Japan tourism boost has exceeded 3 million tourists only in March 2024 due to Easter festivities, cherry blossom season and weaker yen that contributed to more spending by tourists

Japan Tourism Boost Triumph Surprises All

It is no wonder that Japan has been able to set a new tourist record at the beginning of 2024 with almost 3 million tourists hitting Japan only in the month of March. It seems a splendid triumph for Japan but let’s explore the hidden secrets behind this success story:

Why Japan Tourism Surpassed Millions

Three main reasons include the Easter festivities, summer cherry blossom season and the weaker yen.

1. Easter Festivities

Such festivities are celebrated with uniqueness. Easter festivities are more of an international phenomenon and not solely linked with Japanese Christian community. Tourists find it attractive and it has gained immense popularity in the last few years. There are specific theme parks and children participate in egg hunt activity at these theme parks and hotels, which seals it with Japanese uniqueness. Special deals and menus are offered during Easter holidays to attract a large number of tourists to come to restaurants and enjoy the special Japanese cuisines. Takayama Festival with elaborate floats sometimes coincides with Easter, attracting many tourists. Unique Gifts are designed on Easter holidays such as seasonal fruit baskets and gourmet snacks. Japan adds its own unique cultural twist to Easter, with local customs and modern celebrations blending together.

These points highlight the unique way Easter is celebrated in Japan, combining traditional Japanese elements with modern, Western-influenced festivities.

• Cherry Blossom Season

This also contributes to bringing in the tourists from all around the world. The cherry blossom season, or sakura, is a cornerstone of Japanese culture and a major tourist attraction. The delicate pink blossoms symbolize the transient nature of life and inspire a sense of wonder and renewal. In March, these iconic flowers bloom in a spectacular display that captivates both the eyes and the soul, drawing millions to participate in hanami, the traditional cherry blossom viewing parties.

• Weaker Yen

Undeniably it is the core and crucial reason of Japan tourism boost. The weaker yen has led to the changed mindset of international tourists as they feel more comfortable in not only prolonging their stays in Japan but also can buy a number of cultural souvenirs for their loved ones. Still this depreciating value of yen is beneficial for Japanese tourism on one end but also detrimental for the Japanese economy due to inflation. Small businesses are more prone to suffer due to this depreciation of yen.

In addition to these reasons, another festival that will also attracts tourist in the upcoming months is Sanno Matsuri. It is celebrated with parade of 500 people, all of them dresses in costumes. An element of culture is the carrying of drums, the portable shrines and decorated floats that grab the attention of the international tourists.

Unfortunately the mass overtourism has resulted in some negative consequences for the Japanese people especially in the city of Kyoto where Geisha were not only photographed and video graphed without their consent but were also publicly harassed. Things got so worse that one of the traditional kimono dresses was even torn by tourists and pulling by hair was also publicly done. To avoid such negative incidents to happen in future, Japanese government has now imposed ban on Kyoto but that’s only confined to some specific areas such as Gion district to provide safety to geishas. Also public notices of no photography or videography are displayed as warning. All the measures taken by Japanese government will boost tourism in the future.

Even Japanese government has decided to shield Mount Fuji from tourist due to their bad behavior. A higher tax will be also imposed to visit Mount Fuji and visit would be allowed only in special cases. The local have built up a wall of shields to protect Mount Fuji from tourists.

Hey! Did we miss out on some of the reasons of Japan tourism boost? And do you think Japan will be able to sustain this tourism boost in the long run to accommodate the tourists in such large numbers ?

Please do let us know in the comments box and you may also explore more travel news on our blog.