Foreign Tourists Outnumber Japanese Ones In Kyoto Hotels In 2024

Above, Kinkaku-ji Golden Pavilion in Kyoto in 2015. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The last time I was in Kyoto, Japan was in October 2015. It was during a day trip to see places like Kinkaku-ji Golden Pavilion and Kiyomizu-dera,

We stayed in nearby Osaka during this trek. 

SoraNews24 reported that Kyoto hotels has seen more foreign tourists than Japanese ones in 2024.

They wrote:

Japan’s former capital experiences a historic first as inbound travel boom continues and Japanese travelers avoid staying in the city.

Recently, with Japan experiencing a surge in inbound international travelers, it’s not unusual to hear locals remark “These days, it feels like there are more foreign tourists in [sightseeing place] than Japanese people!” Oftentimes this is an exaggeration, but in the case of hotels in Kyoto, it’s the statistical truth.

The Kyoto municipal government recently released its tourism-related numbers for 2024, reporting that during the year 8.21 million foreign travelers stayed in hotels within Kyoto City. That’s the largest number ever, and a 53.2-percent increase from the previous year. It’s also the first time in history for more foreign travelers than Japanese ones to stay in Kyoto hotels, which received 8.09 million Japanese guests in 2024.

To read more, go here. 

Survey Asks Foreign Tourists What Bothered Them In Japan

Above, a view of Tokyo Tower from Tokyo City View in Roppongi. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Japan's tourism boom isn't showing any signs of abating. Foreign travelers are still flocking to the Land of the Rising Sun in droves.

That doesn't mean that there aren't a few things that those travelers find bothersome.

A survey found some interesting responses. SoraNews24 posted the results.

They begin with:

Japan’s unprecedented inbound international travel boom isn’t showing any signs of slowing down, and it’s been going on long enough that it’s clear tourists are really enjoying themselves during their time in the country. But no travel destination is perfect, and so the Japan Tourism Agency, part of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, has been conducting interviews with foreign travelers as they finish up their journeys in Japan to see what kind of problems they encountered.

Between July and December of 2024 the agency interviewed 4,189 foreign travelers prior to their departures from Narita, Haneda, Kansai, Fukuoka, and New Chitose Airports, Japan’s largest international air gateways. When asked what sort of things had bothered, troubled, or annoyed them during their trip, 6.1 percent said they’d had difficulty finding free Wi-Fi and public Internet service, and 8.6 percent had complaints about immigration processing upon their arrival in Japan, with how long it took for them to go through the process after landing being the primary problem.

To read more, go here. 

Survey: 10 Top Inconveniences of Japan Travel

Above, Shibuya Crossing (or Scramble) in Tokyo. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The following will be of interest to those who have never traveled to Japan, more so than to those who have been there.

It is results from a survey by Good Luck Trip posted by SoraNews24 on what are the top 10 inconveniences about traveling in Japan. Since I have been to Japan 8 times, none of these have been an issue for me.

They begin with:

10 things to think about before taking your trip to Japan.

Japan is an amazing place to visit. Whether you want to see historical architecture, modern pop culture, breathtaking natural scenery, or just eat some really, really good food, Japan’s myriad wonders have turned it into a top destination for international travelers.

Of course, Japan isn’t perfect, and so not every trip to the country is nonstop enjoyment. Japanese inbound tourist-focused travel website Good Luck Trip recently conducted an online survey asking people who’ve visited Japan what sort of inconveniences or problems they encountered. Responses were collected from 891 participants (106 using English, 102 Korean, 103 simplified Chinese, and 580 traditional Chinese), and the organizers have released the top 10 results.

Let’s take a look at the top 10.

To see the survey results, go here. 

Japan Rail Pass Price Hike Very Unpopular

Above, inside a Shinkansen train car. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

One of the dumbest moves in the annals of Japan travel was the announcement by the Japan Railways Group that they will be hiking Japan Rail Pass prices nearly 70%.

During seven of my eight trips to Japan, I have obtained a JR Rail Pass and found it very convenient and a bargain. If I go back to Japan, I will likely not buy one.

Other travelers agree with me as surveys have been taken and a big majority of people are also saying "no thanks" to buying a JR Rail Pass, according to an article by SoraNews24.

They begin with:

In April, Japan Railways Group shocked international travelers thinking about taking a trip to Japan by announcing a gigantic price increase for the Japan Rail Pass. Long considered one of the best deals available for inbound tourists looking to see a large swath of the country, the “JR Pass,” as it’s also known among travelers, gives you an unlimited rides on the Shinkansen bullet train, as well as local JR-managed lines nationwide, over a period of one, two, or three weeks.

Currently, a one-week pass costs 29,640 yen (US$220), but that will be jumping to 50,000 yen. The two-week pass will be rising from 47,250 to 80,000 yen, and the three-week pass from 60,450 yen to 100,000. That works out to price increases of between 65 and 69 percent, and depending on where you’re staying and whether you’re splitting hotel costs with a travelling companion, the difference is enough to potentially equal multiple nights’ worth of hotel costs.

Needless to say, the change hasn’t been met with cheers from overseas travelers anxious to visit Japan now that the country has finally reopened from being effectively closed to tourism for almost the entirety of the pandemic. Illustrating just how unpopular is this move by JR is, Export Japan, management company for inbound-to-Japan travel portal Japan Guide, has released the results of an online poll carried out through the site in May, shortly after the Japan Rail Pass price hike was announced. When posed with the question “Will you be buying the Japan Rail Pass after the price increase?”, the responses from 1,098 participants were:

● Probably not: 36.5 percent of respondents

● Absolutely not: 36.1 percent

● I can’t say for sure: 15.5 percent

● I’ll probably buy it: 6 percent

● I’ll definitely buy it: 5.9 percent

To read more, go here. 

Japan: New Entry Requirements You Need To Know About

Above, Godzilla peering over a building in Shinjuku. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It has been over a month since Japan opened up to foreign tourism. Things have gotten easier to get in, but there's still some "rigmarole" travelers have to contend with.

SoraNews24 has posted an article on just what they are.

They begin with:

It’s been over a month now since Japan reopened its borders to international tourists on 11 October, but unlike a lot of other countries, there’s still a bit of rigmarole to get in.

Last month, visitors were required to enter personal details such as vaccination status into an app called MySOS, but from 1 November, that requirement was abolished, and has now been replaced with “Visit Japan Web“, a website designed to smooth out the immigration process.

One of our reporters flew into Japan from Singapore the other day, and upon using the Visit Japan Web site, they noticed three major differences.

To read more, go here. 

U.S. Government Lowers Japan Travel Warning Level

Above, the Kachidoki Bridge and the Sumida River in Tokyo. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has lowered their Japan travel advisory level a notch. But that doesn't mean people can just hop on a plane and go there.

For citizens who must travel to Japan, they should make sure they are fully vaccinated first.

According to SoraNews24:

Last month, the United States’ CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and Department of State placed Japan on its list of Level-4 travel advisory countries, the highest possible ranking and one which carries a “do not travel” warning, due to the country’s coronavirus conditions. Just over two weeks later, though, Japan has now been removed from Level-4 status.

The change, effective as of June 9 (Japan time), is still only one step down, as the CDC and State Department now have Japan at Level 3. That doesn’t mean the U.S. government is encouraging citizens to hop on a plane for Japan, however, as the country’s Level-3 classification reflects a “high level of COVID-19 in Japan” and still comes with a “reconsider travel” caution meant to dissuade nonessential trips.

To read more, go here. 

World's First Permanent Godzilla Theme Park Ride Coming May 19

Well, if we can ever get back to Japan for vacationing, there's one new attraction that's sure to draw Godzilla fans from around the world to look forward to.

It is the “Godzilla the Ride: Great Kaiju Decisive Dominance Battle.” Riders will be thrown into the midst of a battle between Godzilla and King Ghidorah.

SoraNews24 reported:

There are a lot of amusement parks in the Tokyo area, but it’s often hard for them to compete for attention against Tokyo Disneyland and Disney Sea. However, the recently renovated Seibu-en, located right over the prefectural border from Tokyo in the town of Tokorozawa, Saitama, has a plan to step out from the Disney parks’ immense shadows by recruiting a character Uncle Walt has no claim to: Godzilla.

When Seibu-en holds its grand reopening next month on May 19, guests will get to walk through a large-scale replica of a nostalgic shopping street from Japan’s Showa era (1926-1989). At the end of the street is a suitably retro-style theater building, and inside is the world’s first permanent Godzilla theme park ride.

To read more, go here.