June rich in tourists. The number of Italians arriving in Japan last June reached 21,500 units. More than those who landed in the same month last year, during the Expo period. Overall, the numbers are in line. Just over 135,000 visitors in the first half of the year compared to 136,000 in 2025, a sign that the momentum of the universal exposition continues well beyond the closing date. As of last December 31, the Land of the Rising Sun recorded as many as 42 million and 683 thousand visitors compared to about 36 million in 2024. Beyond the flows coming from geographically neighboring countries and the high numbers of Canadian, Australian, and American tourists, Italy comes only after Germany, France, and Great Britain. Rome, however, marks an interesting trend of discovering the island’s beauties, history, and culinary history. Italians show the second highest increase in Europe, just after Spain (34.7%). A figure that signals how Japan – with which Italy has 160 years of diplomatic relations – has firmly entered the travel imagination of Italians, no longer as a niche destination but as a long-haul reference destination. Looking at the cities, the lead is clear. Tokyo is the number one destination for foreign tourists in Japan. Among Italians, the figure is even more marked: 95% include Tokyo in their itinerary, compared to 73% for Kyoto. The capital, with a subsequent visit to Mount Fuji, thus confirms itself as a privileged gateway to the country, capable of concentrating tradition, avant-garde, and pop culture in a single trip.
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Even the reverse numbers, although those relating to the current year are not available, indicate a propensity to travel and a progressive growth of interest. According to data provided by Jnto, the National Tourism Organization, Japanese travelers abroad in 2023 exceeded 9.6 million, with an increase of 247.2% compared to 2022. Numbers far from the over 40 million trips abroad in 2019 and the pre-Covid decade average. It should be noted that 2024 recorded a further increase up to the 2025 figure exceeding 14.7 million visitors to various foreign countries. Regarding tourist flows to Italy, as reported by Infocamercatiesteri, ISTAT data for 2023 indicate over 1 million Japanese presences, an increase of 218.6% compared to 2022 (over 354 thousand). Based on available information, the average length of stay is six nights, to which an average of two travel days must be added (source: ENIT processing on ISTAT and UNWTO data). Itineraries including Rome, Florence, Venice, and Milan are among the best-selling tourist packages. In Asia-Pacific, Taiwan, Hawaii, Guam, South Korea, and Thailand compete with Italy as tourist destinations, while in Europe, our main competitors are France, Spain, Great Britain, and Germany. The “Brand Italy” remains very strong and recognizable in the perception of Japanese consumers, mainly due to the presence of major brands, especially famous in the fashion sector, sports cars, and increasingly, food and wine. Tourism to Italy still has ample room for growth, especially if the promotion of our UNESCO Sites is strengthened, enhancing their protection and conservation. A market research – dated 2024 – by the Ministry of the Interior and Communications (MIC) confirmed that internet use in Japan is widespread across all age groups: 76% of Japanese tourists purchase their trip online, consulting tourist portals to gather information and read “guest reviews” before booking hotels and buying packages.
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