Hello and welcome to today's independent travel podcast with me, Simon Calder. It's the last one of the week.

Friday the 23rd of September and things are looking pretty good as far as I can see.

And that is because Japan is about to open up to independent travellers just announced overnight.

And then first thing this morning, Hong Kong said that they were going to ease their rules as well.

So two of the really key destinations in East Asia,

two of the last really important places in tourism terms to remain closed to just ordinary

travellers like you and me are finally going to reopen.

And to celebrate, I've come along to London's busy West End and in particular, Kintan, which is a Japanese

barbecue restaurant in just in Great Castle Street, very close to Oxford Circus Tube,

and quite a noisy location too.

But this is the closest I've got to eating Japanese food for over two years

I was perhaps like you really really keen to go to Tokyo for the 2020 Olympics not to compete

just to watch and to be there I couldn't I have actually for about three hours been on Japanese soil this year. Yes, in February.

Because when I went to Australia, I was very keen to be on the first arrival to Australia when they opened up.

And the way to do that was to fly out via Tokyo. Of course, I had to remain in transit.

Lots and lots of rules attached to flying out there,

but I made it.

And then, of course, the Australians ordered Japan Airlines

to make their flight later so that a Qantas one

would arrive first.

Anyway, it's great though that they are opening.

They've basically banned everybody from

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