Why The Chinese Are Coming To Japan

Above, the golden pavilion of Kinkaku-ji in Kyoto. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

This really doesn't pertain to us, the American traveler to Japan, but I thought a new article in the Japan Times was an interesting read. It is about what motivates the Chinese to travel to Japan.

Japan's tourism industry has been booming of late, primarily due to the large numbers of Chinese tourists.

Why are they coming in such a massive way?

The article states:

NAGOYA – While Chinese tourists’ shopping sprees in Japan continue at such a pace that “explosive buying” has become the buzzword of the year, an academic survey has shown that Japanese landscapes, culture and art may be more alluring than the bright lights of famous shopping districts. 

The survey by Wang Yin, a Nagoya-based Chinese postgraduate student researching Chinese tourist behavior, found 29 percent of Chinese respondents cited “viewing countryside” as a reason for visiting Japan, followed by 26 percent who nominated “appreciation of traditional culture and arts.” 

This compared to 15 percent who cited “convenience in shopping” as the motivation for their visit.

I've encountered a few Chinese tourists and found them friendly and willing to talk about their visits. We saw quite a number of Chinese visitors while we were in Kyoto in October.

To read more, go here.