The “hidden depreciation of the yen” is making overseas travel more and more difficult during the year-end and New Year’s holidays….

This is an “eye-opening solution” when you think about it. The purpose of our international travel during the year-end and New Year’s holidays is to enjoy an extraordinary experience. From this point of view, Okinawa and Tokyo fit that purpose perfectly.

In the case of Okinawa, you can enjoy a foreign experience by renting a car and staying in a city or village a little further away from Naha City. Take Okinawa City, for example. Formerly called Koza City, the center of Okinawa City is a U.S. military base town.

In recent years, Koza has seen an increase in the number of restaurants and retail stores run by young people in an effort to revitalize the town. Old shopping streets are being renovated and new stores with a new sense of style are springing up one after another. In addition, some of these stores have been converted into exotic hotels where visitors can enjoy their stay.

If you want to feel like you are overseas in Okinawa, another place to visit is Chatan. The former U.S. military base has been returned to its former location and a vast sightseeing area called “American Village” has sprung up here, lined with American-style restaurants and stores. There are also a number of major capital hotels such as Hilton, which are suitable for long-term stays.

Another thing I personally recommend in Okinawa is the steak culture. There are many American-style steakhouses in Okinawa, as the U.S. military is a major customer. Not only steaks, but anything you eat in Okinawa is less than 1/3 of the price in the US. And Okinawa is only a two-hour flight from Tokyo. It is definitely a prime spot to enjoy the feeling of traveling abroad while traveling domestically.

Tokyo,” a hot spot for redevelopment

Tokyo, another popular tourist destination, is a great place to visit because of its cutting-edge redevelopment. In Shinjuku Kabukicho, a popular destination for inbound tourists, Tokyu Corporation has opened the Kabukicho Tower.

On the second floor of the building is a side street with izakaya (Japanese style pubs) from all over the country, and a DJ introduces the latest music in the center of the street. In Kabukicho and Shinjuku’s West Exit, stores that evoke an exotic Japan are proliferating, with their large numbers of lanterns and electric lights, transforming the area into a town that gives the impression of a future Japan rather than the Japan of the past.

Roppongi remains a great area to visit as well. It is the cultural center of Japan’s urban culture, reminiscent of New York, and the urban landscape is constantly changing with large-scale redevelopment projects such as Roppongi Hills and Midtown.

In November, the new ” Azabudai Hills ” opened adjacent to this town. It is the birth of a new town covered in greenery and planned as never before. In fact, Azabudai Hills is within walking distance of Roppongi, and from Azabudai Hills, Toranomon Hills is within walking distance. In other words, Tokyo’s new city has begun to evolve from a stand-alone development to a connected urban development.

Of course, ” Shibuya ” and ” Uraharajuku ” continue to evolve, and ” Asakusa ” and ” Ginza ” are both popular among inbound tourists. I believe that coming to Tokyo during the year-end and New Year’s holidays to explore these popular inbound destinations will be an exotic experience that will make you feel extraordinary.

As you can see, even during the year-end and New Year holidays, which require caution due to the weak and hidden depreciation of the yen, you can still have a gorgeous time with a little ingenuity. We hope you will all enjoy your once-a-year vacation to the fullest.