First, Go To Travel launched. Then came Go To Eat. And now there is Go To Event, the third part of the Japanese government’s Go To campaign. Like its counterparts, Go To Event is intended to give businesses and the broader economy, reeling from the impact of COVID-19, a helping hand.
The Go To Event campaign officially kicked off on October 30th, 2020 and is expected to run until December 31st, 2021. Its focus is art, culture and sporting events and entertainment across Japan, including Tokyo.
Note: The fourth part of the Go To campaign, “Go To Shotengai” (Go To Shopping Street), is due to start soon too. Go To Travel and Go To Eat are ongoing, subject to temporary suspensions in response to a rise in COVID-19 case numbers.
What is Go To Event?
The Go To Event campaign can save you money in one of three ways: by giving you a discount on ticket prices, coupons that can be used at venues, or points that can be redeemed for other events and entertainment. The type of savings will differ depending on the venue and what they’ve decided to offer.
Discounted tickets
The discount is fixed at 20% of the total price, so, for example if you would normally pay 5,000 yen for an entry ticket, with Go To Event, you would only pay 4,000 yen. The maximum discount you can get through the campaign generally seems to be capped at 2,000 yen, however.
Coupons
Alternatively, you could get a coupon, to the value of 20% of the ticket price, which can be redeemed at the venue, for example to buy merchandise.
Points
Instead of a discounted ticket or coupon, you could get points (again, to the value of 20% of the ticket price), which you can use for other events or entertainment.
Note: In some cases, extra discounts or perks may be added, e.g. by the venue or regional government/organizations.
Where can I use Go To Event?
The campaign is expected to cover a wide range of events and entertainment, including music concerts, art exhibitions, theater shows and sports competitions. In addition, it will extend to some theme parks, aquariums, and cinemas.
Go To USJ (Osaka)
So far, Universal Studios Japan in Osaka is one participating venue to have been announced, with a special Go To USJ promotion launched on October 30th.
Fuji Q Highland
Another popular place where you can take advantage of the Go To Event campaign savings is Fuji Q Highland near Tokyo. Until the end of January, you can snag a 20% discount on entry passes. For example, a 1-day Free Pass would normally cost an adult ¥6,200, but is now ¥4,960.
Snow Resort Yeti
Also known as Snow Town Yeti, this mini snow resort on the slopes of Mount Fuji is participating in the Go To Event campaign. You can get 20% off your entry pass by booking on Yahoo PassMarket.
Sanrio Puroland
Hello Kitty fans can snap up tickets to the Sanrio Puroland theme park in Tama for 20% less than normal, too—see Yahoo PassMarket for your entry options.
Moomin Valley Park
And in Saitama, entry to the Moomin Valley Park is also 20% cheaper thanks to the Go To Event campaign. Tickets may be sold in batches, so if they are unavailable when you check, just pop back onto the Yahoo PassMarket website later.
Other venues
You can also get discounted entry to Tokyo Skytree, Tokyo Tower, Edo Wonderland in Nikko, as well as Omocha Oukoku (Toy Kingdom) in the Kansai/Chuugoku region, and Hamanako Pal Pal in Shizuoka. Just play around on Yahoo PassMarket to see your options.
Other participating venues, as well as ticket sellers, are expected to be announced in the coming weeks. We’ll update this article as new information becomes available.
In the meantime, you can check the official Go To Event campaign website for more information. We also recommend checking Travelers Navi. Both sites are in Japanese.
Note: You will need to buy your discounted Go To Event tickets from authorized sellers. In some cases, like USJ, that will mean buying tickets directly from the venue (e.g. through the official website). In other cases, it might mean using a service like Yahoo PassMarket or Ticket Pia.
Also note: It might be possible to combine your excursion with Go To Travel and Go To Eat savings—packages may be available from travel agents and authorized booking sites.
Should I really be going to events or tourist spots right now?
You’ll have to make that judgment call on your own. The COVID-19 pandemic is ongoing, and events, as well as crowded attractions, do carry risks.
Venues are expected to take precautions like conducting temperature checks, providing hand sanitizer and requesting that social distance is maintained. And it goes without saying that participants should wear a mask. Other measures may also be taken, like asking participants to download the official contact tracing app, COCOA (though the link is in Japanese, you can use the app in English).
There is a possibility that the Go To Event campaign may be postponed or suspended if the COVID-19 situation deteriorates.
While we do our best to ensure it’s correct, information is subject to change. Post first published on November 2, 2020. Last updated June 1, 2021.
