Japan is attracting an increasing number of tourists. In October, a new monthly record was set when 3.3 million foreign tourists visited the country, according to Japan's tourist organization. Compared to the same period in 2023, this represents a 32-percent increase.
The largest proportion of visitors comes from neighboring countries such as South Korea and China.
A weak currency in the form of the Japanese yen has made it economically advantageous for foreign tourists, but from a Japanese perspective, people are simultaneously ambivalent about the "invasion" of foreign visitors. Popular places like Kyoto have wanted to introduce various forms of restrictions since tourism has come to affect the cityscape to an excessive extent, according to many local residents.
