Category: The Bangkok Post

The cabinet has approved a one-year extension of the measure reducing transfer and mortgage registration fees for real estate transactions to 0.01%, which policymakers claim can spur Thai GDP growth.

Under the normal fee structure, the transfer fee is 2% of the appraised value, while the mortgage registration fee is 1% of either the appraised value or the actual purchase price, whichever is higher. The fee reduction has been in effect since 2025 as part of efforts to stimulate the real estate sector, and was due to expire on Tuesday.

The extension takes effect immediately upon publication of the Interior Ministry’s notification in the Royal Gazette, remaining in force until June 30, 2027.

According to government spokeswoman Rachada Dhnadirek, the extension is intended to encourage purchases of both newly built and existing residential properties, while reducing the financial burden on Thais seeking home ownership.

The slashed fees apply to purchases of real estate by Thais, including residential properties covering detached houses, semi-detached houses, townhouses, commercial buildings, or land together with such buildings, or condo units registered under the Condominium Act, provided that both the purchase price and the official appraised value do not exceed 7 million baht, and the mortgage amount does not exceed 7 million baht per contract.

The measure does not apply to transactions involving the sale of partial ownership interests, and foreigners have to pay all the normal fee rates.

The Finance Ministry estimates the measure will support annual real estate transactions valued at 540 billion baht, generating about 305 billion baht in additional investment each year compared with normal fee levels.

The measure is expected to help sustain market confidence and support the recovery of the real estate sector, which has slowed due to economic conditions and the impact of war in the Middle East, said the ministry.

As the fee cuts reduce revenue for local administrative organisations, the cabinet instructed the Budget Bureau and relevant government agencies to consider allocating budgetary funds as appropriate to compensate the organisations for the revenue shortfall, ensuring they have sufficient funding to carry out their functions and responsibilities.

BETTER SOLUTIONS

Kessara Thanyalakpark, managing director of SET-listed Sena Development, questioned the effectiveness of the fee reductions, saying the stimulus may not deliver the best value for public spending.

“The measure is estimated to cost the government around 9 billion baht a year, but it may not be the most efficient way to stimulate the housing market,” she said, urging authorities to adopt more targeted policies instead.

Ms Kessara suggested directing support towards first-time homebuyers and young families rather than applying broad-based incentives, arguing that targeted assistance would better address affordability challenges while encouraging genuine housing demand.

She cited the Netherlands as an example, where the government guarantees up to 10% of mortgages for first-time buyers, helping younger households overcome financing constraints without distorting the wider market.

Germany’s “Bauspar” programme offers another model, allowing prospective buyers to save over a three-year period before becoming eligible for preferential mortgage rates and more favourable loan-to-value conditions.

Ms Kessara said such programmes not only improve access to homeownership, but also support broader demographic objectives by encouraging younger people to establish families and settle down earlier.

Thai banks should consider adopting risk-based mortgage pricing, under which interest rates better reflect each borrower’s individual credit profile, creating a fairer lending system while expanding access to qualified homebuyers, she said.

The government is stepping up efforts to address the renewed violence in the southernmost provinces following a series of bomb attacks, with Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul scheduled to hold talks with Malaysian leaders on July 9-10 to seek more concrete solutions to the long-running insurgency.

Deputy Prime Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said he had received reports from the governors of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat regarding the recent bombings.

He said the initial reports involved incidents in two provinces, but authorities later confirmed another explosion in Tak Bai district of Narathiwat. Mr Phiphat described the attacks as part of an organised operation, adding that the National Security Council (NSC) and Mr Anutin, who chairs the council, are working on measures to address the situation.

NSC secretary-general Chatchai Bangchuad said authorities believe the bombing at a PT gas station on Road No. 15 in tambon Sateng Nok, Muang district, Yala, on Sunday was linked to the ongoing unrest in the southern border provinces.

He said investigators suspect the attack was carried out by insurgents because it resembled previous bombings targeting fuel stations in the region. However, officials are continuing to gather evidence before drawing final conclusions.

Mr Chatchai also confirmed Mr Anutin will make an official visit to Malaysia on July 9-10, where discussions on reinforcing cooperation to resolve the southern border conflict will be among major agenda items.

Meanwhile, the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Centre (SBPAC) has ordered officials to provide assistance to victims of the attacks.

Following instructions from SBPAC secretary-general Piyasiri Wattanawarangkul, SBPAC assistant secretary-general Nipon Chaiyai and SBPAC rehabilitation officers visited Al-Ameen Bin Mudo, who was injured in the bombing at the PT Piya gas station on Highway 42 in Yaring district, Pattani, on Sunday.

The victim suffered temporary hearing loss and chest tightness but remains conscious and is receiving close medical care.

During the visit, officials checked on his condition, offered words of encouragement, and presented a gift basket on behalf of the SBPAC secretary-general.

SBPAC rehabilitation officers also explained the victim’s rights and the compensation available under relevant government regulations, while reaffirming that the agency would continue to monitor his recovery and coordinate with relevant authorities to ensure prompt assistance and rehabilitation.

Europe’s most severe heatwave has yet to trigger a surge in tourists to Thailand, with Phuket hotels slashing low-season rates by 70-80% compared with the high season as surging airfares continue to deter both domestic and foreign visitors.

The continent has experienced record temperatures since June 20, while France’s national weather service forecast a possible recurrence of a heatwave in July. Over the weekend, high temperatures scorched the Czech Republic, Germany and Poland, with the countries recording new records of 41.9°C, 41.7°C and 40.5°C, respectively.

Somjai Tungkoo, vice-president of the southern chapter of the Thai Hotels Association, said summer holidays typically attract large numbers of European tourists, but demand this year has been weaker than expected as many travellers seek to escape the heat by visiting cooler destinations within their region rather than taking long-haul trips.

She said travellers remain concerned about high airfares and are reluctant to spend as much as usual amid economic uncertainty.

Travel costs to Phuket are particularly high, with return domestic airfares from Bangkok to the island averaging nearly 5,000 baht, mainly attributed to increased airfare and fuel surcharges.

Ms Somjai said this is the slowest low season in Phuket in 6-7 years, with average occupancy rates plunging to 30-40% this month, prompting hoteliers to offer steep discounts to attract tourists.

Normally average room rates during the low season are around 50% lower than during the high season, but rates have fallen by 70-80% this year, she said.

For instance, hotels and resorts that charge 5,000 baht per room during the high season have cut their rates to less than 2,000 baht.

The discounts started at beachfront properties, prompting hotels across the island to cut their rates to remain competitive during the sluggish period.

“Our low season this year has been particularly challenging as one of our main target markets during the rainy season, the Middle East, has yet to resume overseas travel because of unrest in the region. The Chinese market has also failed to recover as strongly as it did in the past,” said Ms Somjai.

Most hotels are awaiting forward bookings for the high season, with new inquiries expected to increase from this month, she said. While waiting for demand to recover, many hotels have utilised unpaid leave to reduce labour costs.

Hotel operators requested government relief measures and stimulus to help sustain their businesses, particularly soft loans for affected operators and a co-payment subsidy scheme for domestic travellers to absorb some travel costs.

A group of secular Israelis has opened a community centre on Koh Phangan, saying it wants to offer Israeli visitors to the tourist island an alternative to the ‘indoctrination’ found at Chabad houses.

The Secular House is the brainchild of the Free Secular Movement, an activist organisation that promotes secularism and the separation of religion and state in Israel, the Jerusalem Post reported.

It has been set up directly opposite the local Chabad House on Koh Phangan.

The island in Surat Thani is the most popular destination for the more than 450,000 Israelis who visit Thailand each year. The number of Israelis residing on the island is estimated at between 1,000 and 4,000, including families who relocated long-term and local business owners.

The Free Secular Movement actively opposes the Chabad movement and the concept of Chabad houses abroad, Naor Narkis, a secular Zionist activist and politician, told the Jerusalem Post.

‘The purpose of these Chabad houses, through sweet talk, is to shape generations of secular Israelis into becoming indifferent to attempts by Chabad-Lubavitch to take over Israel,’ it quoted him as saying.

‘We all know the phenomenon: Chabad Houses spread across the world, reaching out to secular young Israelis with guitars and cheap food, and through that they promote religious outreach, belief in the ‘Messiah King’ and their vision of turning Israel into a religious state governed by Jewish law – all for a bowl of lentils.’

Mr Narkis said the secular house would host workshops on secular Jewish philosophy, Friday dinners centred around secular identity, yoga sessions, readings from the writings of philosopher Baruch Spinoza, discussions of the ideas of Shulamit Aloni, seafood cooking workshops, local Thai cuisine, community evenings, networking, social meetups and a coworking space for digital nomads.

Chabad houses are informal Jewish community and outreach centres operated by the Chabad-Lubavitch movement. They function as a ‘home away from home’ for Jewish travellers, students and residents, offering religious services, classes, counselling and communal meals.

There are six Chabad houses in Thailand: in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Pai.

‘Religious organisations are present everywhere Israelis are found; their strategy is transparent and clear – and I’m so happy that a secular foothold is now being planted thousands of kilometres away from Israel in order to strengthen secular identity,’ Mr Narkis said.

A Bangkok-based community group is inviting people to spend an hour doing nothing at all, in a ‘Just sitting and doing no s**t’ (???????? ???????????????) event that pokes fun at the city’s packed calendar of self-improvement activities.

Commons and Bonfire, the group behind the event, is calling on people to simply sit still for an hour on July 4 at Lumpini Park, with no phones, no books, no notepads and nothing to accomplish.

The gathering is open to anyone who wants to rest their mind, unplug from screens, push back against hustle culture, or simply spend an hour ‘being a burden on the country’s GDP’, as the organisers put it.

The one-hour session, running from 5pm to 6pm, is split into two parts: the first 30 minutes for sitting in silence, followed by 30 minutes of open discussion about what participants experienced while doing nothing. There will be no speakers, no icebreakers, no networking, no worksheets and no learning outcomes.

There are two meeting points in Lumpini Park:

1. The area near the monitor lizard statue

For those unable to attend in person, the organisers are also running a “sit anywhere” version of the event, with three variations: sitting at home, sitting en route while travelling (excluding drivers), and sitting out on a rainy afternoon. Participants can set a timer for 15 minutes, 30 minutes or an hour, then join a Line Openchat group to find others who want to discuss the experience afterwards, ideally in small groups of three to five people reflecting on where they sat, why, and what happened during the silence.

For those unable to attend in person, the organisers are also running a ‘sit anywhere’ version of the event, with three variations: sitting at home, sitting en route while travelling (excluding drivers), and sitting out on a rainy afternoon.

Participants can set a timer for 15 minutes, 30 minutes or an hour, then join a Line Openchat group to find others who want to discuss the experience afterwards, ideally in small groups of three to five people reflecting on where they sat, why, and what happened during the silence.

Those interested in taking part can find further details, including the calendar invitation and Line group link, via the Commons and Bonfire Facebook page.

Deputy Transport Minister Siripong Angkasakulkiat on Tuesday assured the House of Representatives that key transport and logistics projects would continue despite a budget cut of more than 23 billion baht.

Speaking on the second day of the House debate on the 2027 budget bill, Mr Siripong said that even though the ministry’s budget was reduced by about 8.8%, investment in infrastructure essential to economic growth and public transport would proceed.

He said transport infrastructure was not merely about construction but about making travel safer and more convenient while generating economic growth and raising national income.

The minister cited the Nakhon Phanom logistics centre as an example of how transport infrastructure boosts trade, saying exports through the route, particularly durian shipments to Laos, Vietnam and China, increased by more than 50% from a year earlier.

During the past eight months, exports through the route were valued at more than 70 billion baht, compared with imports worth about 30 billion baht, he said.

The figures showed that well-developed transport infrastructure not only improves connectivity but also strengthens the country’s competitiveness and trade balance, the minister said.

Responding to criticism that the ministry continued to prioritise road projects over rail, Mr Siripong said roads remained the backbone of the transport network and required maintenance.

Mr Siripong said rail projects would receive more than 119 billion baht, including state enterprise funding and loans, adding that rail development would rely on borrowing because the projects could generate revenue to service it.

He also explained the reduction of first-year budget commitments for major projects worth more than one billion baht from 15% to 10%, saying it was in line with criteria and actual disbursement rates.

Large infrastructure projects typically require time for preparation and contract signing, with first-year disbursements averaging only about 4%, he said.

On allegations about fixing procurement specifications to favour top-tier contractors, he said the criteria were set by the Comptroller General’s Department to ensure firms had the experience, equipment and capability to undertake large projects.

He said the list of these contractors was reviewed regularly based on performance and that PM Anutin Charnvirakul had ordered penalties for contractors that abandoned projects.

A 66-year-old man was found dead on Wednesday following a brutal assault that was captured by CCTV cameras in Khao Saming district.

Police have arrested a 32-year-old suspect, who was caught on camera committing the assault and loading the victim onto a motorcycle sidecar before fleeing.

Boonyu Samjai was walking for exercise along Soi Nak Prasit in tambon Thung Nonsi around 5.30pm on Tuesday when he was approached by a man riding a Honda PCX motorcycle.

Police said the man, later identified as Withawat ‘Mos’ Tanghu, confronted Mr Boonyu before a brief argument escalated into violence. CCTV shows the suspect punching the victim before seizing a wooden stick and repeatedly striking him over the head.

When bystanders attempted to intervene, the assault continued.

Police said the suspect briefly rode away before returning with a bamboo pole, which he used to strike the victim several more times as the elderly man lay motionless on the ground. Investigators said the suspect then drove to his nearby durian orchard, returned in a blue motorcycle sidecar, loaded the unconscious victim onto the vehicle and drove away.

Police, local officials and rescue workers responded to reports of the attack, but both men had disappeared before they arrived.

Officers later searched the suspect’s orchard, about 750 metres from the scene, where they found bloodstains, a handgun and a shotgun, but no sign of the victim.

Rescue divers were also called in to search a nearby pond after investigators suspected the victim’s body might have been disposed of there.

Following a manhunt that lasted several hours, police arrested Withawat at 11.05pm on Tuesday at a house near Wat Bamron in Muang district.

During questioning at the Khao Saming police station, the suspect denied disposing of the victim’s body, claiming instead that Boonyu had jumped from the sidecar.

Investigators said he gave inconsistent statements and refused to reveal where he had abandoned the vehicle.

At 10.10am on Wednesday, police found Boonyu’s naked body in a rubber plantation in Moo 3 of tambon Thung Nonsi, about 1.8 kilometres from the scene of the assault.

The area was sealed off for forensic examination before the body was sent for an autopsy.

Authorities later recovered the submerged sidecar from the Ta Kad reservoir in neighbouring Huai Raeng subdistrict, about 5.8km from where the body was found.

Investigators also seized a blue plastic container found in the vehicle as evidence. Police are examining whether it was used to transport the body but have not reached any conclusions.

Ratsami Samjai, the victim’s 55-year-old sister, said her brother had moved to the area less than a year ago. He used to go out regularly for exercise and never knew the suspect, she said.

According to the family, the suspect confronted Boonyu by asking why he was looking at him before launching the attack.

‘I want the perpetrator to face the consequences of what he has done,’ said Ms Ratsami.

A local resident told reporters he had unknowingly helped the suspect escape on Tuesday night after encountering a man soaked from head to toe who claimed his vehicle had run out of fuel.

Believing he needed assistance, the resident gave him a ride to a friend’s house several kilometres away, only realising later that the passenger was the man police were searching for.

Village headman Phongsan Kruapinchai said investigators later followed tracks leading to the reservoir, where divers recovered the submerged sidecar.

He said the suspect had slipped through a police checkpoint during the search by riding in a local resident’s sidecar, as officers did not recognise him because they had never seen him before.

Police are continuing to investigate the motive for the attack. Investigators are looking into reports indicating the suspect had a history of involvement with drugs.

The House of Representatives should approve the political amnesty bill as amended by the Senate, as the changes did not alter its core principles, Bhumjaithai Party list-MP Nikorn Chamnong said on Wednesday.

The Senate approved the bill on Tuesday after making several amendments. As a result, it will be returned to the House for further consideration.

Mr Nikorn, who serves on the House committee studying amnesty proposals, said the revised bill remains consistent with his party’s position that three categories of offences should be excluded from amnesty.

They are corruption, lese-majeste cases and offences resulting in death or involving harm to individuals.

He said the Senate’s amendments were largely technical and would not affect enforcement of the law or alter its substantive provisions. The annexes were simply reorganised without their content having been changed, he added.

Mr Nikorn also said offences involving election fraud, electoral misconduct or false qualifications remain excluded, meaning the bill would not affect ongoing investigations into wide-scale vote-rigging and collusion in the 2024 Senate collusion.

If the Senate forwards the bill to the House within the next day or two, it could be placed on the agenda during the final sitting week before the current parliamentary session ends on July 11, he said.

Mr Nikorn expressed hope the House would endorse the Senate’s amendments to avoid the need for a joint House-Senate committee, which would delay the legislation.

‘If there are prior talks among government whips, I believe the House would approve the Senate’s version and the bill could be submitted for royal approval,’ he said.

He said the bill is intended to promote national reconciliation, noting that efforts to enact an amnesty law have been ongoing for the past two decades.

The Senate’s amendments contain a provision excluding people charged under Section 112, the lese-majeste law, from the case-termination process regardless of their age.

The bill also expands the authority of the proposed Peaceful Society Promotion Committee to request physical evidence in addition to documents, provides legal protection for members acting in good faith, and recommends alternative sentence administration or detention measures be considered for politically related offenders who are ineligible for amnesty.

Opposition unhappy

People’s Party MP Parit Wacharasindhu said on Wednesday that the party remains opposed to the amnesty bill because it still discriminates against people prosecuted for political expression.

Commenting on the Senate’s revisions, Mr Parit said they do not address the party’s concerns.

Asked whether the opposition would seek the establishment of a joint House-Senate committee to review the bill, Mr Parit said that would first be discussed by the opposition whip next week.

Mr Parit also said that government and opposition whips have agreed to postpone parliamentary consideration of proposed constitutional amendments until a charter amendment proposal by the public is submitted alongside those sponsored by political parties.

He also encouraged the public to support the Conforall campaign by signing its petition to submit a public-sponsored constitutional amendment bill, saying the sooner the required signatures are collected, the sooner parliament could begin deliberations.

New residential supply in Greater Bangkok is expected to continue slowing this year as developers scale back launches in response to persistently weak housing demand and subdued consumer purchasing power.

According to the Real Estate Information Center (REIC), land allocation permits, a leading indicator of future low-rise residential launches, declined sharply in both project numbers and housing units during the first quarter of 2026.

Only 13 projects covering 2,645 units received land allocation permits during the quarter, down from 31 projects comprising 4,745 units a year earlier, declines of 58% in project numbers and 44% in units.

By province, Pathum Thani was the only market to record growth, with land allocation permits rising 17%. Bangkok, Samut Prakan and Samut Sakhon posted declines, while no permits were issued in Nonthaburi and Nakhon Pathom.

Residential construction permits, covering self-built houses, housing estates and condos, edged up 0.6% year-on-year to 11,174 units, comprising 8,541 low-rise houses, rising 28.4%, and 2,633 condo units, down 41%.

New residential launches in Greater Bangkok fell 31% year-on-year to 8,370 units in the first quarter, while total project value declined by 10.4% to 59.8 billion baht.

The sharpest contraction was recorded in the low-rise segment, with only 1,859 units worth 21.4 billion baht launched, down 55% in units and 51% in value.

Condo launches fell by 19% to 6,511 units, although project value rose by 63% to 38.4 billion baht.

Surachet Kongcheep, head of research at property consultancy Cushman and Wakefield Thailand, said developers are becoming increasingly selective when launching new condo projects this year, focusing on segments where they have strong confidence in demand.

“New condo launches recorded healthy sales during the first two months of the year, but market sentiment weakened sharply after the outbreak of war in March,” he said.

“Buyer activity has slowed significantly and, even when purchases are made, many transactions fail to proceed because mortgage applications are rejected.”

Kessara Thanyalakpark, managing director of SET-listed Sena Development, said the company will suspend new project launches in 2026 and 2027, citing weak market demand and inventory sufficient to support sales for five years.

“We have 98 projects, including completed inventory worth 10 billion baht and another 40 billion baht currently under development,” she said. “We are prioritising financial strength by avoiding additional debt.”

Supachoke Panchasarp, chief executive of SET-listed Asset Five Group, said the company will also refrain from launching new projects this year, turning its focus to selling existing inventory while gradually introducing new phases at current developments.

He said developers need to respond quickly to changing market conditions because residential development requires long investment cycles.

“For low-rise housing development, smaller projects typically take at least two years to complete, while large-scale ones can take up to a decade, making timely adjustments critical to managing market risks,” Mr Supachoke said.

Japan is a favourite country to visit for many Thais. On top of its friendly people, flavourful food and good transportation, what we love about this country is being able to enjoy its beautiful natural scenery in cool and comfortable weather. I got to experience all of this during my five-day trip to central Japan one month ago.

This time, I went to several places, including Gifu, Nagano, Aichi and Shizuoka prefectures in Chubu, a region located in the heart of Honshu.

My first stop was Takayama, a former castle town in the mountainous Hida region of Gifu. This historic city is known for its well-preserved Edo-period architecture and traditional atmosphere.

I also went to Nagoya, the capital city of Aichi prefecture and also the largest city in central Japan. Like Takayama, it was developed as a castle town during the late 16th century.

Today, it’s one of Japan’s major industrial and transportation hubs, with Nagoya Castle being its most famous landmark.

My journey wrapped up with a relaxing two-day stay near Lake Hamana, which is hailed as one of Japan’s most famous coastal lagoons. It’s located in Shizuoka prefecture, widely known as the home of Mount Fuji and the largest producer of green tea in Japan.

Here are some interesting attractions for travellers wishing to trace the Japanese way of life in ancient times while being able to enjoy the beautiful mountains and coastlines in this quieter yet charming region.

Sanmachi Suji is one of Japan’s most beautifully preserved merchant districts from the Edo Period (1603-1867). Affectionately called “Little Kyoto”, the area mirrors the classic grid layout and traditional dark-wood architecture of Kyoto dating back over 200 years.

Now famous for its vibrant street food scene and historic sake breweries, this historic district comprises three narrow streets lined with distinctive wooden merchant houses featuring seasoned timber facades and traditional bay windows.

Only a 10-minute walk east of Takayama Station, food lovers can enjoy local specialties, namely Hida beef sushi and skewers, traditional sake from centuries-old breweries and mitarashi dango or chewy grilled rice. Also, they are encouraged to step into cosy cafes for some Hojicha and matcha lattes. Most shops open from 9am to 5pm.

Sitting next to the old town district is the famous Miyagawa morning market, which features around 60 outdoor tents and permanent shops along a route of about 350m. Located along the bank of the scenic Miyagawa River, the market gathers local vendors and farmers who bring their produce and seasonal fruits for sale.

Traditional artisans are also there to offer unique crafts and local souvenirs such as wooden sculptures, handcrafted chopsticks and, of course, Sarubobo dolls — the mascots of the Hida region believed to bring good luck, protection and happy families.

Among the top street foods available for breakfast at the market are Hida beef skewers and buns, local pork soup and rich miso soup cooked with locally grown vegetables. The market opens daily from 7am to noon (from 8am in winter).

Hida No Sato (Hida Folk Village) is an open-air museum located in Takayama where visitors can experience the traditional culture of the Hida region and life in the mountains.

Covering around 130,000m², the village has more than 30 authentic traditional houses that were moved from different parts of Hida region and rebuilt to preserve them. Four of them — two thatched-roof houses and two shingled-roof houses — are nationally designated important cultural properties.

Visitors can walk inside almost every home to see old farming tools and indoor fire pits. Other displays in the homes include tools for weaving, for shingle roofing, for silk production and traditional Hida sledges. They will also see artisans working on traditional arts and crafts in several homes. Hailed as a hidden gem of Japan, this historical museum park is uncrowded and rather peaceful. What I liked most about this venue is that we could take a quiet stroll around the little village while enjoying the lush green plants and natural beauty in the background.

Hida No Sato is open daily from 8.30am to 5pm. Entry fee is ¥700 (145 baht) per person (¥200 for children). It can be accessed within 10 minutes by taking the Sarubobo bus from Takayama Station.

Kamikochi is a protected highland valley located at an elevation of 1,500m in the Chubu Sangaku National Park. It’s famous for the clean and clear Azusa River, lush forest and the spectacular 3,000m peaks of the Hotaka mountain range, which is a major part of the Hida Mountains — widely known as the Northern Alps of Japan.

Less than a 10-minute walk from Kamikochi bus terminal, visitors can see Kappa Bridge, which is regarded as a symbol of Kamikochi. This wooden suspension bridge over the Azusa River is the most crowded spot where local and foreign tourists enjoy capturing pictures of the unobstructed views of the towering mountain range.

At the time of my visit, the upper peaks and ridges remained covered in heavy winter snow, rendering an impressive sight. I also came across an old Japanese lady who had just finished painting this picturesque landscape. She smiled at me softly and also allowed me to take photos with her beautiful artwork.

Kamikochi is hailed as one of the best mountain resorts in Japan. It is strictly closed in winter and only open to the public from mid-April to mid-November. Private cars are prohibited.

Kamikochi is in Matsumoto city of Nagano prefecture, right on the border of Gifu prefecture. From Takayama, visitors can take the Nohi bus to Hirayu Onsen, a hot spring town, where they are required to transfer to the Kamikochi shuttle bus, which takes around 25 to 30 minutes to reach this alpine destination.

Nagoya Castle is a premier sightseeing spot that offers visitors an opportunity to witness the beautiful palace architecture, reborn in its original form over 400 years later.

The castle was constructed in 1610 by order of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan. However, many of its parts — including the Main Castle Tower and the magnificent Hommaru Palace — were destroyed during the bombing of Nagoya in World War II.

The Main Castle Tower was rebuilt in 1959. Its inside functioned as a museum, displaying weapons, armour, the screen paintings that escaped the flames of destruction and other artefacts. Even though it is currently closed to visitors for a wooden reconstruction project, its exterior features still impress all visitors from a distance.

Standing around 50m tall atop its gigantic stone base, the five-storey tower has distinct colour contrast of bright green roofs, dark grey clay tiles and white walls. What also caught our eye were the two gold statues of Kinshachi sitting on opposite ends of the roof ridge. They are symbols of Nagoya Castle, modelled from an imaginary creature with the head of a dragon and the body of a fish.

Meanwhile, the restoration of the Hommaru Palace began in 2009 and completed in 2018. It has been fully opened to the public since, allowing visitors to witness its beautiful interior.

This 3,100m² palace has over 30 individual rooms. Almost every major room boasts decorative fittings and painted partitions which depict traditional scenes of natural beauty. Among them are images of plum trees, bamboo, tigers, leopards and sparrows in the snow.

The Nagoya Castle complex spans around 250,000m². It is open daily from 9am to 4.30pm. Admission fee is ¥500. It’s easily accessed via Subway Meijo Line.

Kanzanji Ropeway is the only cable car in Japan that travels entirely over a lake. Located in Hamamatsu city of Shizuoka prefecture, it offers a scenic 4-minute ride connecting the Kanzanji Onsen resort area to the summit of Mount Okusa.

At the Okusayama observation deck located on the rooftop of Hamanako Orgel Museum, visitors can enjoy the endless expanse of blue skies and take in the stunning 360-degree panoramic view of Lake Hamana, a large brackish lagoon connected to the Pacific Ocean; the surrounding hot spring town and Mount Fuji.

Installed on the deck is a large, melodic carillon bell tower that produces a beautiful sound when the bells are struck. This musical monument plays a unique melody on the hour.

Located on the second floor is the exhibition hall showcasing a valuable collection of orgels or music boxes, fairground organs and mechanical dolls. Visitors can also shop for their favourite music boxes at an orgel shop on the first floor.

The ropeway base is adjacent to the Hamanako Palpal amusement park. The ropeway service is open daily from 9.30am to 5.30pm. However, hours of operation change seasonally.

The fee is ¥1,300 for a round trip. Visitors can take a 45-minute ride on Entetsu Bus from Hamamatsu Station to the ropeway.

Tea Museum, Shizuoka is on top of the to-go list for most visitors including a tea lover like me. Located in Shimada city, the museum is Japan’s premier facility dedicated to the history, culture and production of tea.

Once there, I had the chance to participate in a traditional tea ceremony held in a separate teahouse. After walking along a tranquil stone path through the Edo-period style garden, we entered a tatami-matted tearoom where a tea master, dressed in a kimono, sat before us and demonstrated how to prepare a bowl of hot matcha step by step.

Each guest was also served wagashi, a seasonal Japanese sweet, which should be finished before drinking the tea. The tea experience lasted around 20 minutes before we proceeded to the museum.

Spanning from the 1st to 3rd floor, the museum offers interactive exhibits, allowing visitors to explore various types of tea, global tea-drinking cultures and tea-processing machines. Also showcased are replicas of traditional teahouses from China, Turkey and Tibet; while samples of dried tea leaves from many countries are available for up-close viewing and smelling.

The museum is open daily from 9am to 5pm, except Tuesday. Entry fee is ¥300 and the fee for the tea ceremony is ¥700. The nearest train station to the museum is Kanaya Station. From there, visitors can take a local bus or a quick taxi ride to the museum.

I spent the first two nights at Mercure Hida Takayama, which has 161 guestrooms, a Mediterranean-inspired restaurant and bar, as well as the indoor and outdoor onsens on the top floor for guests to unwind and take in the beautiful scenery of Takayama. The hotel is situated within a four-minute walk from Takayama Station. Visit mercure-hida-takayama.com/en.

On my third night, I stayed at Ibis Styles Nagoya, a budget hotel with modern comforts and unique design. It accommodates 284 rooms and has a café style restaurant that offers freshly brewed coffee and all-day dining of both local and international flavours. The hotel is located within walking distance from Nagoya Station. Visit ibisstyles-nagoya.com/en.

My last two nights were marked by luxury and serenity at Grand Mercure Lake Hamana Resort and Spa. This all-inclusive hotel has 369 spacious guest rooms available in both Western and Japanese styles. Its buffet breakfast and dinner offer Japanese and Western dishes, signature local flavours and regional specialties. Indoor and outdoor baths are available, with soothing waters drawn from natural hot springs. The hotel is located along Lake Hamana. It takes around 20 minutes by car from Hamamatsu-nishi IC on the Tomei Expressway. Visit grand-mercure-lakehamana-resortandspa.jp/en.