Travel To Japan

Above, Nagasaki, Kyushu, Japan. Photo by Armand Vaquer

The latest (April) issue of the monthly free Japanese cuisine and trends magazine, Japan Up! arrived at the local supermarket and it has an interesting article entitled, "Travel To Japan" that contains some statistics on the current state of the Japanese tourism industry.

For starters, it quotes the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) in saying that for January 2014, the total number of foreign tourists to Japan was over 944,000. This is a 41.2% increase from January 2013, the article says.

From the United States alone, the number of visitors in January 2014 was 59,700, "the highest ever" in the month of January.

The article mentions that Japan had reached the goal of 10 million foreign visitors the tourism bureau set for 2013.

They indicated that the "typical course" for the first-time leisure tourist is Tokyo-Hakone-Kyoto.
It said that the top reason to visit Japan is Japanese cuisine. Tsukiji Fish Market, sushi and tempura restaurants are "popular tourist destinations."

The number of U.S. tourists exceeds 800,000 a year. Compared to 2012, the number increased 12%, says the article. About half are in Japan on business and the other half to experience food and culture.