Japan's education ministry has urged that school trips be planned for the off-season due to a recent labor shortage in transportation and accommodations amid a boom in inbound tourism, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Schools tend to have their trips between May and June or from September to December, according to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. Avoiding peak travel seasons would benefit schools as they would not need to suddenly change schedules due to the unavailability of charter buses or hotels.
The ministry sent notices on Dec 12 to education boards and schools after the bus and travel industries requested its cooperation regarding the scheduling of school trips.
"The recent acute labor shortage makes it difficult for schools to secure charter buses and accommodations," the ministry said in the notice, urging more flexible timing.
The most popular travel season for junior high schools in fiscal 2023 was May, while that for high schools was October, according to a survey by the Japan School Tours Bureau, a nonprofit private organization.
Many schools decide timing of their trips based on annual academic schedules and weather, with Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto and Okinawa prefectures among the favored destinations.
There has been a shortage in bus driver availability since the government earlier this year restricted their working hours to improve conditions, with some schools opting for trains instead.
