Chinese holidaymakers are once again traveling to Japan with their friends and families after Beijing lifted a ban on group tours that had been in place for about three and a half years.

Chinese authorities implemented the measure in January 2020 to help contain the coronavirus pandemic.

Japan was among 78 countries and regions exempted from the ban on August 10.

At an airport in Guangzhou on Friday, seven families totaling 26 people were seen departing for Osaka.

One tourist looked forward to visiting Kyoto, while another expressed an interest in Japanese culture such as manga and anime.

A travel agency official says the number of inquiries about group tours to Japan has surged ahead of a long holiday period in China that starts in late September.

An official at another agency says the company is not offering tours to Fukushima Prefecture and other areas of northeastern Japan.

The Chinese government strongly opposes Japan's plan to release treated and diluted water from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the ocean.

Japan was a hugely popular destination for Chinese tourists before the pandemic. Observers are watching closely to see if that remains the case, especially in light of China's slowing economic recovery.