On Saturday, the Obon holiday travel season commenced in full force, as many travelers began their journeys under the shadow of a recent megaquake advisory. The advisory, issued on Friday, has put authorities and the public on heightened alert, particularly regarding potential earthquake risks along the Nankai Trough.
According to Kyodo News, reports from many big airlines show that many domestic planes leaving Tokyo’s Haneda Airport were totally packed. This covers flights to areas that may be affected much in the case of a Nankai Trough earthquake. An 800-kilometer undersea fault line, the Nankai Trough stretches from Shizuoka Prefecture to the southern point of Kyushu Island, an area historically prone to seismic activity.
Key rail transit hub Tokyo Station has experienced a spike in passenger volume. Most reserved seats on departing trains—especially on the Tokyo Shinkansen—were claimed to be totally filled. As a safety precaution, trains on all Shinkansen lines have slowed down their running speeds in response to the advice.
The Japan Railways (JR) firms revealed a notable rise in reserved seat bookings for both shinkansen and regular trains throughout the Obon holiday weekend. Reflecting the growing desire for travel amid continuous worries about seismic activity, the reservations were almost 1.2 times greater than the same period last year.
Airlines have also seen that domestic flight bookings over this holiday season are on pace with past-year levels. This implies that even if the advice has generated questions, it has not discouraged many people from following their intentions.
Apart from rail and air transportation, expressway managers are getting ready for a lot more road congestion. People heading to the highways for their Obon travels would cause traffic congestion of more than 10 kilometers throughout the weekend, they foretell.
A major event in Japan, the Obon festival is observed with family get-togethers and visits to ancestral graves. But the possible threat of a significant earthquake lurks over the festivities; hence, this year’s celebrations are being watched with great care.
Authorities keep a close eye on the matter and advise visitors to keep educated and ready for any crisis. The public is advised to give safety first priority as the Christmas rush proceeds and negotiate the increased travel activities during this season.
