Chinese travellers to Japan are on the rise and a growing proportion are repeat visitors choosing culture- and nature-focused experiences rather than shopping, which was once the preferred activity of the market.
China overtook South Korea as the largest feeder market for Japan’s inbound tourism in April, with 765,100 arrivals compared to South Korea (721,600) and the next largest market, Taiwan (537,600), according to data from the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO).
The development follows the rapid post-pandemic rebound of Chinese visitors to Japan, which began in 2024 after a slow start. In the first four months of 2025, Japan welcomed 3.1 million tourists from China, up from the 2.9 million recorded during the same period in 2019.
Families comprising at least one member who has visited Japan before make up a significant proportion of these visitors, resulting in growing demand for more immersive and authentic travel.
“Chinese tourists are no longer interested in the shopping spree of the past, but in enjoying Japanese culture and nature, such as hot springs, tea ceremonies, strolling around in kimonos, and winter sports where they can enjoy powder snow,” a JNTO spokesperson told TTG Asia.
“The purpose of these trips is to experience a variety of unique Japanese scenery including everyday scenes such as shopping streets, shrines and temples, delicious food such as seafood and kaiseki cuisine, settings from movies and manga, and places that look great on social media.”
In addition to the Golden Route – typically connecting Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto and Osaka, an increasing number of Chinese tourists are visiting Hokkaido and hot spring resorts in Kyushu, Chugoku and Tohoku, added the spokesperson.
