Statistics
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JNTO Announces March 2026 Foreign Visitor Arrivals to Japan Reached 3,618,900, Up 3.5% Year-on-Year and a Record High for March
(Source: JNTO) According to estimates released by the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, the number of foreign visitors to Japan in March 2026 reached 3,618,900, representing a 3.5% increase compared with the same month of the previous year. This marked the highest March figure on record and maintained a strong monthly level. Compared with February 2026, which recorded 3,466,700 visitors, the total increased by 152,200.
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Golden Week 2026 Hokkaido Hotel Price Analysis: Niseko +29% and the Drivers Behind the Surge in Sell-Out Rates
※Prices are based on per-room rates for double occupancy (tax included). Data is aggregated from publicly available OTA pricing. An analysis of hotel pricing in Hokkaido during Golden Week 2026 (April 25 to May 6) shows that the average accommodation rate across the region reached ¥35,700, up +7.7% year-on-year. Notably, Kutchan Town (the core of the Niseko area) recorded a striking increase of +29.1% on average during the holiday period, with peak dates (May 2) surging as high as +35.2%. This sharp rise is driven by the spillover of inbound demand into the spring season, a wave of new luxury resort openings, and a rapid increase in sell-out rates. Based on a dataset of 1,703,077 plan prices, this article examines pricing trends by area and property type.
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Post-Golden Week Hotel Prices Drop Up to 44%: Why Mid-May Is the Best Time to Book
Once Golden Week (GW) ends, hotel prices drop sharply across the board. According to an analysis by Metro Engine Research, which compiled publicly available pricing data from approximately 8,000 properties across six major cities, weekday ADR (Average Daily Rate) in mid-May falls by as much as 44% compared to the GW peak. Combined with the comfortable weather before the rainy season, mid-May can be considered one of the most cost-effective travel periods of the year. This article analyzes daily pricing data for May 2026 to identify when, where, and what type of accommodation offers the best value. Those planning travel after GW should find this information particularly useful. Definitions of Key Metrics ADR (Average Daily Rate): The average of publicly listed prices on OTAs. This differs from actual transaction prices. Based on per-room rates for double occupancy (tax included), averaged across all plan types (room-only to meal-inclusive). Sell-out Rate: The proportion of plans that were no longer available for booking on OTAs at the time of data collection. This differs from actual occupancy rates. Data Source: Metro Engine Research
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Golden Week 2026 Hotel Price YoY Analysis Across Six Major Cities: Unpacking the Drivers Behind Kyoto (+20%) and Tokyo (+17%)
As Golden Week 2026 (April 29 to May 6) approaches, hotel pricing across six major cities has shifted significantly compared to the same period last year. Based on aggregated publicly available OTA pricing data, monthly ADR (average daily rate) for April and May rose sharply—up approximately 18–20% year-on-year in Kyoto and 14–17% in Tokyo. However, when focusing specifically on the Golden Week period, notable differences in performance across cities become increasingly apparent. This article analyzes real data from six cities through three key lenses: inbound travel trends, domestic demand, and REIT operational dynamics.
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Inbound Booking Trends for May 2026: Regional ADR Uplift Driven by Western and Southeast Asian Travelers
In May, when the cherry blossom season has ended and the fresh greenery and outdoor activities reach their peak, inbound tourism to Japan continues to expand. In May 2024, 19 source markets recorded their highest-ever monthly arrivals for the month, followed by 21 markets in May 2025, indicating a structural normalization of record-breaking demand. This period has increasingly become established as a “regional dispersion season,” during which Western independent travelers and Southeast Asian visitors show a strong preference for regional destinations. This report analyzes booking trends for May 2026 and examines the structural uplift in Average Daily Rate (ADR) across regional resort prefectures such as Nagano, Yamanashi, and Oita, based on publicly available pricing data from Metro Engine Research and statistics from the Japan Tourism Agency and JNTO. Definition of Key Metrics ADR (Average Daily Rate): The average of publicly listed accommodation prices on OTAs. This differs from actual transaction prices. Figures are based on the total room rate (including tax) for double occupancy (two guests per room), averaged across all plan types, from room-only to meal-inclusive packages. Sold-Out Rate: The proportion of accommodation plans that were no longer available for booking on OTAs at the time of data collection....
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Summer Resort Comparison 2026: Niseko, Okinawa, and Karuizawa — ADR, Booking Pace, and FX Sensitivity
During the July–August 2026 summer booking season, ADR across three of Japan’s flagship resort regions — Niseko/Kutchan, Onna Village & Ishigaki, and Karuizawa — has risen sharply year over year. From the perspective of investors and affluent-market strategists, this report separates the demand drivers by destination and quantitatively analyzes revenue sensitivity under different foreign exchange scenarios.All prices in this report are standardized as room rates for one room with two guests, tax included.
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JNTO: 3,597,500 Foreign Visitors to Japan in January 2026, Down 4.9% YoY, While South Korea Surpasses 1.1 Million for a Monthly Record
(Source: JNTO) According to estimates released by the Japan National Tourism Organization on Tuesday, March 18, 2026, the number of international visitors to Japan in February 2026 reached 3,466,700, representing a year-on-year increase of 6.4%. This marked a record high for the month of February and maintained a high level exceeding 3 million visitors. Compared to the previous month, January 2026 (3,597,500 visitors), the figure decreased by 130,800. While January 2026 saw a year-on-year decline of 4.9%, February recorded an increase.
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JNTO Announces: 3,597,500 International Visitors to Japan in January 2026, Down 4.9% Year-on-Year; South Korea Surpasses 1.1 Million in a Single Month for a Record High
(Source: JNTO) According to estimates released by the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) on February 18, 2026, the number of international visitors to Japan in January 2026 reached 3,597,500, representing a 4.9% decrease compared with the same month of the previous year. The figure was also down by 20,200 from December 2025, when 3,617,700 visitors were recorded. Compared with January 2025, which saw 3,781,629 visitors, the total likewise declined. In 2025, the Lunar New Year (Spring Festival) fell in late January, whereas in 2026 it occurred in mid-February, affecting demand in some markets. On the other hand, growing demand for winter and snow-season travel in many markets helped maintain a certain level of inbound travel demand.
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JNTO Announcement: Foreign Visitor Arrivals to Japan in December 2025 Reach 3,617,700 — Highest Ever for December; Annual Total Surpasses 42 Million, Setting a New Record
(Source: JNTO) According to the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), the number of foreign visitors to Japan in December 2025 totaled 3,617,700, representing a year-on-year increase of 3.7%. This marked the highest level ever recorded for December. Many markets saw an increase in travel demand aligned with school holidays, Christmas, and the year-end and New Year period. In particular, in many markets school holidays began toward late December, overlapping with vacation periods and contributing to the rise in inbound travel to Japan. Compared with November, when visitor numbers stood at 3,518,000, the total increased by approximately 99,000 month on month, indicating a further strengthening of inbound demand toward the end of the year. The total number of foreign visitors to Japan in 2025 reached 42,683,600, up 15.8% from the previous year. This marked the first time annual arrivals exceeded 42 million, surpassing the previous record of 36,870,148 in 2024 by more than 5.8 million and setting a new all-time high on an annual basis.
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JNTO Announcement：The number of international visitors to Japan in October 2025 reached 3,896,300, marking a 17.6% year-on-year increase, and setting a new all-time high for October.
(Source: JNTO) According to data released by the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), the number of international visitors to Japan in October 2025 reached 3,896,300, marking a 17.6% increase compared to the same month of the previous year. This figure set a new record high for October, surpassing 3.8 million visitors for the first time. The total exceeded the 3,312,193 visitors in October 2024 by roughly 580,000, and also rose from 3,266,800 in September 2025. The growth was driven by robust demand from East Asia, combined with a steady recovery in North America, Europe, Oceania, and the Middle East. The start of the autumn foliage season, expansion of international flight routes, and the continued depreciation of the yen further boosted arrivals. As a result, 20 markets recorded their highest-ever October figures.