Photo: Collected

TOKYO, Jan 15, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Record numbers of tourists flocked to Japan
last year, figures showed Wednesday, as the weak yen bolstered the appeal of
the "bucket list" destination despite overcrowding complaints in hotspots
like Kyoto.

The country logged more than 36.8 million tourist arrivals in 2024, topping
2019's record of nearly 32 million, according to estimates from the Japan
National Tourism Organization.

It marks a return to a boom that began over a decade ago before being
interrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic, with numbers up more than four-fold
from 2012.

That is partly thanks to government policies to promote attractions from
Mount Fuji's majestic slopes to shrines and sushi bars in more far-flung
parts of the archipelago.

Another factor is the cheap yen, which has plunged against other currencies
over the past three years, making everything from a bowl of ramen to a
handmade Japanese kitchen knife more affordable.

Japan has long been a "bucket list" destination for many people, said Naomi
Mano, president of hospitality and events company Luxurique.

But it's "prime time because at the moment it's like Japan is on a 30 percent
off sale", Mano told AFP.

- Double trouble? -

The government has set an ambitious target of almost doubling tourist numbers
to 60 million annually by 2030.

Authorities say they want to spread sightseers more evenly around the
country, and to avoid a bottleneck of visitors eager to snap spring cherry
blossoms or vivid autumn colours.

But as in other global tourist magnets like Venice in Italy, there has been
growing pushback from residents in destinations such as the ancient capital
of Kyoto.

The tradition-steeped city, just a couple of hours from Tokyo on the bullet
train, is famed for its kimono-clad geisha performers and increasingly
crowded Buddhist temples.

Locals have complained of disrespectful tourists harassing the geisha in a
frenzy for photos, as well as causing traffic congestion and littering.

In a bid to improve the situation -- and cash in -- Kyoto on Tuesday
announced plans to hike lodging taxes "to realise 'sustainable tourism' with
a high level of satisfaction for citizens, tourists and businesses".

"If there's a burden on the infrastructure, I do think taxing tourists is a
good idea" but Kyoto must find the "right balance", Australian tourist Larry
Cooke, 21, told AFP.
- Capsule executives -

Exasperated officials have also taken steps elsewhere, including introducing
an entry fee and a daily cap on the number of hikers climbing Mount Fuji.

Last year a barrier was briefly erected outside a convenience store to stop
people standing in the road to photograph a view of the snow-capped volcano
that had gone viral.

Some Japanese companies say they can no longer afford hotels in Tokyo and
other major cities, as the high demand from tourists pushes up prices.

Several managers told AFP they are seeking cheaper alternatives, from Airbnb
lets to Japan's famously claustrophobic capsule hotels.

IT company chief Yoshiki Kojima told AFP that he had chosen one with slightly
more comfortable bed-sized pods that his employees had liked.

"It's clean, convenient and has a traditional shared bath house. My employees
say it's fun," Kojima said.

- Economy -

The economic benefits are clear, however, with experts noting that tourism is
now second only to vehicle exports in terms of earnings.

Japan, population 124 million, still receives far fewer tourists than top
destination France, which has a population of 68 million and welcomed 100
million visitors in 2023.

So its overtourism woes are mainly because the influx "is centred around
specific cities", Luxurique's Mano said.

For example, the number of foreign visitors to Tokyo has doubled since 2019,
and was up 1.5 times in Osaka.

But Mano thinks the government can take steps to change this by promoting
other parts of Japan and "making it easier to access -- having more
information available, being able to book activities in other rural areas."