観光（かんこう、kankou）
- sightseeing

The Japanese word 観光 （かんこう - kankou） means "sightseeing," "tourism," or "visiting for pleasure." It refers to the act of traveling to and exploring places of interest for recreational purposes. It encompasses activities like visiting historical sites, enjoying natural landscapes, experiencing local culture, and generally enjoying a place other than your everyday environment. The word 観光 implies a planned trip or visit with the primary aim of leisure and discovery.

⚫︎日本観光 Translation: Tourism in Japan ⚫︎海外観光 Translation: Overseas travel/tourism ⚫︎観光スポット Translation: Sightseeing spot/Tourist attraction

You use 観光 when talking about: ⚫︎Planning a trip: "I'm planning a 観光 trip to Kyoto." ⚫︎Discussing a destination: "Kyoto is a popular 観光 destination." ⚫︎Describing activities: "We did some 観光 in the city yesterday." ⚫︎Talking about the tourism industry: "The government is promoting 観光."

⚫︎The word 観光 is typically written using kanji: 観光. ⚫︎The reading is かんこう (hiragana). ⚫︎There are no variations in okurigana.

⚫︎旅行 (りょこう - ryokou): travel, trip (broader term) ⚫︎見物 (けんぶつ - kenbutsu): sightseeing, viewing ⚫︎遊覧 (ゆうらん - yuuran): sightseeing, pleasure trip

⚫︎There isn't a direct antonym. However, words related to business or work trips could be considered opposites in context. For example: ⚫︎出張 (しゅっちょう - shucchou): business trip

夏休みに家族と北海道へ観光に行きました。 ・Translation: I went sightseeing in Hokkaido with my family during the summer vacation. ・Explanation: This sentence uses 観光 to describe the activity of sightseeing during a family trip to Hokkaido.

この街は観光客にとても人気があります。 ・Translation: This town is very popular with tourists. ・Explanation: Here, 観光 refers to tourists or people engaged in 観光 activities, highlighting the town's appeal.

The word 観光 is a compound word. It is formed from two kanji: ⚫︎観 (かん - kan) which means "to observe," "to view," or "to look at." ⚫︎光 (こう - kou) which means "light," or "scenery." Together, 観光 literally means "viewing light" or "viewing scenery," which makes perfect sense as it describes the act of looking at places of interest for enjoyment.