Page last updated: 20 January 2025
Hokkaido is Japan’s northernmost island, known for its stunning natural landscapes, including expansive national parks, hot springs, and some of the country’s best skiing and snowboarding resorts.
How many people visit Hokkaido each year?
Around 6 to 8 million visitors travel to Hokkaido each year. From January to October 2024, 7.62 million people visited Okinawa, according to CEIC Data.
Over 6.1 million international tourists visited Hokkaido in 2023.1
- In 2019, Hokkaido welcomed 7.9 million international visitors, marking the highest number of recorded visitors in history.
- When the pandemic started in 2020, this number dropped by 78% to 1.7 million visits.
- By 2021, Hokkaido experienced a further decrease (97%) in international tourists with 46,380 visitors.
- Inbound tourism began to rise with 741,410 visitors in 2022 and continued to recover in 2023 with 6.1 million visitors. But this was still 22% less than the 2019 figures (pre-pandemic).
How many people visited Hokkaido in 2024?
Hokkaido welcomed 7,622,400 foreign visitors from January to October 2024, with the highest numbers in February (1,124,410) and January (1,108,620).
- Visitor numbers peaked in the winter months, and declined in spring, with April recording the lowest at 452,980 tourists.
| Number of Foreign Guests in Hokkaido 2024 | |
| Month | Total Visitors |
| Jan | 1,108,620 |
| Feb | 1,124,410 |
| Mar | 636,540 |
| Apr | 452,980 |
| May | 518,090 |
| Jun | 655,450 |
| Jul | 938,490 |
| Aug | 848,400 |
| Sep | 627,200 |
| Oct | 712,220 |
How many people visited Hokkaido in 2023?
- In 2023, Hokkaido welcomed a total of 6.1 million international visitors. This represented a 4% decrease from the peak pre-pandemic year of 2019.
How much do tourists spend in Hokkaido every year?
International visitors were estimated to spend over $3.67 billion during trips to Hokkaido in 2023. (Due to the lack of Hokkaido-specific revenue, data are estimated by multiplying Japan’s per capita spending by visitor numbers.)
- Inbound tourist expenditure in Hokkaido was estimated at $8.6 billion in 2019.
- Information covering the pandemic period is unavailable.
- In 2023, Hokkaido’s international tourism revenue was estimated at $8.9 billion, 4% greater than the pre-pandemic year of 2019.
How does Hokkaido make from tourism?
- Hokkaido’s total tourism expenditure in 2019 was estimated at around JPY 1.2 trillion or $8.6 billion. By 2023, Hokkaido’s international tourists were estimated to spend almost JPY 1.3 trillion or about $8.95 billion.
How much is the average spending per capita in Hokkaido?
- The average per capita visitor spending amounted to JPY 158,531 in 2023.
- In 2019, the average per capita visitor spending amounted to JPY 212,764.
Which countries visit Hokkaido the most?
The leading sources of foreign tourists to Hokkaido are South Korea, followed by Taiwan, Hong Kong, China, and Singapore.
- In 2023, South Korea was the top source of international visitors to Hokkaido, accounting for 1.4 million visits with 24% of market share.
- Taiwan also contributed about 22%, with 1.3 million tourists.
- Hong Kong accounted for 602,670 international visits with a market share of 9%.
How many days do tourists spend in Hokkaido?
- Generally, tourists spend a minimum of 3 days exploring Hokkaido’s popular cities and attractions.2
Japan Travel Resources
How popular is Hokkaido as a tourist destination?
- Kyoto and Sapporo, the capital of Hokkaido, were recognized among the top 25 global destinations in 2023 by Tripadvisor.
- Sapporo, Hokkaido was featured in the top ski destinations list in the Travelers’ Choice Awards.3
- Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost prefecture, is now the top travel choice for Southeast Asian travellers, even surpassing traditional favourites like Tokyo and Osaka, according to a study by MicroAd.4
Which attraction or destination is a must-visit in Hokkaido?
- Niseko: Japan’s top ski resort, famous for its light powder snow and popularised by international visitors, especially Australians.
- Furano & Biei: Central Hokkaido towns known for scenic rural landscapes and lavender fields in July; Furano is also a winter ski resort.
- Sapporo: Hokkaido’s capital and Japan’s fifth-largest city, with a history dating back to 1857.
- Noboribetsu Onsen: Hokkaido’s most famous hot spring resort, featuring dramatic hot springs in Jigokudani (“Hell Valley”).
- Hakodate: Hokkaido’s southernmost city, is known for stunning views from Mount Hakodate and fresh seafood.
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