Tourism in Japan

thumb|[[Kiyomizu-dera, the most crowded temple in Kyoto]]

thumb|Crowds of tourists at [[Nikkō Tōshō-gū]]

Tourism in Japan is a major industry and contributor to the Japanese economy. In 2025, the number of international tourists visiting Japan was 42.7 million. The total number of domestic tourists in Japan, including day trips, reached 540 million in 2024, while total tourism consumption within the country amounted the same year to 34.3 trillion yen ($237 billion), As of 2023, it is the world's fourth-largest travel and tourism market.

Japan's most visited prefectures are Tokyo, Osaka, Chiba, Kyoto and Fukuoka.

Among the most popular sites are Sensoji temple (Tokyo), Nikkô, the Fushimi Inari shrine or the Kinkakuji in Kyoto. Japan has 26 World Heritage Sites, including Himeji Castle and the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto and Nara.

The 2024 Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report ranked Japan 3rd out of 141 countries overall, which was the highest in Asia. Japan gained relatively high scores in almost all of the featured aspects, such as health and hygiene, safety and security, cultural resources and business travel.

Tourism is also at the heart of a debate in Japan, where there is growing frustration with the influx of visitors. The term "overtourism" is being used to describe this phenomenon.

History

thumb|Throngs of tourists on their way to [[Himeji Castle in Himeji (WHS)]]

From the middle ages to early modern period

In medieval Japan, travel became increasingly common with cultural and aristocratic figures from Kyoto, and they initiated the genre of travel literature in Japan. Notable examples of travel literature from this period include the Tosa Nikki (935), part of the Sarashina Nikki (12th century), and the volume 4 of the Tohazugatari (1313). By the late medieval period, supported by a network of inns offering fixed-rate lodging and meals, travel was widespread. Hot springs such as Kusatsu, Arima, and Gero gained fame, attracting notable figures such as warriors and monks. Tourist souvenirs including ladles and toothpicks were popular among visitors. Pilgrimages to Mount Fuji also flourished.

left|thumb|Travelling was popularised through travel literature and ukiyo-e

During the Edo period, despite restrictions on travelling through checkpoints, guidebooks facilitated the popularisation of travel. Commoners with permits could undertake leisure trips, often disguised as pilgrimages. Inns, teahouses, and local products thrived, and travel information spread via diaries and ukiyo-e prints. Pilgrimages such as the Ise Grand Shrine’s Okage Mairi became major social phenomena, marking the beginnings of a modern tourism industry. However, foreign travel was extremely rare due to Japan's isolation policy. Matsuo Bashō's 1689 trip to the then "far north" of Japan, which inspired his famous haibun work Oku no Hosomichi, occurred not long after Hayashi Razan categorized the Three Views of Japan in 1643. During this time, Japan was a closed country to foreigners, so no foreign tourism existed in Japan.

Meiji era and international tourism

left|thumb|A 1930s travel advertisement by the [[Ministry of Railways (Japan)|Japanese Government Railways]]Japan opened its borders in the late Edo period, but due to its location in the Far East and the limited transport options, there were not many foreign visitors. Foreigners eventually gained the freedom to travel within Japan, and efforts to actively attract international tourists began on the Japanese side. In 1912, the Japan Travel Bureau (JTB) was established. Another major milestone in the development of the tourism industry in Japan was the 1907 passage of the Hotel Development Law, as a result of which the Railways Ministry began to construct publicly owned hotels throughout Japan. During the interwar period, overseas travel to distant places such as Europe and the Americas was primarily limited to businesspeople, immigrants, and students, with leisure travel being mostly reserved for the wealthy.

In terms of domestic tourism, the dismantling of the feudal system, the development of transport networks such as railways and steamships, and the spread of information made domestic travel easier. Tourism-oriented travel became increasingly popular, and regions across Japan began developing themselves for sightseeing and leisure purposes. Long-distance domestic travel became accessible.

In 1930, the Japanese Government Railways created the with the specific goal of attracting foreign tourists to Japan. In addition to supporting the development of resort hotels, the Board was responsible for designing and printing posters and foreign-language guidebooks for distribution overseas. Due to the Pacific War, the Board was abolished in 1942.

Postwar period

During the postwar Allied occupation period, most foreign tourists in Japan were GHQ personnel or visitors from the United States. In 1954, Konosuke Matsushita, the founder of Panasonic, contributed an article titled The Case for a Tourism-Oriented Nation to the Bungei Shunju. Matsushita argued that tourism could be considered a form of trade, and he pointed out that while exporting goods involves depleting Japan's resources, scenic attractions such as Mount Fuji and the Seto Inland Sea remain unchanged no matter how often they are viewed. He proposed that revenue earned through inbound tourism could be reinvested in other industries, and help rebuild the country's economy beyond its pre-war stature.

thumb|The Visit Japan campaign, launched by the [[Junichiro Koizumi#Prime minister|Koizumi administration in 2003 with the catchphrase Yokoso! Japan!<nowiki/>', was the country's first government-backed initiative to promote inbound tourism.]]

For much of post-war period, Japan has been an exceptionally unattractive tourist destination for its population and GDP size. From 1995 to 2014, Japan was by far the least visited G7 country, and typically ranked below smaller countries like Sweden in total numbers As of 2013, Japan was one of the least visited countries in the OECD on a per capita basis. Japan avoided campaigns to attract inbound tourists, especially because its large current account surplus had caused international friction with some countries. There were also factors such as Japan being among the world's most expensive countries at the time (for example, Tokyo was rated by the Economist Intelligence Unit as the most expensive city in the world for 14 years in a row ending in 2006), as well as the language barrier.

Active promotion of inbound tourism (21st century)

From 2013, under the Abe administration, policies to attract international tourists were implemented to offset the shrinking domestic demand caused by population decline and ageing. As a result, by 2014, for the first time in 55 years, income from foreign tourists exceeded the amount spent by Japanese tourists abroad, which means Japan finally ran a tourism surplus. Within six years, the number of international visitors has more than tripled, reaching 31.9 million visitors in 2019. Japan received a record 36.87 million tourist arrivals in 2024, an increase of over 47% from the year prior.

From a statistical perspective, spending by international tourists in Japan is classified as exports. As a result, the inbound tourism industry ranks as the second-largest export industry after the automobile industry, which recorded 17.7 trillion yen ($122 billion) in export value. In 2025, domestic tourism spending by Japanese nationals, the number of international tourists, and the total tourism spending by international visitors all reached record highs.

Tourists from South Korea have made up the largest number of inbound tourists several times in the past. In 2010, their 2.4 million arrivals made up 27% of the tourists visiting Japan. Travelers from China have been the highest spenders in Japan by country, spending an estimated 196.4 billion yen (US$2.4 billion) in 2011, or almost a quarter of total expenditure by foreign visitors, according to data from the Japan Tourism Agency. From 2016 to 2020, Japanese government hoped to receive 40 million foreign tourists every year by 2020. According to the Japan National Tourism Organization in 2017, 3 out of 4 foreign tourists came from other parts of East Asia, namely South Korea, mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong.

The worldwide popularity of Japanese popular culture significantly drives tourism to Japan. Anime, manga, J-pop, cinema, video games, cuisine and other cultural facets have created a strong "soft power" appeal that draws millions of fans and tourists from around the globe to the country.

Overtourism

Following the easing of COVID-19-era travel restrictions, 2024 is on track to be a record-breaking year for the number of overseas tourists. This tourism boom can be attributed in part to the weakening Japanese yen. In response to this surge, officials in some parts of Japan have introduced measures to counter its negative effects. For example, Yamanashi Prefecture has set a cap of daily climbers of Mount Fuji at 4,000 people and began charging an entrance fee of ¥2,000. As of 2024, some Japanese officials have considered instituting a two-tiered pricing system which would have foreign tourists pay more than residents at certain tourist attractions in order to counter the effects of overtourism.

Motivation for visiting Japan

International Tourists: Foreign visitors travel to Japan for its seasonal beauty, cuisine, history, culture, manga and anime.

Domestic Tourists: Japanese domestic travelers are motivated by seasonal events, relaxation, and the desire to get out of the city. Many do short trips to hot springs, nature spots, or historical towns.

Tourism statistics

upright=2|left|thumbnail|Foreign tourists to [[Japan]]

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These are the top 35 nationalities that visited Japan from 2018 to 2025:

Himeji – Engyō-ji, Koko-en Garden, and Himeji Castle (WHS)
Kobe – Port of Kobe, Rokkō Mountains, Kitano-chō, Arima Onsen, Kobe Luminarie
San'in Kaigan Geopark – Toyooka, Izushi, Kinosaki Onsen, Yumura Onsen

Chūgoku region

Hiroshima Prefecture – Itsukushima Shrine (WHS), Onomichi, Tomonoura
Okayama Prefecture – Kurashiki, Kōrakuen Garden, Okayama Castle
Tottori Prefecture – Tottori Sand Dunes, Mount Daisen, Mount Hyōno, San'in Kaigan Geopark
Shimane Prefecture – Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine (WHS), Izumo-taisha, Matsue Castle, Oki Islands, Tsuwano
Yamaguchi Prefecture – Hagi

Shikoku

Shikoku Pilgrimage (Zentsū-ji, Motoyama-ji, etc.)
Ehime Prefecture – Dōgo Onsen, Matsuyama Castle
Kagawa Prefecture – Kotohira-gū Shrine, Ritsurin Garden, Shōdo Island, Naoshima Island
Tokushima Prefecture – Naruto whirlpools, Awa Dance Festival in Tokushima
Kōchi Prefecture – Kōchi Castle, Cape Muroto (Muroto Geopark), Cape Ashizuri

Kyushu and Okinawa

Fukuoka Prefecture – Mojiko Retro Town, Kokura Castle, Dazaifu Tenman-gū, Remains of Dazaifu (government)
Ōita Prefecture – Many types of hot springs in Beppu, Ōita or Yufuin, Ōita, Usa jingū, stone bridges, small stonehenge on the top of Komekamiyama (mountain), Hello Kitty Harmonyland
Nagasaki Prefecture – Ōura Church, Higashi-Yamate, Minami-Yamate including the Glover Garden, Huis Ten Bosch (theme park), Hidden Christian Sites (WHS)
Kagoshima Prefecture – Yakushima (WHS), Sakurajima, Amami Ōshima
Miyazaki Prefecture – Kirishima-Yaku National Park, Takachiho, Old Exculibur on the top of Takachiho-kyo mountain, Nichinan, Miyazaki,　Chambered barrows of Saitobaru kofungun, Heiwadai Park
Kumamoto Prefecture – Kumamoto Castle,　Mount Aso
Saga Prefecture – Pre-400 BC Yayoi archaeological site in Yoshinogari site
Okinawa Prefecture – Shuri Castle, Nakagusuku Castle, Nakijin Castle, etc. They are parts of the Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu. (WHS), Ishigaki Island, Miyako Island, Iriomote Island, Traditional Ryukyuan Houses in Taketomi Island

References

External links

Japan National Tourist Organization
JapanTourist Travel Articles Database
2018 Foreign Visitors & Japanese Departures

Tourism in Japan

History

From the middle ages to early modern period

Meiji era and international tourism

Postwar period

Active promotion of inbound tourism (21st century)

Overtourism

Motivation for visiting Japan

Tourism statistics

Chūgoku region

Shikoku

Kyushu and Okinawa

See also

References

Further reading

External links