Japanese visitors surge to South Korea for cherry blossoms

5 articles · Updated · The New York Times · May 2

In Gyeongju, businesses added Japanese-language videos, signage and music as government data showed arrivals from Japan rising sharply this year.
Some travellers said social media posts claiming Korean blooms rival Japan’s sakura persuaded them to visit before the blossoms faded.
The trend highlights South Korea’s push to attract Japanese tourists to seasonal destinations despite Japan’s own world-famous cherry blossom season.

Is climate change pushing tourists from Japan's famous sakura to South Korea's shores?

Can South Korea's cherry blossoms permanently rival Japan's iconic sakura for tourist attention?

With a weak Won boosting visitors, can Gyeongju's infrastructure sustain its global tourism ambitions?