
Japan’s Toyama City and Osaka City and the UAE’s capital Abu Dhabi and were selected as part of The New York Times’ list of “52 places to go in 2025.”
The list described Toyama as a city that allows tourists to enjoy “cultural wonders and culinary delights while skipping the crowds.”
Toyama, which is part of the Noto Peninsula that suffered an earthquake in 2024, is now inviting tourists to the city as part of its recovery efforts.
Osaka is also part of the list thanks to its hosting of the upcoming Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai.
The list described a new “game-changing project,” the Grand Green Osaka, a redevelopment complex near JR Osaka Station built on what used to be a rail freight yard.
Abu Dhabi is the only Arab city to be named on the list, with its many upcoming concerts and its entertainment islands like Yas Island.