Pricier fuel hits Tokyo cherry blossom river cruises ​A cruise boat sails past blooming cherry blossoms along the Meguro River in Tokyo on Monday. The pink and white flowers that blossom in spring on cherry trees across Japan are a major ​draw for ⁠locals and tourists - and big business for companies such as cruise operator Tokyo Waterways. This year, ‌though, Tokyo Waterways CEO Kazuyoshi Harada is not so upbeat because the Middle East conflict has pushed up fuel prices just as his demand is rising. "Since fuel ⁠consumption for us peaks during the busy cherry blossom season, the price hikes have been particularly hard on us," he said. Most customers booked their hanami-season cruises before the crisis, so raising ticket prices from 5,000 yen (1,000 baht) was not an option, he ​said.

Source: Bangkok Post March 31, 2026 08:03 UTC