This summer, domestic travel is in the spotlight — and Shiga Prefecture is Japan’s hottest destination!
Expedia Group regularly publishes travel research reports based on data from its own website and Hotels.com. The company has now released its summer 2026 travel trends report. According to the report, interest in domestic travel is growing this summer. Within Japan, Shiga Prefecture is drawing growing attention — it ranked 2nd in the hotel search growth rate by prefecture, right behind Tokyo in 1st place. Shiga Prefecture is located just about 9 minutes by train from Kyoto — one of Japan’s most famous tourist destinations — making it an easy day trip. The prefecture is home to Lake Biwa, the largest lake in Japan. In recent years, nature-based activities around Lake…
Global artists gather in China’s ‘millennium porcelain capital’
Located in the northeast of Jiangxi province in east China, Jingdezhen is renowned both in China and abroad for its porcelain and is widely known as the “millennium porcelain capital.” In January 2025, Jingdezhen’s handmade porcelain industry heritage sites were officially submitted to UNESCO as China’s nomination for the 2026 World Heritage List. Jingdezhen possesses not only millennial ceramic heritage but also a long tradition of openness and inclusiveness. Historically, it was said that only 20-30 percent of people that lived there were locals, while the rest were migrants drawn by its thriving porcelain industry. Today, around 5,000 foreign residents have made their homes there, known locally as “Jingdezhen drifters.”…
