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Japan is swamped with tourists. Now visitors are going off the beaten track

Tour operators are touting Japan’s less explored regions as surging visitor numbers put strain on popular sites.

Tokyo, Japan – When Paul Christie started conducting tours on Japan’s Nakasendo, an old trade route along the post towns of Nagano Prefecture’s Kiso Valley, few travellers frequented the trail.

Christie, who has lived on and off in Japan since the late 1980s, viewed the route as a great opportunity for tourists to see a more authentic side of Japan, allowing them to explore the country’s history, nature and geography on foot.

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Since taking over as CEO of tour operator Walk Japan in 2002, Christie has been on a mission to spread tourists more evenly across the archipelago.

“We’ve been doing this for 20 years and we tend to go to places that are not touristy, so we’re teasing out the interesting parts of Japan,” the United Kingdom native told Al Jazeera.

“This addresses the problems Japan is experiencing with ‘overtourism’.”

“Overtourism” was a common talking point in Japan’s tourism industry before the COVID-19 pandemic.

After eight consecutive years of inbound growth, Japan received a record 32 million visitors in 2019.

But the rising tide did not raise all boats. Most travellers flocked to the Golden Route, running from Tokyo through the Osaka-Kyoto-Kobe conurbation, putting historical districts, Shinto shrines, Buddhist temples and popular museums under strain.

Since Japan lifted its pandemic-era border restrictions in October last year, concerns about unsustainable tourism have returned.

Visitors have rushed back in droves: 2.3 million foreign tourists arrived in July, the highest figure for any month since 2019.

China’s decision last month to lift its three-year ban on group tours to Japan is expected to result in a further spike in arrivals.

In 2019, 9.2 million Chinese tourists travelled to Japan, accounting for nearly one-third of all visitors, spending 1.8 trillion yen ($12.2bn) in the process.

“Our head office is located in the centre of Kyoto and we feel there are as many tourists as before COVID,” Hiroshi Kawaguchi, the general manager at tour operator Oku Japan, told Al Jazeera.

“This is a similar situation where major sightseeing spots are overcrowded and public buses are lining up.”

Though Kawaguchi says his company’s vision is not focused on alleviating overtourism, Oku Japan’s business model is attuned to such concerns.

“The main part of our itineraries are off the beaten track,” Kawaguchi told Al Jazeera.

“More importantly, every tour we offer includes the element of community interactions… We call these experiences fureai, and this is particularly important not only for the enjoyment of clients but also the local community.”

Tour operators focused on less-explored regions also believe in the power of tourism to have a positive impact on rural communities and spur chiho-sosei, or regional revitalisation.

In 2007, Walk Japan launched the Community Project to reinvigorate two neighbouring valleys on the Kunisaki Peninsula, where the company is based.

Alongside conducting group tours in the region, Walk Japan carries out development projects, from helping local farmers cultivate rice and shiitake mushrooms, to providing English education for schoolchildren and refurbishing old buildings.

Revitalisation is “part of the company DNA,” Christie said.

“We want to provide an example of what’s possible and perhaps inspire others.”

As Japan’s population greys, many small villages are on the brink of extinction. For such communities, tourism can be a welcome and much-needed rejuvenating force.

“With the right support, some communities genuinely want [tourists] to experience their hospitality and their local lifestyles and find out about their region, as long as they aren’t overwhelmed by visitors and the quality of life isn’t degraded,” Alex Bradshaw, founder and chief consultant at travel and tourism consultancy Gotoku, told Al Jazeera.

“Even if a village doesn’t survive into the future, the fact that it’s been remembered by somebody is incredibly powerful; that people lived here and they had this lifestyle and we shared a little time together. That kind of human interaction is very important.”

Overtourism is not restricted to Japan’s urban areas.

Rural World Heritage sites, subtropical islands, popular hiking trails and national parks have also been negatively affected.

Fuji-Hakone-Izu, for example, receives nearly half of all national park visitors in Japan, owing to its proximity to Tokyo and as the site of Mount Fuji.

Michelle Lyons, founder of Point North, a specialist branding firm supporting businesses passionate about Japanese culture, is working on a campaign to spread tourism – and its economic benefits – more equitably among Japan’s 34 national parks.

“I wanted to find a way to promote all the parks as though it’s a network of destinations that are all equal to each other,” Lyons told Al Jazeera.

“And by presenting them in this way I’m hoping the more popular parks will help raise the profile of the less popular parks.”

Lyons is developing collectable pins and patches for each park and a trading card game. She wants these collectable souvenirs to showcase the individual merits of each park and serve as educational tools.

“The management of the parks is really fragmented, so it’s difficult for them to coordinate their efforts… There needs to be a series of different solutions that creates value for the unique groups involved; a blanket approach isn’t going to work,” she said.

“In terms of increasing expenditure in the parks, gift shops could play a big part in that if they’re more strategic with what they’re selling, and think about what tourists actually want and find appealing.”

Stereotypical images

It’s a common refrain in the industry that Japan does not understand how to market itself to foreign travellers but Bradshaw thinks Western media is also at fault for presenting stereotypical images of the country.

“I see how Japan is presented and I’m kind of confused by it. I just wonder what part of Japan that is, because they do rely on the kitsch, the odd side of it, or culture tropes… It’s all maid cafés, geisha, tea ceremonies and ninja,” he said.

“It would be my hope that people would find a deeper side of Japan. But I understand why that is difficult for the tourism industry as well. When you’ve got to prioritise what sells as opposed to what’s authentic and necessarily good for regional communities.”

Some areas have implemented initiatives to specifically tackle overcrowding.

Kyoto, known as Japan’s cultural capital, is set to abolish its One-Day Bus Pass for tourists, sales of which will cease in October.

Iriomote, widely feted as the most beautiful of the Ryukyu Islands, has limited the number of daily visitors to 1,200.

In Yamanashi Prefecture, the local government has considered restricting the number of hikers on Mt Fuji’s Yoshida trail if it becomes too congested.

Last month, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced that the government would devise nationwide countermeasures to mitigate overtourism this autumn.

Kumi Kato, a tourism professor at Wakayama and Musashino universities, said the government has made moves in the right direction – such as organising cross-ministry meetings on spreading the benefits of tourism – but there is much work to be done.

“Destination wellbeing should be the goal and benchmarking concept,” Kato told Al Jazeera.

“Promoting the night and early morning economy and secondary destinations will disperse tourism into regional areas but that alone cannot lead to successful regional tourism.”

“It’s critical that the target should be clearly set… high-end tourists, or tourists with wealth, are often talked about, but it should not be misunderstood that only wealthy tourists are valuable,” Kato added.

“Value should be added to high-quality products and authentic experiences [which will] raise visitor spending rather than increase numbers. The government does set a target stay – number of days – and spending per visitor, but strategically ‘what kind of tourists’ should be clearer.”

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JOMC Newsletter

• Sustainable Tourism in Japan What it means and how JNTO aims to help realize it

The rapid expansion of global tourism in recent years has coincided with growing concern in many countries over its impact on the environment and on the lives of those living and working in popular tourist destinations. The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic has heightened these concerns.

Prior to the pandemic, the huge increase in the number of overseas visitors to Japan--driven in particular by rapid economic growth in other countries across Asia--was starting to sound alarm bells, with many people lamenting overcrowding and pollution at the country's major attractions and the resulting burden on local residents and communities.

In response to growing worldwide concern over the impact of economic growth, in 2015 the United Nations adopted a series of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a bold agenda aimed at ending extreme poverty, fighting inequality, and combatting climate change.

Tourism, effectively managed, has the potential to contribute directly or indirectly to all of the goals. It is specifically referenced in Goal 8 (inclusive and sustainable economic growth), Goal 12 (sustainable consumption and production) and Goal 14 (the sustainable use of oceans and marine resources).

The UN's World Tourism Organization has accordingly called for 'sustainable tourism', defining this as "tourism that meets the needs of visitors, industry, the environment and the host community, while taking into account the environmental, socio-cultural and economic impacts of the present and future".

Acknowledging the responsibilities that go with being the world's third-largest economy, Japan is taking concrete steps to support these global targets. JNTO has accordingly formulated policies aimed at promoting sustainable tourism in Japan that will contribute to achievement of the SDGs.

These include

• the disseminating of information on specific regions of Japan and tourist offerings that incorporate and promote sustainable tourism
• advertising Japan's own success stories
• encouraging Japanese vacationing abroad and overseas visitors to Japan to be responsible travelers
• promoting 'universal tourism', i.e., tourism that can be enjoyed by anyone, regardless of such factors as race, nationality ethnicity, religion, gender or impairment

The aim, says JNTO, is to make Japan in the post-COVID era "a tourist destination of choice for travelers around the world".

It seems likely that travelers will welcome this focus. A recent survey by the online operator booking.com [1] revealed that more than two-thirds of global travelers want the revenues generated by tourism to be shared with local communities. More than 40% expressed a wish to support local communities and economies by being more mindful of their travel choices. And there is growing evidence that tourists are becoming more aware of the need to protect and sustain resources in the places they visit.

Reflecting these trends, JNTO's concept of sustainable tourism embodies the following goals:

• protecting and nurturing local environments and their biodiversity
• respecting and preserving local cultures
• supporting local economies

The temporary halt in overseas tourism resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic is giving Japan further opportunity to consider how it can manage its tourism more effectively, and achieve these goals.

Concretely, JNTO will be promoting areas offering outdoor activities and with accommodation facilities that coexist with nature and therefore have less impact on the environment. This will encourage those with an awareness of the need to protect local environments to include these destinations in their itineraries.

[1] "Growing Awareness of the Impact of Travel: the Start of Responsible Travel", April 2021

They will also be promoting aspects of Japanese culture such as arts and crafts that have been nurtured since ancient times, encouraging overseas visitors to learn about these and to be mindful of the need to preserve them. Activities will include raising awareness of local food culture, encouraging the consumption of local produce, and offering cooking experiences to visitors.

JNTO will also be promoting travel to a much broader range of destinations across Japan and encouraging visitors to come at different times of the year, in order to ease the burden on current 'hotspots' and to spread traffic outside of traditional peak seasons.

Overall, JNTO will provide information and other support to local governments, highlighting to them how increased tourism can help create stable, long-term employment and stimulate their economies. In addition, they will encourage the promotion of travel packages where a portion of the proceeds are donated to local communities, aiming to ensure that these benefit more directly from inbound tourism.

Specific Initiatives

With Japan's thousands of miles of coastline, it is natural that there should be a focus on the oceanside and waterfront communities that inhabit these. Here are details of two initiatives JNTO is actively pursuing as part of its support for environmentally-friendly tourism.

The Seto Inland Sea (瀬戸内海, or Setonaikai) lies between the main Japanese islands of Honshu, Kyushu and Shikoku . Stretching more than 400 kilometers from Osaka to Kitakyushu, its calm waters include some 3,000 islands, many of which are inhabited and connected by a crisscross network of ferries.

The Seto Inland Sea Ecotourism Council has put together a tour of the central part of the Inland Sea in the waters near Hiroshima prefecture, home to around 170 of the islands. Dubbed an 'adult study trip', the tour combines sightseeing by boat with study of the local environment, history and culture of the area.

The tour takes in the remote island of Osakikamijima, famous for its fruit produce and stunning views, and the tiny oceanside community of Yasuura, renowned for its cultivation of oysters. It also traverses the Tobishima Oceanside Road, popular with cyclists, and takes in the town of Takehara, known as the 'Little Kyoto of Aki Province', a prime producer of salt and saké in its heyday.

Takehara has become famous as the setting for the popular NHK TV drama Massan. It is the birthplace of Masataka Taketsuru, the father of Japanese whisky; a historical town featuring houses with beautiful plaster walls and amber woodwork lattice. Local guides explain the history of the area, illustrating these with stories and anecdotes that would be missed by those walking around by themselves.

Another tour offers visitors a chance to learn first-hand about the oyster trade, on which many local communities around the Seto Inland Sea depend. A boat transports them to Mitsuguchi Bay near the town of Kure , in Hiroshima prefecture. Under the guidance of a local oyster merchant, they try their hand removing oysters from their shells, something which can take a beginner two or three minutes, but which an experienced operator can do in 5-10 seconds! The tour concludes with a lunch of oysters at a local hotel with views across the sea.

For the second eco-friendly tourist programs, we cross to the northern coast of Honshu, where the rugged Noto peninsula reaches out into the Sea of Japan like a crooked arm. Kotogahama beach, on the western edge of the peninsula, offers a unique attraction: sand that squeaks when you walk on it! The phenomenon is not fully understood, but quartz sand seems to produce this sound under certain circumstances, especially if the grains are rounded.

In 1996, Japan's Ministry of the Environment created a list of the best 100 soundscapes from across the country, hoping to preserve the sounds cherished by people as symbols of their community. The list features sounds which have special meaning to locals in all areas of Japan, ranging from the ringing of specific bells to birds' cries and the soundscapes of specific festivals. And of course, singing sand.

Tours are arranged allowing visitors to walk barefoot through the sand and relax in colorful swaying hammocks on the beach - a great stress-reliever guaranteed to lift the spirits of all city dwellers!

For the more active, games of frescoball are offered, where two players use small wooden bats and partner with each other to bat a small ball between themselves on the beach.

These are just two examples of regions of Japan already offering tourist experiences that are not only friendlier to the environment, but encourage visitors to experience more of the local culture and history of their destinations than the standard tour usually allows.

As JNTO looks to help the country's tourism sector recover after the COVID-19 pandemic subsides, we look forward to bringing you details of further local destinations and initiatives that are embracing the concept of 'sustainable tourism'.

Some photos and images featuring in this article are available for download at the Japan Online Media Center website at https://business.jnto.go.jp/resource/

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Japan's hospitality and tourism industry is recovering, but there are challenges

Japan's readiness to receive tourists is not keeping pace with the speed of the recovery of visitor numbers. Image:  Unsplash/Sayaka Ganz

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• Japan's hospitality and tourism sector is recovering in earnest after reopening its border to foreign visitors and lifting mask rules after COVID-19.
• As a result, March saw visitor numbers reach nearly 2 million, equivalent to about two-thirds of tourist figures for the same month in 2019.
• Japan will need to adapt to avoid 'overtourism' and also address post-pandemic labour shortages in both hospitality and tourism.

The Japanese hospitality and tourism industry is beginning to recover in earnest after being badly hit by COVID-19.

In October 2022, Japan lifted the ceiling on the number of foreign tourists entering the country as well as the ban on the entry of individual foreign travellers, thereby significantly easing its pandemic border control measures. Furthermore, as of March this year, the rule to wear masks, both indoors and outdoors, is now left to individual discretion.

This was a tailwind, and the number of visitors to Japan in the same month quickly recovered to 1,827,500 – a figure is equivalent to 66% of the pre-pandemic March 2019 tally and 27.5 times higher than in March 2022.

By country/region, the largest number of visitors to Japan in March came from South Korea with 466,800 – or 79.7% of the figure for March 2019; followed by Taiwan with 278,900; the United States with 203,000, and Hong Kong with 144,900. In addition, since Japan eased travel restrictions from China on March 1, the number of travellers from the country almost doubled to 75,000 in February.

Takahide Kiuchi, Executive Economist at Nomura Research Institute, forecasts that "inbound demand for the year 2023 will be JPY 4,958 billion (about $36.7 billion), which could quickly surpass the JPY 4,813.5 billion (about $35.7 billion) inbound demand in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic”.

However, while Japan's economy is being revitalized in earnest by inbound consumption – boosted in part by the record low yen, which makes Japan an attractive destination for foreign tourists – the country is facing a noticeable challenge as its readiness to receive tourists is not keeping pace with the speed of the recovery in visitor numbers.

Severe labour shortages in hospitality

The hospitality and restaurant industries are in a particularly tight spot, unable to cope with the resurgence of inbound tourism.

According to a January survey released by Teikoku Databank, the percentage of companies feeling a labour shortage (non-permanent employees) amounted to 81.8% for inns and hotels and 80.4% for restaurants. Of all sectors, these two industries in particular are experiencing an outstanding labour shortage, with the percentage for inns/hotels at an all-time high.

Many in the hospitality and restaurant sectors have been forced to reduce their workforce and curtail new hiring due to closures, shorter hours and poor performance caused by the spread of COVID-19, and many employees have moved on to other jobs. The fact it is not easy to bring back staff once they have left the industry is the main reason for the serious labour shortage.

Have you read?

Japan has eased travel restrictions - but will the tourism sector bounce back, the number of tourists that visit japan has increased by more than 20 million in five years, saving forests to protect coastal ecosystems: japan sets historic example.

Japanese industry has been trying to solve labour shortages by accepting foreign workers. The tourism sector has relied heavily on part-time jobs for foreign students. According to data from the Japan Student Services Organization in 2021, the hospitality and restaurant industries accounted for nearly 40% of all part-time jobs for foreign students. However, foreign student part-time workers have completely disappeared since the pandemic.

Furthermore, the depreciation of the yen, which has been progressing since the second half of last year, has significantly lowered wages in Japan from the perspective of other countries. Despite overcoming the COVID-19 crisis and embarking on a path of economic recovery, Japan is no longer attractive as a country to go to as a migrant worker, and it is no longer possible to expect to attract foreign staff .

In a bid to address the problem in hospitality, hotel operations are being reformed by using digital technology to increase efficiency. JTB, a major Japanese travel agency, has developed a platform that links its core system with digital tools such as ATMs to save labour in check-out and other operations, and is now offering the system to hotels.

Tokyu Hotels, which operates 45 hotels in Japan, has also introduced NEC's Smart Hospitality Service , which enables automatic check-in using facial recognition and QR codes, at 39 of its hotels nationwide. Users can check in by simply holding up their face to a tablet terminal at the front desk if they have registered their guest information and photo in advance – making operations more efficient.

Countermeasures against ‘overtourism’

Overtourism has long been a challenge for the Japanese travel industry, and local residents in key tourist areas have suffered from issues including crowding, traffic congestion, rubbish and noise. The ability to diversify the times and areas visited by tourists is key to preventing overtourism, while allowing the tourism industry to gain momentum for a resurgence.

According to a Japan Tourism Agency survey, most people travel on holidays, including major national holidays, and only 16.5% of travel volume occurs on weekdays , which account for 70% of the annual number of days.

As such, the government is working to diversify travel demand by increasing the amount of coupons granted for weekday travel in its nationwide travel support programme. Now that the spread of teleworking has made it feasible to combine work and travel on weekdays, the creation of new incentives, such as work holidays, could also help to balance out travel demand.

Diversification of tourist destinations is another important issue. Pre-pandemic, the occupancy rate of accommodation facilities in Osaka, Kyoto and Fukuoka – where tourists are concentrated – rose to nearly 80%, and the negative effects of overtourism were being called out.

However, in many prefectures located along the typical tourist routes for foreign visitors, the occupancy rate of accommodation facilities was less than 50%, resulting in regional differences. In the future, it will be important to bridge these regional differences by promoting Japan's diverse destinations, and to increase the number of people visiting non-representative tourist destinations by attracting repeat visitors.

Travel & Tourism Development Index 2021: Rebuilding for a Sustainable and Resilient Future

Looking to a new future for japan tourism.

The World Economic Forum’s Travel & Tourism Development Index 2021: Rebuilding for a Sustainable and Resilient Future ranked Japan first in the development index ranking due to the speed with which the travel and tourism industry has recovered from the devastation caused by the pandemic.

Assuming that the travel and tourism industry will play an important role in global economic and social development, the report emphasizes that investment in the drivers of the industry’s development will be crucial in the future.

Meanwhile, Atsushi Takahashi of JR East Japan Planning Inc sounded an alarm bell on the past Japanese approach to tourism and instead urged a new way of thinking. “We have long made decisions based on intuition, experience and assumptions. We have been making decisions for a long time without looking at data,” he said.

“The original marketing is to choose the best solution at the time from multiple hypotheses that emerge depending on how the data is viewed and interpreted. However, in the field of tourism, I feel that this is still too shallow.”

His observations stress his belief that data-based initiatives in Japan's tourism industry are also essential to solving issues facing the sector today, as well to providing new forms of tourism services altogether.

Pre-pandemic, China ranked first in the number of foreign visitors to Japan by nationality and region, accounting for a 25.6% share . Currently, there are restrictions on issuing tourist visas to Chinese nationals, but if these restrictions are lifted in the future, the number of visitors from China is expected to increase rapidly.

In addition, the Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai – which will be held for six months and centre around the theme of 'Designing Future Society for Our Lives' – is expected to attract 3.5 million foreign tourists.

With these expected surges in visitor numbers, the question will be how Japan can solve the problems facing hospitality and tourism, while also creating and providing services that place value on new forms of tourism.

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Japan unveils new overtourism countermeasures

As foreign visitors return in droves following the COVID-19 pandemic, Japan has outlined new plans to counter problems associated with overtourism, including bolstering transportation systems in major cities and drawing visitors to lesser-known rural areas.

The new plan includes a measure to strengthen infrastructure — especially boosting bus and taxi fleets — in order to welcome tourists and better cope with overcrowding in popular cities. Taxi companies in some cities are struggling to keep up with demand.

The plan suggests sending support to areas that experience a significant uptick in tourists during certain seasons — such as Niseko, Hokkaido, during ski season — so that taxi companies can offer increased service during those times.

It also suggests setting up direct bus routes to popular tourist destinations from major stations specifically for tourists. Another suggestion is to change fare prices depending on the time to incentivize travel during nonpeak hours.

The ministry also emphasized the importance of herding visitors away from major hotspots like Tokyo and Kyoto to lesser-known areas in order to reduce the concentration of tourists.

The plan elaborated on the efforts of the 11 model tourist destinations — places such as Ise-Shima in Mie Prefecture and eastern Hokkaido — that were chosen earlier this year as locations where visitors can experience nature and other unique attractions that cannot be found in big cities.

In these areas, the ministry plans to support local municipalities in promoting specific experiences such as adventure tourism in untouched, natural areas or overnight stays in historic villages.

Inbound tourism is on the rise, with the number of visitors to Japan returning to pre-pandemic levels. The total number of tourists in September this year was back to 96% of what it was in 2019, with over 17 million people having visited between January and September, according to the Japan Tourism Agency.

Yet, the majority of tourists tend to stay in Tokyo, Osaka or Kyoto, resulting in overcrowding in popular tourist spots and a strain on transportation systems.

“With tourism minister Tetsuo Saito at the center, I would like all related ministries to work to incorporate the content of the prevention plan into economic policies in order to create a sustainable tourist location where everyone can ‘live, visit and accept (tourists),’” Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said at the meeting on Wednesday.

The ministry also expressed its intention to support local municipalities and residents by sharing information on overtourism countermeasures being considered in different areas around Japan to provide inspiration, as well as setting up a consultation counter where municipalities can ask for advice.

Staff writer Gabriele Ninivaggi contributed to this report.

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Tourism in Japan- What You Should Know When Traveling in Japan

Disclaimer: Some posts on Tourism Teacher may contain affiliate links. If you appreciate this content, you can show your support by making a purchase through these links or by buying me a coffee . Thank you for your support!

Tourism in Japan is big business, not only does tourism in Japan make the country lots of money, but visiting Japan on your travels is a fantastic cultural and educational experience. In this article I will teach you all about tourism in Japan, why you should visit Japan and what the best things to do in Japan are. Oh, and I have a handy packing list and some recommendations on awesome places to stay too!

Tourism in Japan

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Tourism in Japan has grown steadily in recent years. From 2011 to just before 2020, Japan welcomed over 560 Million tourists annual for both business, and pleasure travel, that’s a lot! Japan has so much to offer, including 21 World Heritage Sites , a world-class modern city, a Disney theme park, a famous mountain and heaps of culture.

Prior to the pandemic tourism in Japan was on a steady growth rate and in 2019, Japan enjoyed its highest foreign visitor numbers on record, rounding off a ten year period of growth in the nation’s tourism sector!

Here are some key statistics about tourism in Japan in 2019-

• The number of international tourists travelling to Japan in September 2019 reached 2.3 m (a 5.2% increase compared to 2018).
• The number of foreign visitors to Japan reached a 12 month high of 2.3 million in September 2019.
• 68,400 British tourists visited Japan in October 2019, enough to fill 51 peak-time Shinkansen trains.
• Japan ended the last decade with its highest tourism stats overall in the last ten years (over 32.5 m foreign visitors).
• In 2019, Japan welcomed 3% more train passengers than in 2018, reaching 25.6 m train travellers.
• JR Passes sold during 2019 doubled on the previous year with 44% more US citizens purchasing a pass as well as 8.5% more UK tourists.

Most tourists who travel to Japan are domestic tourists (the train travel system is amazing!) and the most common inbound tourist s are from China and South Korea. If you are from elsewhere in the world though, don’t worry- you are sure to find plenty of others from your region too.

According to moneywehave.com , the average cost of a two-week vacation in Japan is approximately $4005. This does include the cost of airfare, food, lodging, local transportation, and anything else you’d buy (ex. souvenirs). This may seem like a lot of money, but it’s easy to make tourism in Japan a lot more affordable.

Tourism in Japan is popular throughout the year because it has so much to offer- from beautiful beaches to soak up the Japanese sunshine to ski resorts that make for the perfect winter break. Oh, and we mustn’t forget the why tourism in Japan is so popular during spring- the blossoms! From the bustling metro hub of Tokyo, to the beaches of Ishigaki, there are many reasons for you to explore tourism in Japan- lets explore this a bit further…..

Tourism in Japan is popular because millions of people around the world want to learn about the Japanese culture. Many people come to Japan to see the scenic landscapes of Mount Fuji, say hi to Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck in Tokyo’s Disneyland, make new friends with the Snow monkeys in Nagano prefecture, and even relax and unwind in the traditional saunas called “Sento.” One thing for sure that everyone will do in Japan is try some of their best dishes; everything from colorful sushi, to savory hibachi, and hearty bowls of soba noodles. Trying all these things will definitely give you a more authentic, and memorable experience in Japan. When you do travel to Japan, you’ll see that Japan is so unique in respecting their traditions, and bringing in new ones for great changes in every aspect of life.

Here are some other reasons why tourism in Japan is so popular.

• World class public transportation system
• Great cherry blossom season
• It’s the mecca for Anime and Manga lovers; Pikachu, Yu-Gi-Oh etc.
• Japan is where karaoke started
• Tokyo is one of the Fashion Capitals of the world, setting new trends
• Cleanliness, and friendliness in public and private places in Japan is top notch
• It’s one of the world’s safest countries
• Home to some of the world’s best powdered snow
• They have great respect for historical events, especially through summer Matsuri festivals
• Cosmopolitan dining experiences

As often as I write on this website, sustainable tourism is essential as we want to be able to continue travelling into the future. As the effects of global warming continue to be a problem, Japan is a world leader in making their country more sustainable in tourism. Japan has been big in conserving as many natural and manmade resources as possible so we can enjoy tourism in Japan for many years to come.

Sustainable tourism in Japan was started because Japan want people to always visit their country, and that tourism is a major part of their economy. According to the Japan External Trade Organization , tourism in Japan makes up approximately $359 Billion USD to Japan’s global domestic product. Sustainable tourism in Japan will aim to bring more income because they follow many if not all of the UN’s World Tourism Organization series of 17 sustainable development goals . All 17 of these goals definitely help boost the local economy, and be inclusive of all tourists.

With Japan being an island nation, the sustainable tourism in Japan aims to protect and preserve many of its oceanside and waterfront communities that are located on thousands of kilometers of coastline . Sustainable tourism in Japan helps many import and export businesses especially at the ports all over Japan’s coastline . With sustainable tourism in Japan becoming more popular in major cities like Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto, Japan is moving closer to fighting off pollution and overcrowding in any public and private spaces.

One way that a visitor can make tourism in Japan more sustainable is by reducing their reliance on gasoline powered transportation. Japan has several ways for visitors to commute with a smaller carbon footprint. There’s an amazing opportunity for visitors to take an electric bike tour of Lake Biwa via Kyoto . On this great tour, you can peddle away to see picturesque views of the lake, visit nearby rice paddies, and even stop by a local kitchen to learn how to cook freshly picked fruits and vegetables.

Some other great ways you can do sustainable tourism in Japan (Eco-tourism) are by trying some of Japan’s green activities such as forrest bathing, natural hot springs (called onsen), private tours around popular national parks such as Nikko National Park , diving at the local beaches, mountain biking, visiting and praying at shrines and temples to learn the Japanese culture and religions, visiting Nagano to see the snow monkeys in their natural habitat , hiking Mt. Fuji, and more.

Compared to other countries around the world, Japan is very safe for their people, and tourists. Simply put, crime rates are low, so tourism in Japan is safe. When visiting Japan, people must take caution at all times, and overall have fun. Japan is located on a part of the Pacific Ocean that’s vulnerable to typhoons and earthquakes. Though these events rarely occur, tourists and locals have to be careful.

Earthquakes are a concern for Japan. In 2016, the Kumamoto Earthquake in Japan reached a magnitude of 7.1 on the richter scale. As shown in the graph below, the January-April frequency of Earthquakes since 2016 has dramatically decreased from 2016 to 2020. As seen on the graph, the magnitude of the earthquakes are below 4.0, which is relatively low, and wouldn’t cause significant damage to Japan as a whole. This is proof that tourists today don’t need to fear earthquakes as much.

In 2011, the Fukushima nuclear disaster took place, and was partially caused by the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and Tsunami that devastated the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. Luckily, no one died from the radiation exposure immediately, and the Tokyo Electric Power Company has vowed to continue their efforts in cleaning up the mess left behind, as well as prevent future disasters from happening. To learn more about this disaster, and how you can prevent such a disaster happening, you as the tourist can take a tour of The Great East Japan Earthquake and Nuclear Disaster Memorial Museum in the town of Futaba; located close to the Fukushima Daiichi Plant.

Since 2000, Japan has seen a steady, yet dramatic decrease in crimes in such as theft. The reported crimes in 2000 reached nearly 3 million, and by 2019, the number of reported crimes dropped to approximately 0.75 million . Of the crimes that happen, most of them are petty such as shoplifting, and pit-pocketing. One way a tourist can avoid pit-pocketing and other petty crimes are by keeping all their belongs close to them by using this one of a kind Hidden Travel belt wallet with RFID blocker .

Things to do in Japan

Tourism in Japan is on the rise. I bet you’ve seen on TV, read other travel sites, or heard from many of your friends and loved ones about tourism in Japan; the best things to do, places to see. I could spend all day talking about the amazing things to do in Japan, but instead I will just give you my top recommendations- here are five destinations that make tourism in Japan unforgettable….

Tourism in Japan wouldn’t be complete without taking in this stunning view of Mount Fuji. This magnificent mountain peak can be seen in Tokyo’s skyline. You can also take a train ride approximately 100 km from Tokyo to see Mount Fuji up close. When you get physically closer to the Mount Fuji, you can feel the refreshing cool air on your body, and touch the snow, good enough to walk on, ski, snowboard, and even build a snowman. This is the most popular mountain that is shown in many of Japan’s greatest artwork. Visitors who travel to Mount Fuji can have the opportunity to climb it in as little as six hours from its halfway mark. This halfway mark called The 5th Station is a great place for you to start an incredible climb/hike one of the most iconic mountains not just in Japan, but also the world.

After walking or climbing Mount Fuji, you can also have the option to view Mount Fuji from a birds eye view by Paragliding in tandem style. For those thrill seekers, go click on this amazing Paragliding tour over Mount Fuji . After doing that, you’ll also enjoy a delicious lunch at the famous Ikkanjin Restaurant, which is famous for its soba noodles (noodles made from buckwheat flour). This all inclusive tour provides tourist opportunities to visit the Shiratono-taki waterfalls , and the 205 shops at Gotenba Premium Outlets for local and retail shopping.

Kyoto as a city gets overlooked when talking about tourism in Japan. Located approximately 457 km away from the hustle and bustle of Tokyo, Kyoto is the cultural center of Japan. Kyoto is one city in Japan that has never been touched or destroyed by the tragedies of World War II. From art galleries to architecture dating back over 1000 years ago, Kyoto has done much to preserve vestiges of Japan’s imperial family from its icons, cuisine, art, literature, and architectural feats, especially the Kyoto Imperial Palace.  If you want to time travel to see what Japan looked like 500 to 1000 years ago in its pristine beauty, this is the city and tour for you.

Another great tour you can do in Kyoto is to take a tour of the Golden Pavilion Kinkakuji Temple . This one of a kind Zen gold leaf wrapped temple was originally built to be a retirement home for a famous shogun (a military commander in chief during the Feudal times in Japan: circa 1185 to 1603 CE). The Kinkakuji Temple rests on top of a clear and placid lake, a great place for you to have a peaceful time away from the noise of the downtown areas.

Take a 1.5 hour non-stop flight from Tokyo to Sapporo , located on Japan’s northernmost island, Hokkaido. Historically, Sapporo adds even more value to tourism in Japan. Sapporo is known for its cuisine, beer, Odori Park, and the Sapporo Snow Festival. Sapporo is best seen in the winter, not to mention its Mount Moiwa Ski Resort is the location of the memorable 1972 Winter Olympic Games. In the Sapporo Snow Festival, you can see many of Japan’s most talented Sculptors create, and display very beautiful and intricately designed ice sculptures. The Sapporo Snow Festival is the grandeur of the things to do in Sapporo since 1950 because it’s the definition of what winter wonderland would look like for people of all ages. Tourists can see majestic views of the city on top of the observation deck of Sapporo TV Tower. Here, you can click to learn more about the history of the Sapporo Snow Festival .

For the people who love to eat and drink, Sapporo is a great city to bar hop. You can view and book this Sapporo Bar Hopping and Food Tour , which includes hopping around 3 unique local underground izakaya (japanese bar/pub), dinner, and your choice of ending the night with savoury ramen, or a sweet parfait. Being part of this Sapporo Bar Hopping and Food tour is both affordable, and unforgettable, especially if you like to just relax by yourself, or with a small group of friends.

Conveniently located just a short ten minute walk southeast of the Shinjuku metro station in Tokyo, the Gyoen National Garden is a must see. This peaceful garden was built on the site of Lord Naito’s private mansion during the Edo period of Japan around the year 1772. Since it opened to the public in 1949 as a national garden, it has displayed a unique combination of Japanese, French and English landscapes complete with many varieties of flowers, walking paths, peaceful ponds and more. This is a great garden to rest, and have peace during your day.

Along with viewing the three different parts of the garden; French, English, and Japanese, the Gyoen National Garden also has a Taiwan Pavilion that is an ideal elegant spot for pictures; especially for weddings, and instagram . The garden is also an ideal place for the cherry blossom season. Gyoen National Garden is home to well over 1500 cherry trees, and bloom vividly starting in late March into early April. Imagine, going to this picturesque place, setting down a blanket, and having a fun afternoon picnic underneath the Gyoen National Garden cherry trees.

If you want to experience Tourism in Japan from it’s traditional hospitality, Ryokans in Atami will help you do that. Ryokans are traditional Japanese Inns that offer services from fine traditional dining called “kaiseki”, hot spring baths, live music entertainment, and tours of the surrounding trails and mountains. All amenities of a ryokan will help you wind down and relax just like the Japanese people did back in the 15th and 16th century.

The ryokans in Atami have been visited by many foreign dignitaries worldwide, and even by celebrities like TV Chef and globetrotter Anthony Bourdain. Ryokans have a lot to offer considering when you stay there, the hospitality is by far, the best you’ll have. The amenities at the ryokans will make you feel like a Japanese royalty. One great place to see and stay is the Ryokan Chikurinan Mizuno . This unique ryokan is located just 3.2 miles from the Nagahama beach, and 7 miles from the Kinomiya Shrine. This ryokan also has a private garden, free parking, electric teapot, private bathroom, bathrobes, and a terrace to see the views of the mountains and coastline.

The best places to stay in Japan

The great thing about Japan is that you can find great places to stay! Hotels, Airbnb, hostels, resorts etc., you’ll definitely find the best place to stay at any price point that fits your budget. Here are some great places to stay, and popular tours in Japan-

For the budget travelers, the Bijou Suites Granpia in Osaka is a great adequate place to rest, relax and recharge after a long day touring. This is a great place to stay because it has everything a budget traveller can ask for. The rooms are air conditioned, have fully equipped kitchens, private bathroom, microwave, fridge, tv, slippers and hairdryer. The location of Bijou Suites Granpia is only 1.6 miles away from popular Osaka sites like Osaka bay Tower, Foleo Osaka Dome City is 1.8 miles away, and an easy 12.4 mile commute to the Osaka Itami International Airport, so you’ll make it to your flight to and from Osaka, Japan with ease.

For the mid-priced travelers in Japan, the Rinn Kujofujinoki EAST Hotel in the heart of Downtown Kyoto has great accommodations. Some of those accommodations include 24 hour front desk and concierge service, air condition, garden, kitchen with microwave and fridge, bathroom with a bidet and washing machine, and complimentary breakfast served from 7:45 to 8:15 AM. This hotel is also conveniently located just 0.8 miles away from the TKP Garden City Kyoto , a popular conference and convention centre that hosts everything from business meetings to fully catered events like weddings and birthday parties.

Lastly, for the luxury travelers, Fuji Onsenji Yumedono in Fuji provides a one of a kind experience of sleeping just minutes away from Mount Fuji and Lake Kawaguchiko. If you’re looking for peace and privacy during your stay near Mount Fuji, this ryokan is for you. This amazing ryokan is only 1650 feet (walking distance) from the scenic Lake Kawaguchiko. The dining area in the rooms have a full japanese breakfast, and multi-course dinner served there. You can refresh yourselves in the in-room hot springs baths (called “onsen”), and private garden. Massages are also provided at an extra cost.

When it comes to tackling the newness of tourism in Japan, it can be tough for tourists like you and me to navigate the country, especially if you don’t know anyone who lives in Japan, or you don’t speak a single word of the Japanese language. Taking a tour in Japan is a great option because you will have the chance to meet people who are in the same situation as you; tourists who want to have fun and unforgettable experiences in Japan.

The tours that are listed below can be given by expert tour guides in any native language you choose; whether it’s english, japanese, spanish, french, tagalog etc., they have it all. Having a tour guide that speaks the same language as you, as well as their own native japanese language can go a long way to help you capture great experiences and special perks that a person who travels without booking a tour would get. Some of those perks can include special giveaways like t-shirts, to complimentary cups of tea at a local tea house. Below are some of the tours we recommend.

What is tourism in Japan without seeing the world famous Toyosu Fish Market (formerly operated as Tsukiji Fish Market ). Opened in 2018, Toyosu Fish market in Tokyo is a non-stop shop for every fish you’d want. This great budget tour option shows tourists over 2600 tons of fish being sold daily for personal and commercial use in everyday life in Japan. This six floor market has a facility in which the visitors can view the live auctions for the most coveted fish in the market, and can also shop, and dine at several retail stores and restaurants. Besides being the world’s largest fish market, the market also provides tourists stunning views of Tokyo Bay.

If you want to step out of Tokyo, a Private Full Day tour of Mount Fuji and Hakone is for you. This great tour of Mount Fuji and Hakone can be customized according to your liking. Weather permitting, you can see majestic views of Mount Fuji, have tickets to different attractions such as Kachi Kachi ropeways, cruises on nearby Lake Kawaguchi, private transportation to and from Mount Fuji and Hakone, complimentary lunch, and visits to several shrines for meditation. If needed, the tour is also wheelchair accessible, and stroller accessible.

Another tour option available to you is a Chartered Vehicle to Furano and Biei via Sapporo . In as little as one day, you can experience the picturesque landscape, and hidden gems of the Japanese countryside in both Furano and Biei. This is a one of a kind tourism in Japan experience you don’t want to miss because not many people can say they’ve been to the rural and less visited places in Japan. You can also organize your itinerary any way you want. Some of the best parts of this tour include walking through the lavender fields at Farm Tomita, taking in the beauty of Shikisai Hill, and dining at several local restaurants such as Teppan Okonomiyaki Masaya , which has has great teppanyaki chefs that put on a show as they cook your five star quality meal.

Now that you’ve gotten a taste of what tourism in Japan looks like, it’s time to pack up! Besides the essentials; passport, flight tickets, visa, and medication, all other travel resources will depend on what you need, and where you go once you reach Japan. Below are a few items you can consider packing. I hope you enjoy your unforgettable trip to Japan, time to pack up, sayonara for now! Click on the links below to see my specific recommendations and gear that I personally use when travelling to Japan.

• Backpack : Having this particular backpack is great since it carries your essentials, and has a built in USB charging port for your electronic devices.
• Camera : pictures are worth a 1000 words, and i believe tourism in Japan would require a high quality camera like this Nikon Camera to capture moments in time
• Travel Voltage Adaptor : This is essential because when electronics receive too much or too little voltage/electric power, it can tamper with the function of your devices, and damage them
• Water bottle: A nice water bottle is needed, especially for people who want to take that extra step into sustainable tourism in Japan, saving money and resources like plastic from being wasted
• Shee-wee for women: Most of the toilets in Japan are squat toilets, and this device will aid women in the bathroom
• Japanese-English Dictionary : Communication in the native language is vital to go around, especially in the areas most int’l tourists hardly travel to.
• Prepaid Japanese SIM Cards for your Cell phone : T o avoid long distance fees from your cell phone carrier, buy these SIM cards before you go to Japan.
• Flip Flops/Sandals/slippers: In Japan, slippers are worn inside the house in order to respect, and keep the rest of the house/building clean.

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Japan tackles overtourism with restrictions for some iconic sites

Mar 27, 2024 • 5 min read

From restricted capacity to increased tourist taxes, options are being considered to counter overtourism in Japan © Jon Hicks / Getty Images

Japan is set to limit visitors at some popular attractions so that sites don't suffer from overtourism. Here's what you need to know.

Japan’s enduring popularity for overseas visitors is bringing consequences as the country seeks to balance the benefits of tourism and the impact on the areas visited, particularly at iconic destinations . 

Recently, tourists have been banned from certain private streets in Kyoto ’s famous historic Gion district , traditionally home to the teahouses where geisha  (geiko) and maiko (apprentice geiko ) performers work, largely due to antisocial behaviour. Unruly tourists have even been blamed for harassing geisha, with the Japan Times  reporting that one had her kimono torn and another had a cigarette butt put in her collar.

What new policies are being considered?

New fees and restrictions have already been introduced on climbing specific trails up Mt Fuji , in order to combat overcrowding, reduce the environmental impact — including cleaning up all the trash that results from so many people on the mountain — and improve safety for everyone doing the climb. 

Kyoto is considering special tourist express bus routes, that will whisk visitors to the city’s most iconic sites in order to reduce overcrowding and improve efficiency on regular local buses, as well as to make what can be a complicated system easier for travelers. 

Higher pricing for tourists is also being considered, having largely been absent in Japan, where many of the most famous cultural attractions are surprisingly inexpensive to enter. For example, Kyoto's famous golden temple Kinkaku-ji costs ¥400 for adults, which is about US$2.50. Changing this would be controversial, and it seems more likely that there would be increases in tourist taxes in order to fund services for visitors.

What are tourist taxes used for?

Local tourist taxes, usually collected as an extra on top of payment for your hotel, are common across many parts of the world, although these are relatively low in Japan compared with, say, destinations in the US like Honolulu and San Francisco.

These aim to fund some of the local costs associated with visitors: Kyoto’s is on a sliding scale based on the price of your hotel room, from ¥200–1000 a night (about US$1–7). The city of Hatsukaichi, home to the UNESCO-listed Itsukushima-jinja , often known as Miyajima and famous for its torii gate standing in the water off the island, recently implemented a ¥100 (about US$0.60) fee to fund the preservation and management of the site.

Japan already has a ¥1000 (about US$7) tourist departure tax that you may have never noticed as part of your plane fare.

How is Japan likely to manage the problems of overtourism?

It seems unlikely that Japan will curtail its overall number of visitors because of overtourism. More likely, we’ll see more examples of capacity restrictions in specific places, like on Mt Fuji, where a certain number of people per day are allowed in.

This already happens in some cases in Japan: the famous Ghibli Museum in Tokyo and the new Ghibli Park in Nagoya both have a ticket maximum to maintain the quality of experience and to avoid overcrowding — the price for the former is just ¥1000 or about US$6.50, so it really is about capacity.

Some trains — specifically the fastest Nozomi and Mizuho Shinkansen between points west of Tokyo — are  not included as part of the Japan Rail Pass , even though the slightly slower trains like the Hikari are. There’s only a few minutes' difference in terms of travel time, but at peak times there can be a half-dozen of the faster trains for every one of the slower ones. This is done for a variety of reasons, including that the clockwork-like efficiency of the shinkansen’s busiest section leaves only the briefest times for passengers to get on and off the train, and confused tourists (often carting large luggage with them) have been known to disrupt operations. Overseas visitors are therefore concentrated into the slightly slower Hikari and much slower Kodama services instead.

A more recent change is the 2020 introduction of  the “Baggage 160” system , where travelers must reserve a space for larger pieces of luggage (over 160cm/63in in combined height, width and depth) on more popular bullet train lines or pay a carry-on fee. The change largely stemmed from the complications of visitors bringing large pieces of luggage onto trains that were not designed with large luggage storage. Japanese travelers tend not to bring large suitcases with them on trains, instead shipping them ahead to their destination via the excellent and inexpensive set of luggage delivery services like Yamato Transport , known as kuroneko  (black cat) after its ubiquitous logo of a black cat carrying a kitten in its mouth.

How will this impact on group tours?

Keep an eye out for capacity management caps or even outright bans to potentially affect group tours first. These can be very unpopular with local people, and indeed with other visitors.

A tour bus full of visitors descending all at once can change the character of a place instantly, and that’s certainly the case in a lot of the most famous Kyoto temples and shrines like Kinkaju-ji, Ryōan-ji or Kiyomizu-dera . These groups often have a reputation for behaving disrespectfully, like talking loudly in places where quiet is expected, not following rules, and getting in the way of local people and more respectful travelers.

You’re unlikely to be affected as an independent traveler, and a smart tactic is to visit at times when these groups are either still making their way from their hotels, have been packed off for lunch, or are heading back at the end of the day — and to plan to explore the less-traveled corners of this fascinating country.

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Those visiting Japan can expect myriad beauty, whenever they arrive. An island nation of forests and mountains, it has abundant rainfall and seas that teem with marine life, nurturing a culture in which the Japanese coexist with the changing seasons and mother nature.

Venture outdoors, explore pristine ecosystems and sample wide-ranging eco-friendly accommodation. Enjoy locally sourced food and ancient hot springs that epitomize Japanese values and their respect for nature. Sample the living history of traditional towns. Take in the performing arts and traditional festivals that shape Japan’s culture. Or delve into the rich history of Japanese craftsmanship.  

Embracing sustainable travel in Japan brings you at one with the country. Gain matchless insights into cherished local customs through unbreakable bonds with nature. We hope these authentic experiences with the environment, culture and community will inspire a world of new travel ideas. A globally unrivalled choice of sustainable travel and a warm welcome awaits!

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This Is the No. 1 U.S. City People Want to Move to in 2024 — and It Has the Largest Retirement Community in the World

Hint: it's in the Sunshine State.

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Americans are on the move. Over eight million people relocated to a different state in 2022, according to estimates by the U.S. Census Bureau . And a new report by relocation company MoveBuddha sheds more light on where Americans are headed in 2024. Based on customer search data, the company identified the most desirable destinations with the highest migration rates, and a city in the Sunshine State topped the list.

The Villages in Central Florida, known as the largest retirement community in the world, had the highest in-to-out ratio, 4.38, meaning that for every one hundred people who leave the city, another 438 move in.

“The Villages is a racehorse that’s outpacing every other city in the country for growth. Fueled by a ‘silver tsunami,’ this Baby Boomtown has been on the rise for a decade and shows no signs of slowing down in 2024. With baby boomers reaching retirement age through 2031, the Florida destination is poised for even more growth in years to come,” the report stated, noting that the community offers a mix of good weather and activities.

MoveBuddha’s analysis also shows that while housing costs are a consideration, Americans are willing to relocate to a destination where real estate prices are not necessarily the lowest. In The Villages, for example, the median home value is $407,528, which is more than the nation’s average of $347,716.

Another destination popular with senior adults that made it to the top three is Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, where over a fifth of the population is aged 65 and over. The oceanfront community ranked third with an in-to-out ratio of 3.22.

However, MoveBuddha noted that cities with bustling art scenes located in natural settings draw the most interest overall. Asheville, North Carolina, for example, which takes the No. 2 spot with an in-to-out ratio of 3.29, is one of them. Similarly, Billings, Montana; Chattanooga, Tennessee; Boulder, Colorado; and Burlington, Vermont; are in the top 10 most desirable places to move to in 2024.

But if you are looking for affordability, the report also points out that five of the 25 winning cities have median home values of under $200,000, and those are Dayton, Ohio; Hartford, Connecticut; Tulsa, Oklahoma; Des Moines, Iowa; and Champaign, Illinois.

Another significant outtake from the report is that Americans are no longer leaving urban areas — a trend that started during the COVID-19 pandemic. People favor mid-size cities of about 200,000 residents, with Boston being the most populous of all on the list.

You can read the full report at movebuddha.com .

Maui 808: Lahaina students find hope in Japan

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Help! Japan Airlines Downgraded Us From First Class and Skimped on the Refund.

A couple is bumped from ultraluxury to semi-luxury on a trans-Pacific flight and receives what they feel is only a pittance in compensation.

By Seth Kugel

Dear Tripped Up,

Last year, my husband and I splurged on round-trip first-class tickets on Japan Airlines from San Francisco to Tokyo for $13,474 each. We reserved them in February for an October flight through American Express Travel. On the same day, I also bought business class tickets for a couple who was traveling with us at $8,429 apiece. In September, Amex notified me that we had been downgraded to business class for the return flight. JAL’s conditions state that we would receive “the difference between the normal fare amount of original class of service and for the normal fare of lower class of service.” To me that means that since the difference between our first class seats and our friends’ business seats was $5,045 each, we should be refunded about half of that — around $2,522 per person — for the second leg. But we got only $941 each. I contested this with Amex Travel, but they rejected our claim. Can you help? Teri, San Francisco

I’ve been collecting stories from readers about downgrade disappointments recently, so I looked not only into yours but also stories from four other travelers — three of whom believe they were stiffed by British Airways and another by Avianca.

All three airlines I contacted delayed, obfuscated or otherwise dillydallied before getting me answers, but let’s start with your travel agent, American Express.

“We worked with the card member and merchant to the best of our ability to resolve the issue,” wrote Emily Vicker, a spokeswoman for Amex, in an emailed statement. “Card members wishing to pursue additional compensation requests need to do so directly with the airline.”

As you said to me, you did not follow up with Japan Airlines because an online link that Amex sent you led to a form that said it was only for those travelers who had booked with JAL directly; others should deal with their travel agent. Gary Leff, the writer behind the travel site View from the Wing , told me you should have ignored that. “Follow all avenues to advocate on behalf of yourself,” he said.

Could Amex have done more? It’s impossible to tell, and Japan Airlines, responding only to my third email, said that it “has verified that the amount applied was accurate and was based on the difference of the First Class fare originally purchased and the applicable Business Class fare with the same fare conditions as the original ticket for the sector involved.”

But that is just a restatement of the company’s terms and conditions . So I wrote back with a spruced-up version of your argument. Your original first class seats cost $13,474 round trip, so although the two legs may have varied somewhat in price, I simplified and said for each way, each ticket would cost $6,737. JAL refunded you $941 for each ticket, which means they consider the value of the business class seats you ended up in, on the return, to be $5,796.

But your friends’ business class seats were just $4,214 each. And every business class fare I can find for flights from Tokyo to San Francisco on the JAL site in recent days (except for last minute fares) is well under $5,000. Could they explain their calculations?

I did not hear back.

So I turned to Mr. Leff. He noted that simply knowing what another business class seat cost on the same flight does not mean that if you had bought four seats on that day rather than two, the third and fourth seat would have been the same price — airline pricing algorithms are notoriously complex and opaque. And there is no way to know if the leg back from Tokyo (the one you were downgraded for) was actually cheaper than the leg there, as your Amex invoice doesn’t give a breakdown.

But Mr. Leff still took your side, mostly. The $941 refund “strikes me as unreasonable,” he said, “especially given the not ironclad but very persuasive evidence of tickets bought on the same flight on the same day.”

Anyone who finds themselves in such a situation must realize, unfortunately, that it’s impossible to know exactly what their refund should be. “I don’t think there’s an organization beside the airline itself that has the data,” said Anton Radchenko, chief executive of AirAdvisor , a company that assists fliers in receiving compensation from airlines. But he added that in most cases, airlines do offer fair compensation.

Then he told me something I didn’t know — that flights starting in Britain or those operated by British carriers have set rates for downgrades depending on the length of the flight: a 30 percent refund if under 1,500 kilometers (around 932 miles), 50 percent between 1,500 and 3,500 kilometers, and 75 percent for longer flights. The European Union and Canada have similar rules.

Alas, such fixed reimbursement rates only work if you can get the airlines to refund you in the first place. All three British Airways customers faced, instead, a wall of customer service nonsense.

A British Airways spokeswoman, Catherine Wilson, apologized for the delays and said the airline aimed “to process refund requests as quickly as possible.” But even after my intervention, only two of the three got refunds — and for less than British regulations seem to demand.

In late 2021, Mark from San Diego and his wife were flying home on British Airways premium economy from Split, Croatia, via London and Dallas, but missed a connection. They were rebooked in economy on Virgin Atlantic and tried for two years to get reimbursed when finally, in December 2023, they were told they had agreed to the downgrade, which he denies. (It shouldn’t matter anyway, both Mr. Leff and Mr. Radchenko said.)

They finally received $746 from British Airways earlier this week. But the full cost of their original round-trip itinerary (two tickets from San Diego to Ljubljana, Slovenia, and back from Croatia) was $5,821, and it is unlikely that their refund could account for 75 percent of a premium economy trans-Atlantic flight. British Airways confirmed they calculated the difference in fare rather than using the parameters laid out by the British government and offered no explanation to me as to why.

A year later, Cynthia and her partner had a very similar situation, missing a British Airways premium economy connection in London on their way home to Los Angeles, ending up in economy. They had booked through a travel agent, who tried unsuccessfully to get a refund. Then Cynthia ran into a brick wall when she tried herself. She has still not received a refund.

In the third British Airways case, David of Carmel, N.Y., and his wife were booked to fly first class from London to New York when their flight was canceled. On their rebooked flight, they were downgraded to the equivalent of business class. Their initial request for a refund was rejected by someone who almost comically misread their complaint, responding that they were not entitled to compensation because their flight had arrived with only “18 minutes delay.” Subsequent calls to customer services led nowhere. And even after I got in touch with the airline, another representative wrote the couple with the coup d’absurdité: They were not entitled to a refund because “based on our research, your final flight was in First Class, hence there is no downgrade refund due for your booking.” (I can attest that their boarding passes say otherwise.)

British Airways did finally send the couple a refund, of $1,036, this past Saturday. But their original fare for first class (plus a short hop from Amsterdam to London on the return) was just under $10,000 for both, which presumably means the return flights from London to New York cost a total of close to $5,000. Again, British Airways said it calculated the difference in fares rather than the appropriate percentage of the original fare. I have advised David to look at Britain’s Civil Aviation Authority’s guidance on rejected claims.

The case with Avianca ended on a more positive note. Alan, of Riverside, Calif., and his wife were booked on a business class flight from Los Angeles to Buenos Aires via Bogotá this past February. But Avianca replaced that direct first leg, to Bogotá, with two legs — Los Angeles to San Salvador, El Salvador, and then on to Bogotá, with a three-hour layover. For these new flights, the couple was placed in economy, with no business-class lounge access, no free meals and no word about compensation.

Rolando Lamas, Avianca’s sales director for North America, Central America and the Caribbean explained in a statement that the airline suspended that direct Los Angeles-to-Bogotá flight in January and had offered most passengers either a full refund or compensation for the downgrade. But it had trouble communicating with a few passengers, including some who had booked through a third party, as was the case with Alan.

The airline has now offered Alan and his wife $580 each, and they have accepted.

Most of the time, airlines do refund fare differences promptly and accurately, but clearly there are holes in the system. If the airlines stymie any future refund requests, I suggest contacting a company like AirAdvisor or registering a complaint with the appropriate federal agency, like U.S. Department of Transportation . This process can be slow but often prods the airlines into action, said Mr. Leff. However, if the airline has done something as specifically absurd as reject your downgrade refund because your flight arrived almost on time, send me a copy so I can add it to my collection.

If you need advice about a best-laid travel plan that went awry, send an email to [email protected] .

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram , Twitter and Facebook . And sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to receive expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation.

Seth Kugel is the columnist for “ Tripped Up ,” an advice column that helps readers navigate the often confusing world of travel. More about Seth Kugel

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