"Arrival visa" originally refers to a system where one can apply for and obtain a visa on the spot at immigration counters at the airport or border upon arrival. However, among young people in China recently, it has come to mean taking photos or videos at famous tourist spots in travel destinations that clearly show which city they have visited. China News Network reported.

【その他の写真】

Zhang Tian (Zhang Tian), a travel-loving "post-00s" (born after 2000), has many "arrival photos" taken in various cities saved on his smartphone. "It's a kind of ceremonial feeling. All of them are photos taken at the best photo spots. Since I went there, I have to take photos that show at a glance which city I visited, even for others to see. It's like the joy of collecting stamps. 'Arrival photos' are more interesting than just photos taken at tourist spots, as they contain the unique humor and romance of that city," he says.

Associate Professor Cai Xiaohua (Cai Xiaohua) of the School of Media, Anqing Normal University, Anhui Province, expressed the view that "'arrival photos' have become a type of cultural icon, rapidly gaining popularity and generating significant buzz. Young people are inherently sensitive to online pop culture, so they actively absorb it."

The popularity of "arrival photos" is directly reflected in the long queues at popular tourist spots. After the Labor Day holiday (May 1-5), the common joke "3 hours waiting, 1 minute taking photos" became a hot topic on social media. Mount Siguniang in Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province, was crowded with tourists climbing the mountain from early morning to see the sunrise from the snowy peak. At an altitude of approximately 5,000 meters, it became so popular that people had to queue for over an hour to take photos at the summit.

Arrival photos are also bringing economic benefits. The Ulanhada Volcanic Geopark in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region is bustling with many tourists dressed in space suits. In 2025, the number of tourists who visited the scenic spot reached a total of 4,348,000, and tourism revenue reached 3.47 billion yuan (approximately 79.81 billion yen).

Foreign tourists adorned with 'Zanhuawei' posing with smiles.
Furthermore, the wave of "arrival photo" popularity has reached Xunpu Village in Fujian Province, located at the estuary where the Jinjiang River flows into Quanzhou Bay. The custom of "Zanhuawei," where women in Xunpu Village tie their hair into a conch-like shape at the back, secure the center with a hairpin made of animal bone, and adorn it with magnolia, camellia, and chrysanthemum flowers, has become popular, attracting tourists eager to experience it. In 2025, the total number of tourists who visited Xunpu Village reached 9.3 million, and tourism revenue reached 2 billion yuan (approximately 46 billion yen), boosting consumption in Xunpu Village and its surrounding areas by over 7 billion yuan (approximately 161 billion yen). (Provided by People's Daily Online Japanese, Edited by KN)