Why it feels like everyone in the world is heading to Japan right now

46 comments

1. Cheap

2. Japan soft culture power. All the kids who grew up with Japanese culture since the 80s are now grown ups with money to spend abroad.

3. Cheaper than before, clean, more variety than Singapore and a manageable < 10 hour flight from Sydney as opposed to 20+ for Europe.

4. Lol my parents, who never travel anywhere, just booked a trip.

5. While it’s true that tourism to Japan is absolutely booming, I do think the overtourism attack angle is extremely overstated. Japan’s wasn’t even in the top ten last year (too early to say for this year – it was beaten out by countries like Austria, Turkey, Germany, and such. Even going by numbers so far this year, Thailand still has Japan beat for tourist arrivals. And yet I see so, so, so much talk about “overtourism” and all that while the amount of tourists drop drastically outside of maybe four or five cities. Even in Tokyo and Osaka, they’re heavily concentrated in a handful of locations. Go to Dotombori and it’s tourists everywhere. Walk five minutes to Ame-mura and a large majority of the tourists disappear. 

   Complaining about tourists simply fits in with both Japan’s xenophobic tendencies and with the “I am more Japanese than thou” foreigners that have always been a feature of the Japanophile community. In reality, it’s hardly exceptional by global standards.

6. cheap yen

7. Yen is worth less than Primogems now.

8. It’s just pent up demand being released by the cheap yen. I don’t mind the tourist that much, mostly they’re confined to the tourist areas and don’t venture into the more residential areas.

   Probably the only thing that annoys me is the bombardment of social media post hyping everything Japan related, and the influx of “how can I move to Japan” or “why (insert moronic stereotype or question)” all over Reddit.

9. Mostly the influencers, digi nomads, youtubers..
   The economy is bad and yen is cheap

10. Well its what the PM wanted and they got it

11. Next January will be my 4th time visiting Japan and I’m pretty sure I will visit several times more. Grew up watching anime, met my wife who is also a big fan of Japanese Pop culture, and we found out Japan is a really great place to visit. Even without being an anime fan it’s just a great tourism destination. 

12. It’s the trash yen. Not sure if we’re actually getting more people but we’re definitely getting more westerners.

13. The currency falling has made an unattainable destination for many possible now, it used to be seen as a once in a lifetime place in Europe because of the distance and cost but it’s now no more expensive than going to the US or London when you factor in food and accommodation costs.

14. I tell you what’s oversaturated… fucking articles about Japan’s overtourism.

15. Everyone loves Japan but until recently it’s been a luxury holiday. As it’s slowly becoming the new Cambodia and the country is basically on sale, everyone can afford to come!

16. Because the yen is so damn weak it’s the cheapest and safest country to travel right now. Perfect for families.

17. For now, it’s cheap there.

18. Cheap yen. If I wasn’t already living in Japan, I’d be visiting Japan often too.

19. People who went there are always so impressed by the safety, cleanliness and the quality of everything that they give others the courage to try experiencing another culture.
    I remember it was the same for Canada when I was still living in France, people who had visited were charmed by the kindness, politeness and safety.
    It’s simply Japan’s turn.

20. From Europe it’s an affordable “first world country” destination.
    North America is way cheaper to get to but you’ll spend way more overall because of accommodation, food and tipping.

21. Japan doesn’t even have that much tourists compared to other countries…

22. > Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has stuck by a longer-term goal of 60 million inbound visitors a year by 2030.

    Let me search for a house in the inaka to get me out of this.

23. It’s cheap, it’s safe, it’s got a great food culture.

24. 1. The yen is very weak
    2. People love copying other people, especially if they see it on social media

25. Yen weakness is a big part of it…

26. Japan may not always love us, but we love Japan.

27. Keep in mind that this is **half** of the japanese government’s goal for tourism numbers in the next 10 years. (60million by 2035)

    If they get their wish it’s going to get a lot crazier than this.

28. I’m waiting simply because of the over tourism…

29. Japan is on sale right now!

30. Yes it’s crazy when I first moved to Japan over 20 years ago, you wouldn’t see many western people even in Tokyo, now in places like Harajuku it’s all tourists.

31. Because they are. I live in Nagano and often see many foreigners around the popular areas, but was so shocked when I visited Takayama last weekend. Holy cow. I’ve never seen such a ratio 😅

32. Every popular destination is over saturated since pandemic. Look at Dublin, super saturated all year round (maybe not december) and its not as attractive

33. I 0laned to go to Japan this winter. Maybe I’m not

34. Because yen in so low that going to Japan is good idea. Not to mention how super this country is.

35. Cause we are

36. I live in Taiwan, just a 2hr flight to Japan. It feels glorious knowing we can take a weekend trip there anytime I wish to. Just need to wait for my kid(s) to be older. Fun times forever. 👍💯💚

37. It feels like there is just so much Japan travel advertising from tick-tock, Instagram to billboard signs in in Time square.

    For the past year or so, large publication and travel bloggers to you-tubers just taunting japan travel.

    I think the weak yen may help push it, but there is just so much Japaneses travel ads everywhere.

    Also at least for Americans, traveling to China it still very restrictive, I still believe on the top of my head that US citizens need to apply for a visa to enter china. So in terms of ease Japan is a pretty easy travel destination in Asia.

38. Been working and living in shanghai for 11 years now. I need a once per year trip to Japan ; )

    Just love the country

39. There right now. The assortment of food man is just chefs kiss.

40. I’m not an anime fan, a couple of Japanese writers and that’s all I know from Japanese culture. I visited once, now I will visit again and again to see different parts of Japan and to be honest if the Yen is like %50 more expensive it won’t change my decision.

    I have been to 50+ countries and Japan is the most unique one among them.

41. Just spent a week in Europe and a week in the US.

    ‘Eveyone’ is heading everywhere. Not just Japan.

42. We haven’t been, but it was always My Daughter’s dream to go to Japan since She was a Little Girl. ( Now 29 ) We hope to go in the next couple of years.

43. This discussion is so strange. Japan heavily invested in tourism and marketing to attract foreigners for 15 years. Then when tourists actually come, they put on their surprise Pikachu faces. Most of their marketing is focused on Kyoto. They put on their surprise Pikachu faces when most tourists actually come to see Kyoto.

44. 160.68 yes to 1 USD.  That is why.

45. I went to experience the train network and was not disappointed.

46. People are saying it’s cheap but I’m looking at 1800 USD per ticket to fly there