Japan changes faster than guidebooks reprint. This tracker logs dated, officially confirmed changes — fare revisions, closures, suspensions, openings and price changes — that make older articles and guidebooks wrong. Every entry was read from the operator's official pages by our editors; nothing here is rumor. Last updated: August 12, 2026. Feel free to cite or link this page; we keep it current.
Transport: fares and route changes
| Effective | What changed | Why it matters |
|---|
| Mar 2026 | JR group fare revisions (incl. JR East) | Train fares quoted in pre-2026 guides are stale — check official JR channels. Our transport guides deliberately omit unverified fares. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Japan Rail Pass price rise: 7-day ¥50,000 → ¥53,000 (14-day ¥84,000, 21-day ¥105,000) | Buy before the change if your trip allows. Details in our rail-pass math. |
| Aug 1, 2026 | Kusakaru DirectLine bus suspended (Karuizawa–Kusatsu express; driver shortage, official notice) | Only ~5 local buses/day remain on that route — see Kusatsu access. |
| 2026 (current) | Seibu Manza–Kusatsu section suspended; Alpico Narita/Haneda–Hakuba airport buses not operating (seasonal, 2026–27 TBA) | Two more “standard routes” in old guides that don't currently run. |
| Apr 17, 2026 | Lake Chuzenji cruise fares revised: hop-on circuit now ¥2,000 regular / ¥2,200 busy season | Pre-April prices circulating online are dead. See Nikko guide. |
Attractions: closures and reopenings
| Dates | What | Notes |
|---|
| Jan 15, 2026 → Sep 2027 | Akechidaira Ropeway (Nikko) closed for renewal | The classic Kegon-Falls-plus-lake viewpoint is offline until autumn 2027 (operator's official notice). |
| FY2026 | Lake Motosu "Moguran" boat suspended (low water levels) | Fuji Five Lakes itineraries relying on it need rerouting. |
| Jul 17, 2026 | New Kawaguchiko boat line launched: Oishi Park Line "Ensoleillé" (¥1,000) | New traffic-free route to the flower park — Kawaguchiko guide. |
| 2025 (final edition) | Kawaguchiko Herb Festival discontinued | The lavender still blooms at Oishi/Yagizaki parks; the festival itself is officially over. |
| Renamed | "Kachi Kachi Yama Ropeway" → Mt. Fuji Panorama Ropeway (new official name and website) | Old links point at an expired domain. |
| Aug 24, 2026 | Pokémon Center Mega Tokyo reopens | After its renovation closure — Pokémon Center guide. |
| Oct 22, 2026 | Meiji Jingu Stadium turns 100 — official centenary games & goods | A once-ever ticket — Tokyo baseball guide. |
Food and retail: price and status changes
| Effective | What | Notes |
|---|
| Aug 7, 2026 | Jojoen service charge unified at 5% across all branches (was mixed 10%/5%) | Guides warning of "10% service" are out of date — yakiniku guide. |
| Apr 27, 2026 | Mikawa Zezankyo omakase revised to ¥30,000 +tax (from ¥27,000) | Even the shop's own English page lagged — tempura guide. |
| Current | Tsunahachi Shinjuku honten closed for rebuilding (annex operating); Kinshicho branch closes Aug 31, 2026 | The most-recommended tempura address in guidebooks is a construction site. |
| Jun 1, 2026 | Ginza Tenkuni menu prices revised (lunch tendon now ¥1,700) | Current values in our tempura guide. |
| Sep 10, 2026 | IMADEYA KAKU-UCHI TOKYO opens (Yaesu, Tokyo Station) — sake by the glass | New easiest sake-tasting stop — sake guide. |
| Through Sep 17, 2026 | Sailor Moon "petite" pop-ups (Umeda/Hiroshima/Fukuoka/Kumamoto) end | Sailor Moon store guide. |
| Nov 2026 | Japan's tax-free system switches to refund-style (national change) | Affects every tax-free shopping guide — tax-free guide. |
Corrections: things the internet keeps getting wrong
| The claim | The officially verified reality |
|---|
| "Wanaka has an Asakusa branch" | Wanaka's official store list covers Osaka, Fukuoka and Hokkaido only, and states no other shops exist — takoyaki guide. |
| "Omoide Yokocho has 300 bars" | The merchants' association counts ~60 eateries among ~80 businesses — yakitori guide. |
| "NIKKO PASS costs under ¥5,000" | The ALL AREA pass is officially ¥8,000 (4 days) — Nikko guide. |
| "Hakuba's valley shuttle is free" | Officially ¥800 (online tickets only) unless you hold a valid lift pass — Hakuba access guide. |
| "Henn na Hotel is unmanned" | Official FAQ: staff are on site 24 hours a day — robot hotel guide. |
| "Dinosaur robots greet you at every Henn na Hotel" | Tokyo-area dinosaurs are at Maihama and Nishikasai only. |
Sourcing: every entry above was read from the relevant operator's official website by Honto Japan's editors on the date of the linked article, and re-checked when this page is updated. If you spot an official change we've missed, email us — the address is on our contact page. Journalists and bloggers: you're welcome to cite this tracker with a link.
