What's happened
Chinese visitors to Japan surged in 2025, driven by a weaker yen making high-end shopping and cultural experiences more affordable. Over 6.7 million visited in the first eight months, with wealthier travelers spending more on luxury goods, wellness, and cultural stays, especially in cities like Tokyo, Kyoto, and Hokkaido.
What's behind the headline?
The rise in Chinese tourism to Japan reflects broader economic and geopolitical shifts. The yen's decline has transformed Japan into a more affordable luxury destination, especially for middle- and upper-class Chinese travelers seeking high-quality goods and authentic cultural experiences. Cities like Kyoto and Shanghai are benefiting from this trend, with Chinese tourists increasingly interested in wellness retreats and culturally significant sites. This shift could lead to sustained economic benefits for Japan's tourism sector, but also raises questions about over-reliance on Chinese visitors and the sustainability of such growth. The focus on discreet prestige and wellness indicates a maturing market that values meaningful experiences over mere luxury shopping. Japan's strategic promotion of smaller towns and cultural sites suggests a deliberate effort to diversify tourism and reduce urban congestion, which could have long-term positive impacts on regional development. However, the continued depreciation of the yen may also pose risks if global economic conditions change, potentially reversing this trend.
What the papers say
The South China Morning Post highlights the surge in Chinese tourists, emphasizing their increased spending and interest in wellness and cultural experiences, with specific examples like the Six Senses Kyoto hotel. The Japan Times reports the record-breaking August visitor numbers, noting the significant contribution of Chinese travelers. Both sources agree on the economic impact of the yen's depreciation, but the SCMP provides a deeper insight into the changing preferences of Chinese tourists, including their shift towards discreet luxury and wellness. The Japan Times focuses more on the statistical growth and regional distribution, especially the rise of Shanghai as a key destination for Korean travelers, which complements the broader narrative of Asian tourism growth but is less focused on the Chinese market specifically.
How we got here
The yen's depreciation against the Chinese yuan over the past five years has made Japan a more accessible destination for Chinese tourists. This shift has been driven by economic factors, including the weaker yen, which has increased the purchasing power of Chinese travelers. The trend is also supported by Japan's efforts to attract more diverse visitors, including those interested in wellness and cultural experiences, beyond traditional luxury shopping.
Go deeper
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China, officially the People's Republic of China, is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population of around 1.4 billion in 2019.
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