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Japan's Tourism Boom Is Generating Demand in Unlikely Places
Twenty million visitors flocked to the country last year
A tour guide holds a flag as she leads a Chinese tour group through the famous Sagano Bamboo Forest in Kyoto.
Photographer: Chris McGrath/Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
Japan's tourism boom created a shortage of hotels rooms and made the nation the fastest-growing market for Airbnb.
The rebound in tourism since the 2011 earthquake struck Japan is visible in everything from hotels upgrading their facilities to increasing sales of tour buses and record interest from people trying to become tour guides.