Japan’s tourism board has urged holidaymakers to swap Tokyo and Kyoto for cities in Tohoku and Kanazawa as Australian vacationers flood Japan’s cities in file numbers.
About 807,800 Australians visited Japan between January and November this yr, almost 200,000 greater than the earlier file in 2019, in keeping with provisional estimates from the Japan Nationwide Tourism Organisation (JNTO).
The highest-three locations of Australian vacationers have been Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto, the journey reserving firm Flight Centre discovered. Australians have been among the many longest-staying guests to Japan, JNTO mentioned.
However Japan has struggled with the post-pandemic return of swarming crowds, with Naoki Kitazawa, the chief director of JNTO’s department in Sydney, urging vacationers to maneuver out of the key cities and journey into rural cities.
“We strongly encourage Australians to consider lesser-known destinations,” he mentioned.
“Travelling responsibly is more important than ever, especially in popular destinations where the impact of tourism can put pressure on local communities.”
The growth is ready to proceed with Australian bookings for Japan within the first three months of 2025 up by a fifth in comparison with 2024, in keeping with Flight Centre.
A kind of travellers, structure pupil Josh Khochaiche, will depart Sydney on Saturday to check and sightsee within the main cities for three-and-a-half weeks, although he’s delicate to locals’ requires higher behaviour from vacationers.
“We love [Japan] as much as I’m sure the people themselves love it, so we want to try and be as respectful about it as possible,” he mentioned
A fan of Japanese carpentry, popular culture and meals, Khochaiche jumped on the likelihood to go to, not least due to a robust change fee between the Australian greenback and the Japanese yen.
“If you’re going out [to eat], it’s $15 to $20, and in comparison to Australia, that’s exquisite,” he mentioned.
One Australian greenback on Thursday was price 97 yen, close to the extent it has hovered at since mid-2023, regardless of the greenback dropping worth towards the US greenback and different currencies in latest months.
That sturdy change fee has seen demand develop so excessive that in December, Australian journey company Japan Holidays needed to quickly cease taking new inquiries, the corporate’s normal supervisor, Judy Luxton, mentioned.
‘Really tap into the culture of Japan’
However because the overcrowding worsens, Luxton has more and more inspired prospects to flee the cities and have a look at smaller areas.
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“The numbers are hideous and it’s not serene when you have that many people, so a lot of our tours now are giving them all the [great Japanese] experiences but trying to avoid the peak tourist spots,” she mentioned.
Taking warnings of overtourism to coronary heart, Khochaiche will spend a while in Naoshima, an island recognized for its artwork and structure, and has already begun planning a return journey together with his girlfriend for 2027.
“We would go to calmer rural villages, try the food, just immerse ourselves, [see] the temples that are a bit off the beaten track,” he mentioned. “There’s just so many things to do.”
That method has lengthy been favoured by Stuart McIntosh, a resident of Beechworth, Victoria, who has visited Japan repeatedly since 2012 however spent solely a handful of nights in Tokyo.
“We’ve almost been involved in a crowd crush … jam-packed, people fainting, and having to duck into shops and doorways to sort of make your way through,” he mentioned.
McIntosh and his household have as an alternative holidayed within the northern prefectures of Tohoku and Hokkaido, the place they’ve explored the cities and gone snowboarding for lower than A$40 a day every.
“All the temples are there, all the cherry blossoms are there, all the retail shops are there, the sushi, the onsen, it’s all there – but just with a fraction of the crowds,” McIntosh mentioned.
“That’s where you can often really tap into the culture of Japan, the friendliness of the people.”
JNTO’s Kitazawa is hoping Australians will maintain that lesson in thoughts as they journey, discovering new corners of the nation whereas serving to forestall over-tourism.
“Tokyo, Kyoto, and the Golden Route offer incredible experiences, but there’s so much more to discover beyond the obvious and what’s trending,” he mentioned.
