Do you think tourism to Japan will ever become huge?

[Umihito]

I've been thinking, with how much JNTO and all sorts of Japanese organisations have been really pushing the past few years to put Japan on the world tourism stage, will tourism ever be a major player to the country?

I mean, JNTO really has gone above and beyond with their campaigns, but those efforts never really seem to translate into tourist numbers. Sure, tourist numbers have gone up quite a bit since the campaigns started, but they're still nowhere near the types of numbers tourist-type countries have.

They seem to be focusing a lot on Western people, like Americans and British, but these still only make up a tiny part of the overall numbers.

Interest does seem to be there though. There are tonnes of people who love Japan right? And as far as I know, it's the only country to have a forum as modern, and civilized as this. Plus the other Japan forums around the internet buzzing, and the amount of links you get when searching on how to visit or live in Japan. Plus all the Japan festivals the US has, such as Japan Day in New York, Japan festivals in the middle states, Little Tokyo in the West, plus the Japan Foundation in London...

But still, tourism is relatively low.
So with all this going on, do you think Japan will EVER grow its tourism into a sizable thing? Do you think it'll ever find that boom in tourists its been craving for?

Do you even want the tourism to grow, or are you happy with how it is now?

[evanny]

there are drawbacks for tourism in Japan and most are linked to its location.
when people come to Europe, they do so to usually visit some 3 countries at once with no extra expense. when visiting Asia or Middle-East they do it because of the ancient history, cheap markets and warm weather.
and both places are a lot closer than the rest of the world.

Japan on the other hand is far away for Europeans and Americans and no one would choose it because of its warm weather, thousands of years old history or cheap flee markets which are big attractions.


Europe is the capital of culture and art, and the close/open borders with other countries. Middle-East+North Africa are the capitals of warm weather and flee markets. Japan doesn't have these things which attract the most tourists in the distinct way those countries do. add the long distances and you have the limited tourism.

[konbini]

It would be bad if tourism became a larger sector in the Japanese economy because it would mean that the other more important sectors weren't doing well at all. Japan is a creative country that is one of the leaders in technology and business ideas. Having said that I think more tourists will come in the not too far future as there will be advancements in air travel and JNTO will continue to find new ways to promote tourism. Tourist numbers will be back to normal once the international media has shifted away from the Fukushima power plant issue. There might possibly be an increase in numbers as Japan has already has become a more affordable destination.

[BobbyCooper]

After the Nuclear Disaster.. I believe, that it will take a couple of years, mabye even decades to get back where it has been the last couple of years.
So to see an increase in tourism is very unlikely in my mind, especially in this "Situation".

[JBaymore]

Originally Posted by evanny

Japan on the other hand is far away for Europeans and Americans and no one would choose it because of its warm weather, thousands of years old history or cheap flee markets which are big attractions.

Japan HAS warm weather, a history starting with the Jomon people documented to about 14,000 years ago, and there are PLENTY of wonderful flea markets at temples and shrines all over Japan. You can find incredible bargains on stuff like art and antiques at those markets.

Originally Posted by evanny

Europe is the capital of culture and art,...... .

Spoken with a true Eurocentric world view. As one who teaches a course on Japanese art history at the college level........ I beg to differ. Asia and Japan have an INCREDIBLE artistic history, and amazing cultures. It is just that the Western world does not typically TEACH much of anything about Eastern history, geography, religion, culture, or art in the public education system.

Personally, I think the lack of tourism is mainly due to two things........ language and mis-preceptions.

best,

.................john

[JohnBraden]

It's location on the globe has much to do with it. While it's close for Asian nations, it's far from Europe and the Americas. Like evanny has said, it's easier to whip through half a dozen European countries since they're all bunched together than to fly across the globe to visit just one. I'm not saying that's the right attitude, but they may get more bang for their buck.

As far as history, it's not that Japan doesn't have history, but much of what the "western" world as a whole knows is pretty stereotyped and minimal. I'm talking about the average Joe here, and there are way more average Joes than people who really care to know about Japanese history. All most people know is samurai and what they may have retained in their memory about movies they have seen. Japan is so different to what most are used to (i.e. medieval Europe, the conquest of the Americas, etc) that it doesn't have the appeal to them. All this I gather from talking to people at work. I know it's just a small cross-section of society in a mid-west city, but I'm sure there is quite a bit of truth in it. Heck, some still think Chinese and Japanese are the same thing, even though they have different names! "If they were the same, then why call them differently?", is what I ask them and most just shrug their shoulders. they just don't know. Or don't care.

The climate? Well, those same people don't know what climate Japan has. I've lived in Tohoku for 2 years and have dealt with the humid summers and snowy winters, so I know there are different seasons, but the average Joe? They probably don't care.

Most of the people I know are not into anime, or videogames or the trendy things that come from Japan, including the food, so that's not an attractive point as well.

I think what it boils down to is that Japan does have its "fans"- people interested in the culture, the country, the food, the entertainment, the shopping, the people, etc. And it's those people who come to Japan. I'm not talking about Asians now, since it's closer and more affordable for them. Europeans and Americas see Japan as being so far away, it's not on their "agenda" and they'd rather go to Vegas or the Caribbean, etc.

Lately, the exchange rate and the disasters have not helped any either.

disclaimer: this has been a generalizing post. It's my interpretation on the situation based on what I have observed and the limited knowledge I've gathered, so if I'm wrong, or you don't agree, we can discuss it....

[evanny]

Jbaymore. nice to meet. you. as it happens my major is also asian culture and japanese language. so don't think you have the longest cock.

i am well aware Japan has different seasons and climates. however they are not the kind the tourists usually go for. Japan has snow - so what? anyone will choose Alps over Japan. Japan has beaches - most people will chose Hawaii or Egypt over Japan. flee markets? don't compare Japan which is clean and neat to the charm of the 3rd world country flee markets.
history - not as diverse in eyes of many or mainstream. do you think more people will know who Tokugawa was or King Arthur? or what the fuck General Perry was?

So if you are so educated in Japan as you say, you should understand why it won't, at least for a while, reach the popularity the other world regions have.
1. Location
2. Can't compare to the charm or climate of North Africa-Middle East or art history of Europe. (hmmm..Matsuo Basho? how many will know him in the western world compared to Dante?
3. History is not mainstream.

that is not to say Japan isn't a nice place. it is. but it is not mainstream and probably never will. it is too clean and neat and also too expensive for most people and the history for average joe, as said before, ends with samurai and geisha.

[Columbine]

I think Japan has a lot of appeal to the tourist market. I often meet people who know very little of Japan, but think it would be an interesting place to visit, and lots of people who have met Japanese people and been fascinated by it, done lots of research but who have never been. What puts them off actually doing it is usually some combination the following:

Distance; it's a long way to go for a two-week or less holiday.
Expense. Not only are flights a lot, it's not a cheap place to eat/stay either necessarily. Travel around the country is expensive too.
Fears that they can't speak the language/can't read anything and will struggle to get around.
Put off by the different food, related to above.
Don't know where to go or what to see.
Doesn't have a reputation as a holiday resort destination.
Have kids, feel it would be too difficult to go there with young children.
Want to see maples/cherries, but those only occur in a narrow window, mostly at times of year where time off is difficult.
Very hot and humid in the summer, when easiest to go abroad.
Other members of family not so keen.
Worried now about earthquakes/ other disasters.

So little to do with what's IN Japan or how much they know about it. Japan has a reputation as being interesting, beautiful, fun, different, full of entertainment, safe and clean; that alone appeals to some people, but it's rarely plugged as a typical tourist destination. Besides, Japan doesn't really, really need American and European tourists- they have an increasing tourist trade with Hong Kong/ Mainland China and Korea, and a well-developed domestic tourism trade as well. Their economy isn't reliant on tourism, so unlike places like Thailand, they aren't really as pressured into developing it on such a massive scale.

[GoNative]

Originally Posted by evanny

i am well aware Japan has different seasons and climates. however they are not the kind the tourists usually go for. Japan has snow - so what? anyone will choose Alps over Japan. Japan has beaches - most people will chose Hawaii or Egypt over Japan.

You are obviously not someone really into winter sports. At the ski resort I worked at every year saw an increasing amount of tourism from Europe. Most Japanese resorts receive far more snow than any European ski resort receives. Most Japanese resorts receive powder snow of a quality that is rare to find in Europe. Japan obviously will never see great hordes coming from Europe or North America but they do have the SE Asian market on their doorstep which is huge.

Originally Posted by evanny

history - not as diverse in eyes of many or mainstream. do you think more people will know who Tokugawa was or King Arthur? or what the fuck General Perry was?

That really is a very Eurocentric view of the world (gee you're from Europe aren't you? ).

Originally Posted by evanny

that is not to say Japan isn't a nice place. it is. but it is not mainstream and probably never will. it is too clean and neat and also too expensive for most people and the history for average joe, as said before, ends with samurai and geisha.

You obviously haven't ever been to Japan? Japan is hardly all that expensive anymore. Maybe it once was but really it wouldn't be somewhere I consider expensive to travel to at all. For an Australian it's far more expensivve for me to travel to Europe than to Japan. Same goes for anyone in Asia. As JBaymore points out your views are incredibly Eurocentric. Most of the world doesn't live in Europe you know?

[RealJames]

like the majority of things in life it boils down to money

your 1000$ will go a LOT further in Korea than in Japan, and even so much further in Malay etc.

for those of us who don't see Japan through glasses-of-awesome and see it as just another place, it's in fact just another expensive place to go

for those who feel Japan is in a way superior, well they pay a lot more for their designer handbags than for the no-name one.

Tourism to 1st world countries is usually a tough sell to lower or middle class, but the comfort appeals nicely to anyone who has difficulty without the airconditioner lol