Japan is in the middle of an unprecedentedly huge inbound international travel boom, with the country’s major tourism attractions seeing significantly more tourists than they did prior to the pandemic. Nowhere is this more noticeable than in Kyoto, but it turns out there hasn’t been an across-the-demographic-board increase in the number of visitors to the city’s temples, shrines, and gardens, as several of the city’s top sightseeing attractions have seen a sharp drop in their number of Japanese visitors.
The Kyoto municipal government conducts an annual study to track tourism trends in the city, and as expected there was a huge increase in foreign travelers between 2023 and 2024. Looking at the number of foreign visitors at Kinkakuji/the Golden Pavilion, Fushimi Inari Shrine, the scenic Togetsukyo Bridge in the Arashiyama district, Nishiki Market, the Kiyomizu Gojo neighborhood, and Kitano Tenmangu Shrine, all had increases of at least 24 percent.
● Change in number of foreign visitors between 2023 and 2024
Fushimi Inari: 46 percent increase
Nishiki Market: 42 percent increase
Kitano Tenmangu: 42 percent increase
Kiyomizu Gojo: 34 percent increase
Kinkakuji: 29 percent increase
Togetsukyo Bridge: 24 percent increase
Meanwhile, the number of Japanese visitors to all six of those places dropped over the same period.
● Change in number of Japanese visitors between 2023 and 2024
Fushimi Inari: 23 percent decrease
Nishiki Market: 16 percent decrease
Kitano Tenmangu: 42 percent decrease
Kiyomizu Gojo: 34 percent decrease
Kinkakuji: 29 percent decrease
Togetsukyo Bridge: 11 percent decrease
Not only are the visitor numbers moving in opposite directions, the larger increases in foreign tourist numbers are more or less aligning with larger decreases in Japanese visitor numbers (though Nishiki Market is an exception), suggesting that the larger tourist crowds are making those destinations less appealing to domestic travelers.
▼ The approach to Togetsukyo Bridge
This doesn’t mean that Japanese tourists are avoiding Kyoto entirely, however. The same Kyoto government study also saw increases in the number of Japanese visitors to parts of the city farther on its outskirts with less world-famous attractions, and also less convenient access by public transportation. However, while shifting their itineraries to these lower-profile districts allows for a less congested travel experience, it also means forgoing visiting the sites of greatest Japanese historical and cultural significance.
It remains to be seen how long the broad international tourism community’s intense interest in Japan will be sustained, as pent-up demand from travel plans delayed during the pandemic is still a factor, and the weakness of the yen is also a deciding factor in many people’s decision to visit the country for the first time.
At the same time, many people in Japan are being forced to tighten their belts as consumer prices rise and wages stagnate, while hotels, seeking to capitalize on the high demand for rooms from inbound tourists flush with spending power, have been rapidly raising their rates in prime destinations.
Combined, those factors are convincing many foreign travelers that right now is a great time to go to Kyoto and see its top sights, while simultaneously making many Japanese people feel like it’s definitely not the time to, so whether this visitor gap will be permanent or not, it’s probably going to get wider before it narrows.
Source: YTV News via Yahoo! Japan News via Jin
Insert images: ©SoraNews24
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9 Comments
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Asiaman7
As a long-term resident and frequent domestic traveler, I would not tour these attractions or recommend others to visit. The excessive crowds blister the experience.
I’m sure apologists and bots would disagree though.
WA4TKG
Me too, far away so, all the way down in Kyushu. Keep it
See you at Beppu
bass4funk
I own a house in Fukuoka and spend half of year there, Kyushu overall is the best without a doubt, and Oita is no exceptions, love Yufuin
wallace
After more than 20 visits we are finished with Kyoto unless there is an exceptional art exhibition. We can't deal with the crowds any more.
GuruMick
Lots of uncrowded spots in Japan.
Get a car and get exploring.
BorisM
Took my brother and his family to Kyoto during New Year in 23/24, and it was an experience I don't want to repeat any time soon. We only visited the Gion/Pontocho/Kiyomizu districts and it was hard to squeezed through the crowds in some parts, especially with a young kid in tow. Before the inbound tourism boom kicked off, I only remember Kyoto being this busy during peak times. Now it's pretty constant, so I'm not surprised that fewer Japanese want to go there.
Like Wallace, I'm done with Kyoto unless there's a really special reason to go, like showing friends around. The last time I really explored it much was during the pandemic, when there was hardly anyone around. It's hard to describe how stunning Kinkakuji can be when the place is blissfully quiet.
mu-da
I lived there from 1979-1985 when it was still a nice place to reside. Even then Kyoto was badly managed. Kyoto city was always ruled by greed and milking the cultural image. It is very sad to see the serene atmosphere of long gone days completely and utterly destroyed.
DanteKH
Not only Japanese travelers. Foreigners that are permanent residents also have the same problem. It feels like everything nowadays is made to ripp off tourists and to make money out of everything.
Ah_so
When I first went to Kyoto in the 90s, non-Japanese were reallly rare. I remember then visiting in about 2008, and it was busier and far more non-Japanese, mostly from other Asian countries. But now...well I don't want to go again until the place has calmed down enough.
Luckily I have been to the spots where the bulk of tourists go, but there is so much to see all over Japan, and most are relatively untouristy.