
In 2013, a grand total of 10,363,904 foreign tourists visited Japan! That number surpasses the goal of the Visit Japan Campaign, which began in 2003 with a goal to increase the number of overseas visitors to 10 million.
The Japanese language version of popular travel planning and information website TripAdvisor was quite excited by this news, and recently produced their own visual graphic detailing some fun facts about foreign tourists in the Land of the Rising Sun during 2013. Can you guess which country most of the visitors came from, or which country had the highest percentage jump in visitors? How about the most popular tourist destinations for foreigners traveling in Japan? Find out all that and more after the jump.
TripAdvisor drew on statistics provided by the Japan Tourism Agency (JTA), the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, and numbers from their own website to design the visual graphic. You can view it by scrolling down to the bottom of this page, but first here are all of the highlights in English!
Countries Ranking (2013)
1. South Korea: 2,456,165 visitors
2. Taiwan: 2,21o,821 visitors
3. People’s Republic of China: 1,314,432 visitors
4. United States of America: 799,280 visitors
5. Hong Kong: 745,881 visitors
Countries with the Highest Percentage Increase in Visits (2013)
1. Thailand: 74%
2. Hong Kong: 54.9%
3. Vietnam: 53.1%
4. Taiwan: 50.8%
5. Malaysia: 35.6%
The reason for such a large increase in tourists from Thailand? Relaxed visa policies have made it easier to come!
Most Popular Places for Foreign Tourists to Visit (2013)
1. Peace Memorial Museum, Hiroshima
2. Fushimi Inari-Taisha, Kyoto
3. Todaiji, Nara
4. Itsukushima Shrine (Miyajima), Hiroshima
5. Kinkakuji, Kyoto
Most Popular Hotels among Foreign Tourists (2013)
1. Park Hyatt Tokyo, Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo
2. Kyoto Cuisine and Ryokan Shiraume, Kyoto
3. Hotel Mume, Kyoto
4. Family Inn Saiko, Toshima Ward, Tokyo
5. Four Seasons Hotel at Marunouchi, Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo
Probability of Returning to Japan (2013)
I’ll definitely come back: 57.8%
I’d like to come back: 34.9%
I might come back: 4.3%
I don’t want to come back: 3%
Finally, the graphic ends with the message, “Let’s aim for 20 million foreign visitors in 2o20!” 20 million people is a lofty goal, but with the 2020 Olympics scheduled for Tokyo, anything is possible!
Sources/Top image: TripAdvisor via NicoNico News and VIPPERnaore
Insert images: Wikipedia 1, 2, 3, 4, Park Hyatt Tokyo







Japan’s 10 best ryokan inns and top 10 hotels, as chosen by foreign visitors
‘So Glad I Went!’ 2013 Ranking: The Places In Japan That Made an Impact on Foreign Visitors
Going to Japan? Be sure to check out our official RocketNews24 travel guide!
The top 30 restaurants in Japan, as chosen by foreign visitors
Foreign tourists blasted for chasing maiko and geisha on streets of Kyoto【Video】
Mister Donut unveils new sakura doughnuts for cherry blossom season 2026
Starbucks Japan releases a new Cream Puff Frappuccino for a limited time
Japanese government planning higher ticket prices for foreign tourists at Tokyo National Museum
Visiting Japan’s one-and-only, and only-for-a-limited-time, Dragon Ball noodle restaurant[Photos]
Studio Ghibli now sells Ursula’s backpack from Kiki’s Delivery Service at its anime shop in Japan
Starbucks Japan unveils new sakura cherry blossom collection for hanami season 2026
Japan asked to vote on what to officially call insanely hot days
Japan super budget dining – What’s the best way to spend 1,000 yen at 7-Eleven?
Automatic Skirt Lifting Vending Machine invented, humankind reaches new heights
Drift ice in Japan is a disappearing winter miracle you need to see now
Japan’s cherry blossom season predicted to start earlier than we’d thought, especially in Tokyo
Is Tokyo Station’s startlingly expensive wagyu bento boxed lunch worth its high price?[Taste test]
One Piece creator has hidden secret of anime treasure’s identity in chest at bottom of real-world ocean
Live-action One Piece’s Luffy teaches Sesame Street’s Elmo a Japanese word for friendship[Video]
Sakura Festival in Chiyoda mixes illuminations, boats, music, and Rilakkuma in the heart of Tokyo
Silicone testicle covers banned from Japanese sauna following cups being left behind and on shelves
Starbucks Japan releases first-ever Hinamatsuri Girls’ Day Frappuccino
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Foreigners accounting for over 80 percent of off-course skiers needing rescue in Japan’s Hokkaido
Super-salty pizza sends six kids to the hospital in Japan, linguistics blamed
Starbucks Japan unveils new sakura Frappuccino for cherry blossom season 2026
Foreign tourists in Japan will get free Shinkansen tickets to promote regional tourism
The 10 most annoying things foreign tourists do on Japanese trains, according to locals
Take a trip to Japan’s Dododo Land, the most irritating place on Earth
Naruto and Converse team up for new line of shinobi sneakers[Photos]
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
Foreign tourists outnumber Japanese ones at Kyoto hotels for first time ever
TripAdvisor Japan announces the country’s 10 favorite shrines and temples
Top 20 most popular castles in Japan revealed for 2016
Top 25 travel destinations in Japan, Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum on top for second year in a row
Japanese travelers are avoiding Kyoto as the city’s number of foreign visitors continues to grow
Japanese avoiding domestic travel as foreign tourists increase, possibly creating vicious cycle
Tokyo’s famous Lost in Translation hotel is closed
As more foreign visitors visit Kyoto’s top sights, Japanese travelers increasingly staying away
Top 30 tourist sites in Japan: the most popular sightseeing spots for overseas visitors
Why is Japan such an unpopular tourist destination?
What are the top 10 most popular shrines among international tourists? Study reveals…
Foreign tourists in Japan break inbound fall tourism record, are spending their money differently
More foreign tourists than ever before in history visited Japan last month
Kyoto study finds nearly 500 translation errors for foreign tourists, new guidelines released
Japan’s 30 best travel destinations, as chosen by overseas visitors