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Published 20 Aug 2024 · Updated 16 Jun 2025
Japan is famous for its cultural heritage, natural scenery, and cities. Visitors flock every year to explore its historic landmarks, World Heritage Sites, and natural wonders.
How many tourists visit Japan each year?
Around 30 to 45 million visitors travel to Japan each year.
- In 2024, over 36.87 million international tourists visited Japan, marking a 47% increase from 2023 (25.07 million) and finally surpassing the pre-pandemic peak of 2019 (31.88 million) by 16%.
- From 2011 to 2019, a consistent and steady increase in international visitors to Japan was visible.
- The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic led to an 87% drop in international visitors totalling 4.12 million in 2020, and in 2021 it declined further to 250,000, reflecting the global travel restrictions and safety concerns during the pandemic.1
- Japan welcomed 3.83 million international tourists in 2022, and tourism increased by 554% to 25.07 million in 2023.
How many people visited Japan in 2025?
From January to April 2025, Japan welcomed a total of 14,446,620 international visitors, marking a 24.5% increase compared to the 11,601,486 visitors recorded during the same period in 2024.
| Monthly Visitors Arrival to Japan 2025 | |
|---|---|
| Month | Total Visits |
| Jan | 3,781,629 |
| Feb | 3,258,491 |
| Mar | 3,497,600 |
| Apr | 3,908,900 |
How many tourists visited Japan in 2024?
- Japan welcomed a total of 36,870,000 international visitors in 2024, marking a 47% increase from 2023 and a 16% rise compared to the pre-pandemic peak in 2019.
How much do tourists spend in Japan each year?
- In 2024, international tourists spent a total of $53.3 billion on travel and tourism-related activities in Japan. This marked a 38% increase from 2023 and a 16% increase compared to the previous peak in 2019.
- Inbound tourist expenditure in Japan generated $46.1 billion in 2019.
- This number decreased to $10.7 billion in 2020 due to coronavirus travel restrictions and fewer international visitors. However, this dropped by 54% in 2021 to $4.9 billion.
- In 2023, international visitor spending increased to $38.6 billion, a recovery year for tourism in Japan.
How much did tourists spend in Japan in 2024?
- Over $53.3 billion was spent by international tourists in Japan in 2024, a 38% increase from the previous year.
How much did tourists spend in Japan in 2023?
- International tourists visiting Japan spent a total of JP¥5.3 trillion (approximately $38.6 billion) in 2023.
How much did Japan make from tourism in 2022?
- According to the WTTC, Japan's total tourism revenue in 2019 was ¥40,327 billion. In 2022, Japan's tourism revenue decreased to ¥33,852 billion, representing 6.2% of the total GDP.2
How much does it cost to visit Japan?
- International visitors spent an average of ¥226,851 per person in 2024, marking a 6.6% increase from 2023 (¥212,765) and a 43% increase compared to 2019 (¥158,531).
- This amount covers expenses such as accommodation, food, shopping, transportation, and entrance fees, reflecting Japan's growing appeal and the rising value tourists place on unique cultural and travel experiences.3
Which countries visit Japan the most?
- In 2024, Japan's leading source of foreign tourists continued to be neighbouring Asian countries, with South Korea topping the list at 8.8 million visitors, followed by China (7.0 million), Taiwan (6.0 million), and Hong Kong (2.7 million).
- The United States remained the only non-Asian country in the top five, with 2.7 million American tourists visiting Japan in 2024.
- A significant number of visitors also came from Thailand (1.15 million), Australia (920,196), the Philippines (818,659), Singapore (691,226), and Vietnam (621,173).4
How long do visitors stay in Japan?
- Inbound tourists spent an average of 6.1 days in 2023, compared to 7.3 days in 2022, while exploring Japan’s popular cities and attractions.3
- In 2020 and 2019, the average stay was 7.6 and 5.5 days, respectively.
When is the best time to visit Japan?
- The best time to visit Japan is December, due to winter holidays and festive celebrations, including Christmas and New Year's Eve. December was a peak month for tourism in Japan in 2024, with 3.49 million visitors, making it the busiest month of the year.
- October also saw high visitor numbers, with 3.31 million arrivals, thanks to the pleasant autumn foliage (koyo). November followed closely with 3.19 million visitors, continuing the strong appeal of Japan’s fall season.
- July remains a peak summer month with 3.29 million visitors in 2024, driven by school holidays, international summer vacations, and lively matsuri (summer festivals) across the country.
Japan Tourism Statistics – Economic Impact
The World Travel & Tourism Council's (WTTC) 2023 Economic Impact Research (EIR) highlighted Japan's travel and tourism sector rebound, growing by 17.4% to $257.3 billion, which represented 6.2% of the nation's total economic output.
- Despite the strong recovery, the sector's economic contribution was still 16.1% below the levels seen in 2019.
- The sector also boosted employment, with nearly 5.09 million jobs, reflecting a 21.7% year-on-year increase and matching the employment levels of 2019.
Overtourism in Japan
- Japan has also faced overtourism in recent years, with popular destinations like Kyoto, Mount Fuji, and Tokyo being overwhelmed by large numbers of tourists. Millions of tourists in Kyoto have led to congestion at temples and historical sites. Locals in popular areas have expressed concerns about overcrowding and the disruption of daily life.
- Japan is addressing the issue of overtourism through a combination of new rules and future plans aimed at managing visitor numbers and promoting sustainable tourism practices.
Learn more about Global Overtourism and Japan's effort to combat it.
More Statistics
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- New Zealand Tourism Statistics
- Portugal Tourism Statistics
- Switzerland Tourism Statistics
- Thailand Tourism Statistics
- Tokyo Tourism Statistics
- United Kingdom Tourism Statistics
- Vatican Tourism Statistics
Most visited cities in Japan (2024)
- Tokyo is the most visited city in Japan with a visit rate of 51.5% (about 12.9 million tourists) due to its status as the capital city and a major cultural, economic, and political hub.
- The second most visited city is Osaka with a 39.6% visit rate (estimated at 9.9 million tourists), known for its modern architecture, nightlife, and hearty street food.3
- Close to Tokyo, Chiba Prefecture has a visit rate of 36.6% (9.2 million tourists), influenced by attractions like Tokyo Disneyland.3
- With a visit rate of 29.5% (7.4 million visitors), Kyoto is well-known for its classical Buddhist temples, as well as gardens, imperial palaces, Shinto shrines, and traditional wooden houses.
- Fukuoka Prefecture holds a 11.2% visit rate (2.8 million tourists). Located on the northern shore of Japan’s Kyushu Island, it's known for its ancient temples, beaches, and modern shopping malls.
Note: The annual number of visitors by prefecture/city is estimated by multiplying the visitation rate of each city by the total number of visitors.
References
- Key Tourism Statistics (Croatia receipts) · unwto.org ↑
- WTTC Economic Impact Report 2023 — Belgium · assets-global.website-files.com ↑
- Japan National Travel Organization: Cities Visit Rate Ranking · statistics.jnto.go.jp ↑ b c d
- Japan National Tourism Org: Nationalities Visited Japan · jnto.go.jp ↑
