Most popular prefectures among foreign visitors in Japan 2020, by visiting rate
Tourism in Japan
Until the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, inbound tourism strongly increased during the past decade, as the Japanese government actively engaged in projects to boost inbound tourism, setting the goal of 40 million visitors to Japan in 2020. However, due to the pandemic, this number has not been reached even remotely. Nevertheless, Japan's tourism potential should be noted: while in 2010 just about 8.6 million people visited Japan, this number increased to over 30 million people in the years prior to the pandemic. Chinese tourists accounted for the largest share of foreign tourists, with more than ten million Chinese visiting the country.
Sightseeing in Tokyo
The Japanese capital Tokyo is the largest city in Japan in terms of population. It is comprised of 23 different wards, of which many have a unique appeal for tourists. The most popular destinations in Tokyo for foreign visitors include districts such as Shinjuku, where the headquarters of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government are located, the shopping-district Ginza, and the electronic town Akihabara, which attracts overseas fans of Japanese popular culture. One-day trips to places outside of Tokyo, such as Kamakura, Nikko, or Yokohama, are also a possibility and add to the appeal the city has as a destination for inbound tourists.