1 to 30. JRE POINT Upgrade is a service that allows passengers to use JRE POINT when purchasing Shinkansen e-tickets to upgrade from a reserved seat in…

On April 23, Lawson launched “MUJI Ashinari Right Angle Two-color Socks for Fun on the Front and Back” at stores that carry MUJI by Ryohin Keikaku. They come in four colors and cost 430 yen each. Ryohin Keikaku’s reversible socks, “Ashinari Right Angle,” which can be worn inside out, were developed as a LAWSON limited…