Japanese Tourism Number on the Rise

 Tourism is a large and growing industry in Japan. A recent report from the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), the official tourism board of Japan, showed that major cities, including Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto are experiencing tourism growth and becoming more visible as top International destinations. 
 

Osaka Dotonbori Ebisu BridgeIn Euromonitor’s Top 100 City Destinations Ranking 2017, the organization named Japan one of the year’s greatest success stories. Tokyo rose six places to 17, and Osaka moved up 27 places to 55, experiencing 52% more tourist arrivals in 2015 than 2014. Further evidence that Osaka is on the rise, the city’s Hotel St. Regis was recently named both one of the 10 best city hotels in Asia and one of the top 100 hotels in the world by Travel & Leisure. Kyoto also increased 11 places to 89 in the Euromonitor report, experiencing over 47% year-over-year arrival growth in 2015 over 2014. In addition, Kyoto was listed fourth on Travel & Leisure’s 2017 The World’s Top 15 Cities list.

Daigo-ji in autumn, KyotoJapan’s large cities are not the only destinations on the rise, however. The hot springs region Yunokawa in Hokkaido, the northern part of Japan, was named first of 20 idyllic beach getaways around Asia by CNN Travel. In addition, Sapporo, best known for its magnificent snow festival in February is also gaining popularity, as people are discovering there is much to see throughout Hokkaido. Just a short two hour flight away from Tokyo, here visitors can immerse themselves in nature, indulge in delicious local cuisine, unwind at abundant hot springs, and enjoy four distinct seasons. 

From cultural experiences to diverse landscapes to delicious cuisine, Japan continues to attract visitors from around the globe for its endless discovery.