September 2023

WEATHER: Getting a jump on fall, rice fields are ready for harvesting and beach season has finally died down but its still warm enough for swimming. Weather tends to fluctuate in the fall. On the Sea of Japan, the sun is setting on the water. In the mountains, the best season for hiking is just getting started. The Oni Trail is a great place to get a little shade or a little altitude for a bit of a reprieve from the warmer months.

UPCOMING TRAVEL: For travelers planning to visit the village of Ine, accommodations are already close to fully booked throughout the town through the end of September. With saturdays and sundays being peak days (with Japanese tourism included), we highly recommend visiting Ine during the week if possible. For visitors hoping to stay in the Ine boat house village, we recommend trying to reserve weekdays, or perhaps spend the night in Amanohashidate and then day trip up to Ine from there. Try to reserve as close to three months in advance as possible.

COVID STATUS: In Kyoto by the Sea and across Japan, the mask-wearing mandates were dropped on March 13th. A high percentage of local people are still wearing masks in public, especially in stores and on public transport. Some places may still require masks, but mask wearing is now predominantly left up to the individual.

Some leftover COVID info

Follow the link to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan to see current guidelines, regulations, and entrance permissions (scroll down the page to see countries divided into Red, Yellow, and Blue categories).

In addition, look for updates on eased restrictions within Japan. Currently a majority of Japanese residents still wear masks, and are asked to continue COVID measures when in public. The government seems to be moving towards easing these “advised” restrictions, slowly bringing Japan to be more in line with other G7 countries. The country is still divided on mask wearing in public, as the country has a large elderly population.

Stay safe, stay hydrated, and stay positive!

We will continue to provide the following links to guidelines and prevention for the hospitality industry as outlined by the WHO, AHLA (American Hotel and Lodging Association), and U.S. Travel Association (using CDC guidelines). It is our hope that all areas can continue to open safely.

Posters and what they mean

You may notice the below poster at many of the area’s establishments. Along with pictogram guidelines, the businesses with these posters are cooperating with Kyoto by the Sea DMO to reduce/prevent the spread of the virus while maintaining their business practices. With everyone’s cooperation, we can successfully keep people safe and businesses bustling!