There’s just a little silver lining to Himeji Fortress’s new tiered ticket costs, however in case you’re not a neighborhood, it’s most likely going to price you a complete lot extra.
The city of Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture, actually solely has one main sightseeing attraction. After all, since mentioned attraction is Himeji Fortress, extensively thought-about probably the most stunning and well-preserved fortress in all of Japan, so to anybody with an curiosity in Japanese historical past or classical structure, it’s value visiting.
Nonetheless, experiencing Himeji Fortress’s cultural and aesthetic worth goes to come back with elevated prices, as town’s municipal authorities has introduced plans to double, and probably even triple, the price of admission to the fortress for non-local grownup vacationers.
Presently, ticket prices for Himeji Fortress are based mostly solely on age. For adults (together with school college students), the value is 1,000 yen (US$6.65). Tickets for elementary, center, or highschool college students are 300 yen, and admission is free for youths youthful than that.
The municipal authorities had been discussing elevating ticket costs to pay for added earthquake-proofing of the fortress’s stone partitions, and town’s mayor initially floated the thought of a two-tiered pricing system by which overseas vacationers could be charged increased costs. This proposal was deemed “untimely,” and in its stead the choice has been made to cost increased costs for all non-Himeji-resident adults, together with residents of different Japanese cities.
Below the brand new system, tickets will stay at 1,000 yen for Himeji adults, however costs for different adults will improve to someplace between 2,000 and three,000 yen. The precise value is scheduled to be determined upon this coming March, initially of the brand new fiscal 12 months.
There’s a little bit of a silver lining for out-of-towners, although, and one which locals profit from too. Below the brand new ticket pricing system, admission to Himeji Fortress will likely be free for all guests age 17 and underneath, no matter the place they’re coming from. This resolution was made with the intention to “Present the surprise of [Himeji] Fortress to youngsters from all around the world,” in line with a report by Hyogo newspaper Kobe Shimbun Subsequent. Oddly sufficient, this does imply that the value for 18-year-olds who’re nonetheless in highschool will rise from 300 to 1,000 yen for Himeji residents, and to the but increased value for out-of-town guests.
1,479,567 individuals visited Himeji Fortress in 2023, with roughly 12 p.c of them paying the 300-yen pupil admission value. That works out to just a little over 53 million yen that town will likely be forgoing (minus admission paid by 18-year-old highschool college students) by making the fortress free for guests underneath 18, however that determine is projected to be greater than made up for with the elevated costs charged to out-of-towners. The elevated income is deliberate to be used in restoration tasks and in “establishing new companies,” corresponding to a baggage storage service.
On-line reactions to the brand new pricing plan have been largely damaging on Japanese Twitter, with feedback corresponding to:
“Nicely, that’ll cut back customer numbers.”
“Guess I’m not going to Himeji.”
“No less than let Hyogo Prefecture residents in for the cheaper admission.”
“All proper, taking Himeji Fortress off my journey record. Guess it’s on to Okayama Fortress.”
“Isn’t this going to have the other of its supposed impact? Even individuals residing within the neighboring cities and prefectures are going to be much less more likely to go to Himeji and assist its native companies. There’s no assure that the inbound overseas tourism growth goes to go on without end.”
“No approach individuals from the subsequent city over are gonna go to Himeji Fortress in the event that they must pay these new costs.”
“I believe there’s going to be a giant drop in home guests, and the place will likely be full of simply vacationers from abroad.”
The state of affairs described by the final remark isn’t so far-fetched. For overseas vacationers on what could also be a once-in-a-lifetime journey to Japan, an additional 2,000 yen to get into Himeji Fortress isn’t going to be that large a deal as soon as it’s folded into their complete journey price range together with worldwide round-trip airfare, rail cross/practice ticket bills as they hit up a number of tourism locations across the nation, and all of the “Japan stuff” memento purchasing they wish to do for the foreseeable future. As such, the upper ticket value might not dissuade all that many overseas vacationers, particularly with the weak yen at the moment dampening the value increase in absolute (i.e. non-proportional) phrases.
However, Japanese home vacationers are undoubtedly going to note the distinction. For comparability, amongst Osaka, Nagoya, Hikone, Matsumoto, Matsue, and Kumamoto Castles, all amongst Japan’s most-visited castles, Hikone is the one one which at the moment fees 1,000 yen for grownup admission, with tickets for all of the others being cheaper than that. Himeji’s new pricing system would make it, by far, the costliest fortress in Japan for out-of-town adults to go to, and is more likely to severely diminish its attractiveness to day trippers and different home vacationers whose visits wouldn’t be a part of a Japan trip they’ve put aside tons of of hundreds of yen for.
Supply: Kobe Shimbun Subsequent, Twitter, Twitter/@kobeshinbun, Twitter/@livedoornews
High picture: Pakutaso
Insert photos: Wikipedia/Nubero
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