Number of foreign visitors to Japan hits 3.7 mil in May; new record for month
By country and region, South Korea topped the list with 825,800 visitors, up 11.8 percent, followed by China with 789,900, a 44.8 percent increase, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization.
The two countries and 19 other markets set new visitor records for May, while those from India hit a record monthly high of 43,000, up 47.9 percent from the previous year, it said.
"The momentum is strong, and we are on a very good trajectory," Japan Tourism Agency Commissioner Naoya Haraikawa told a press conference, while also noting that a concentration of visitors in the country's three major metropolitan areas -- Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya -- remains an issue.
Japan received some 18.1 million foreign arrivals from January to May, up 23.9 percent from the same period in 2024.
Travel demand has remained strong on the back of school holidays in some markets, with a surge in visitors from China, the Philippines and the United States providing support, according to the organization.
Among all countries and regions individually tracked, only Hong Kong saw a decline in May from the previous year, down 11.2 percent to 193,100. It is believed that a Japanese manga predicting a major disaster in Japan this July has discouraged travel.
The Japan National Tourism Organization office in Hong Kong has issued a statement on Facebook refuting any scientific basis for the date and location of the rumored disaster.
© KYODO
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
SoraNews24
5 hours ago
- SoraNews24
Japanese travelers losing interest in Kyoto, top sightseeing spots slip behind Nara at peak season
Kyoto may be the historical heart of traditional Japanese culture, but current conditions are making it a less attractive placer for locals to visit. Aside from maybe Tokyo, there's no other city with more of a 'must-visit' reputation than Kyoto for travelers to Japan, who flock to the country's former capital to tour its historic temples, beautiful gardens, and otherwise get a glimpse of Japanese traditional culture. For a growing number of Japanese travelers vacationing in their home country, however, Kyoto is becoming a city they feel like they can leave off their itinerary. Tokyo-based data/research organization Blogwatcher recently released the results of its analysis of travel patterns during Japan's 2025 Golden Week holiday season, which straddled the end of April and beginning of May. Examining mobile phone location data, Blogwatcher determined that there were significant drop-offs in the number of Japanese visitors to five of Kyoto's most famous sightseeing spots compared to just two years prior. Japanese visitors to Fushimi Inari Shrine plummeted by 40.4 percent compared to 2023, and both Kiyomizudera Temple and Kinkakuij/the Golden Pavillion's numbers of Japanese visitors fell by roughly 25 percent. Shimogamo Shrine and Byodoiin Temple both had slight upticks in Japanese visitors in 2024, but reversed course in 2025 and had approximately 10 percent fewer domestic visitors than they'd had at Golden Week in 2023. ▼ Byodoin's Phoenix Hall is so famous that it's even depicted on the 10-yen coin. It's not hard to imagine what's discouraging Japanese travelers from visiting Kyoto. The weak yen continues to make Japan more affordable for foreign travelers to visit than it's been in a generation, and with so many of them including Kyoto in their Japan travel plans, the city's attractions are crowded and its hotels expensive. The Kyoto Tourism Association's data shows that through the first five months of this year, the average price per night for a stay in a Kyoto hotel is around 50 percent more than it was just two years ago. Those cost increases are relatively easy for inbound foreign visitors to soak up as they leverage the favorable exchange rate, but for Japanese travelers, who are already getting hit in the wallet by rapidly increasing consumer prices without equivalent wage increases, the idea of paying inflated prices to go someplace clogged with tourists is no doubt feeling like a less enjoyable way to spend their diminished disposable income. However, as Kyoto is looking like a less attractive destination for Japanese travelers, they're becoming more drawn to Nara. Blogwatcher tracks domestic visitor numbers for 33 of Kyoto Prefecture's top temples, shrines, and historical tourism sites, and 37 in Nara Prefecture. During Golden Week in 2023, Japanese travelers showed an overwhelming preference for Kyoto, with its top sights receiving nearly 70 percent more Japanese visitors than Nara's. In 2025, though, more Japanese travelers visited Nara's major sights than Kyoto's. Japanese visitors to major temples, shrine, and historic sites during Golden Week ● Kyoto 2023: 746,000 ● Nara 2023: 446,00 ● Kyoto 2025: 559,000 ● Nara 2025: 561,00 It could be argued that Japan is still in the middle of the initial wave of its inbound tourism boom. Residual pent-up international travel demand and the weak yen are doing a lot to make the country a trendy and affordable choice for visitors from abroad, but it's still not entirely clear whether their intense interest is going to be permanent. As a result, it's likewise too early to say whether huge crowds and high prices have turned Japanese people off to the idea of traveling to Kyoto entirely, or if they're simply putting their Kyoto plans on the back burner for the time being. After all, if the shrines and temples you're going to see are already centuries old, holding back for a year or two to see if the tourism congestion has settled down doesn't seem like all that long of a wait. For the time being, though, it really does look like Japan's travelers aren't nearly as excited about the idea of visiting Kyoto as they were just a short while ago. Source: TBS Cross Dig with Bloomberg via Golden Times Top image: Pakutaso Insert image: Pakutaso ● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
Yomiuri Shimbun
12 hours ago
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Traditional Yuki-Tsumugi Silk Weaving Thrives in Modern Japan; Ibaraki Prefecture Museum Lets Visitors Experience Centuries-Old Production Methods
YUKI, Ibaraki — A pleasant thump-thump sound echoed throughout the Tsumugi no Yakata museum in Yuki, Ibaraki Prefecture, each time the weft was woven through the warp. An elementary school girl on a family visit, eyes alight with excitement, tried her hand at weaving. In about 30 minutes, she created a small coaster, 10 centimeters square. Opened roughly 20 years ago by Okujun Co. — a wholesale dealer in Yuki-tsumugi silk founded in 1907 — Tsumugi no Yakata is a facility that introduces visitors to the traditional production techniques and culture of this renowned Japanese silk variety through hands-on experiences. The surrounding area still features many old homes and storehouses from the Meiji Era (1868-1912) and the Taisho Era (1912-1926). The region follows a roughly 20-kilometer stretch of the Kinugawa river, which flows between Tochigi and Ibaraki prefectures. It is renowned as a production center of Yuki-tsumugi, a high-grade silk fabric with a history spanning more than 1,500 years. Interestingly, the 'Kinu' portion of the river's name was once written with the kanji for 'silk.'Floss silk is made from silkworm cocoons. It is spun into thread, dyed and woven. The area is full of weaving and dyeing workshops that continue to use long-standing handcrafting methods to complete the various processes involved in silk production. Rolls of fabric ordered by wholesalers are meticulously finished by a relay of skilled artisans. A gentle touch confirms its wonderfully soft feel. Its durability is also noteworthy. Each roll of fabric requires about 2,000 cocoons to silk fabric production techniques include jibata-ori, or backstrap weaving, in which the weaver adjusts the tension by connecting the thread to their waist. This technique was registered on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2010, bringing great pride to the region. The museum has exhibits of weaving looms and spinning tools that visitors can view up close. 'We want more young people to learn [about Yuki-tsumugi]. Please come [to the museum],' said Yoko Shin, 50, the museum's manager. As I was on my way out, I stopped into the museum shop, where an orange shawl displayed in a window caught my attention. Clearly, Yuki-tsumugi can also work well for Western clothing. It seems that artisans who work with this fabric are going to continue to try new things even as they honor tradition. ***Tsumugi no Yakata Address: 12-2, Yuki, Yuki City, Ibaraki Prefecture Access: 10-minute walk from the north exit of Yuki Station on the JR Mito Line. Parking available. Memo: Closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
14 hours ago
Cooling Goods for Getting Through Japan's Hot Summer
Guideto Japan Introducing Japan's most popular kinds of cooling goods for getting through the intense heat of high summer. Stay Cool It's summer in Japan. It's hot. But as temperatures get more brutal each year, companies get more creative in coming up with tools to help residents beat the heat. A look at some of the most popular cooling goods on sale today. Neck Coolers Reasonably priced and battery-free, neck coolers are a handy way to keep the heat at bay. They follow the same basic principle of ice packs for food, but are filled with a special liquid material that freezes at 28° Celsius in the most common types. This can be refrozen through immersion in cold water or simply by being in an air-conditioned room, so even if the neck cooler warms up while out and about, it can recover while in a café or other indoor space. Many users refrigerate or freeze these devices before use, but even at higher room temperatures, they can bring relief by cooling the neck and its major blood vessels, efficiently lowering body temperature. When used at less chilly temperatures, they are safe for children and the elderly as well. Neck coolers are a common sight across Japan this year. (© Pixta) Portable Fans First popular in China and South Korea, portable fans started to catch on in Japan around 2018. Initially, they were just miniature versions of standard fans, but they have gradually evolved to include new features. Last year, fans equipped with 'cooling plates' created a buzz. These are metal plates that use Peltier cooling technology to rapidly bring the temperature down by around 13° Celsius when applied to the neck, working in powerful combination with the breeze from the fan. A fan with a round cooling plate (left) and a hands-free fan that can be affixed to a parasol or backpack strap. (Courtesy Elecom) Cooling Towels and Wipes To lose that sweaty feeling after getting to the station, office, or school, many people use cooling towels or wipes that not only remove the sweat but also provide evaporative cooling through their alcohol component. They typically also contain menthol or similar ingredients with a refreshing fragrance. This is a simple way to bounce back from time spent in the heat, but may not be suitable for children or other people with sensitive skin. A range of cooling towels and wipes available at convenience stores or drug stores around town. (© (Originally written in Japanese. Banner photo © Pixta.)
