Japanby the numbers
Japan drew a record 42.7M visitors in 2025; arrivals from Canada, the US, UK and Australia are still rising in 2026, just as new departure, hotel and shopping rules arrive.
The Japan numbers that matter
Arrivals from our five markets
How many travellers from Canada, the US, the UK, Australia and New Zealand visited Japan in the latest published period, and how fast each market is moving.
Visitor arrivals by nationality, all ports of entry, confirmed full-year 2025 vs 2024. The US ranked 4th among all source markets, behind South Korea, China and Taiwan.
-
United StatesYour edition 3.31M +21.4%
-
AustraliaYour edition 1.06M +15.0%
-
CanadaYour edition 688K +18.7%
-
United KingdomYour edition 535K +22.4%
-
New ZealandYour edition 137K +19.0%
Crowds and climate, month by month
| Month | Visitors | High °C | Low °C | Rain mm |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 3,781,629 | 9.8 | 1.2 | 59.7 |
| February | 3,258,491 | 10.9 | 2.1 | 56.5 |
| March | 3,497,755 | 14.2 | 5 | 116 |
| April | 3,909,128 | 19.4 | 9.8 | 133.7 |
| May | 3,693,587 | 23.6 | 14.6 | 139.7 |
| June | 3,377,985 | 26.1 | 18.5 | 167.8 |
| July | 3,437,118 | 29.9 | 22.4 | 156.2 |
| August | 3,428,406 | 31.3 | 23.5 | 154.7 |
| September | 3,267,228 | 27.5 | 20.3 | 224.9 |
| October | 3,896,524 | 22 | 14.8 | 234.8 |
| November | 3,517,659 | 16.7 | 8.8 | 96.3 |
| December | 3,617,791 | 12 | 3.8 | 57.9 |
The short answer
Spring and autumn are the sweet spots: cherry blossoms open around 24 March in Tokyo and 26 March in Kyoto on average, and October to November brings mild days and autumn colour. Those are also the busiest, priciest weeks, so book early and avoid Golden Week (late April to early May), mid-August and New Year if you can. Summer is hot and humid, and September and October are Tokyo's wettest months.
Dates that move demand
- Cherry blossom seasonLate March–early April 2027 (average first bloom 24 March in Tokyo, 26 March in Kyoto) · Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and nationwide
- GREEN×EXPO 2027 (International Horticultural Expo)2027-03-19 to 2027-09-26 · Yokohama
- World Masters Games 2027 Kansai2027-05-14 to 2027-05-30 · Kansai region (Osaka and six other prefectures)
- Gion Matsuri2027-07-01 to 2027-07-31 (float processions 17 and 24 July) · Kyoto
- Air Canada's first Vancouver–Sapporo ski-season service2026-12-17 to 2027-03-26 · Sapporo, Hokkaido
Passports, rules and the flight over
Entry rules as checked on 17 Oct 2026. Rules change: always confirm with the official source before travel.
Canadians can visit visa-free for up to 90 days; the passport must be valid for the whole stay. Japan plans to launch JESTA, an electronic travel authorisation for visa-exempt visitors, during fiscal 2028; it is not yet required.
Official sourceUS citizens need no visa for tourist stays under 90 days but must show a return or onward ticket, and all visitors are fingerprinted and photographed on arrival. JESTA pre-travel authorisation is planned for fiscal 2028, not yet in force.
Official sourceBritish citizens are visa-exempt for 90 days and may apply in Japan to extend to a maximum of six months. JESTA electronic authorisation is planned for fiscal 2028; nothing is needed in advance today.
Official sourceAustralians can stay visa-free for under 90 days for tourism or business and can pre-register for immigration and customs on Visit Japan Web. JESTA is planned for fiscal 2028, not yet required.
Official sourceNew Zealanders are visa-exempt for stays of up to 90 days. JESTA electronic travel authorisation is planned for fiscal 2028 and is not yet required.
Official source- Currency
- Japanese yen (JPY)
- Time zone
- UTC+9 (no daylight saving)
- Language
- Japanese
- Plugs
- Types A and B, 100 V (50 Hz in the east, 60 Hz in the west)
- Driving
- Drive on the left
- Tipping
- Tipping is not customary in Japan, and good service is considered part of the price.
Nonstop from our markets
| From | To | Airlines | Time / notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toronto (YYZ) | Tokyo (HND) | Air Canada | about 13h 45m |
| Toronto (YYZ) | Tokyo (NRT) | Air Canada | about 14h |
| Vancouver (YVR) | Tokyo (HND) | ANA | about 10h 30m |
| Vancouver (YVR) | Tokyo (NRT) | Air Canada, JAL, Zipair (ANA summer only) | about 10h 15m |
| Vancouver (YVR) | Sapporo (CTS) | Air Canada (3 weekly, 17 Dec 2026 to 26 Mar 2027) | about 9h 10m |
| Montréal (YUL) | Tokyo (NRT) | Air Canada | about 13h 45m |
| New York (JFK) | Tokyo (HND) | JAL, ANA, American Airlines | about 14h 30m |
| New York (EWR) | Tokyo (HND) | United Airlines | about 14h 35m |
| Los Angeles (LAX) | Tokyo (HND) | JAL, ANA, American Airlines, Delta, United | about 12h |
| Los Angeles (LAX) | Tokyo (NRT) | JAL, ANA, United, American Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Zipair | about 12h |
| London (LHR) | Tokyo (HND) | British Airways, JAL, ANA | about 14h |
| Sydney (SYD) | Tokyo (HND) | Qantas, ANA, JAL | about 10h |
| Melbourne (MEL) | Tokyo (NRT) | Qantas, JAL | about 10h 15m |
| Auckland (AKL) | Tokyo (NRT) | Air New Zealand | about 11h |
Selling Japan: the trade file
- Japan's departure tax tripled to ¥3,000 per person for departures from 1 July 2026, added to air and sea fares; tickets issued on or before 30 June 2026 keep the old ¥1,000 rate.
- Kyoto City's accommodation tax rose from 1 March 2026 and now tops out at ¥10,000 per person per night for room rates of ¥100,000 or more (¥4,000 at ¥50,000 to ¥99,999); budget it into luxury quotes.
- From 1 November 2026, tax-free shopping becomes a refund system: clients pay consumption tax in store and claim it back at customs on departure, so build time in before airport check-in.
- City hotels ran at 74.2% occupancy in 2025, so confirm cherry blossom and autumn-leaf season inventory well ahead.
Opening in Japan
More figures we've reported
Names on Victoria's monument to uprooted Japanese Canadians
Plus about 3,000 children born after the displacement, across 100 granite panels grouped by pre-1942 community.
Kyoto's top accommodation tax bracket, per person per night
In force since 1 March 2026, when the city revised its accommodation tax upward.
Minimum spend for Japan's tax-free refund, per shop per day
Before tax. From 1 November 2026, Japan refunds the tax instead of waiving it; complete the customs step within 90 days of purchase.
MIMARU average Osaka stay, 2025
Average nights per stay across MIMARU's five Osaka properties in 2025, up 5.3% on 2024, per the company's internal data.
Japan international arrivals, Jan–Aug 2026
27,626,300 visitors, down 2.7% year on year; August alone fell 9.6% to 3.1 million as China arrivals dropped 59%.
Projects Moment Factory says it has created since 2001
The Montreal studio now has offices in Tokyo, Paris, New York, Singapore, Abu Dhabi and Riyadh, alongside its regional Quebec night walks.
What changes next
Arrivals fell 2.7% in January to August 2026 as China's travel warning cut Chinese visitors by 59% in August, while Canada (+7.0%), the US (+6.1%), the UK (+5.8%) and Australia (+3.4%) kept growing.
JNTO; Travel VoiceJESTA, a pre-arrival electronic travel authorisation for all visa-exempt visitors, has been written into law and is due to launch during fiscal 2028 (April 2028 to March 2029).
Japan Tourism AgencyThe international tourist (departure) tax rose from ¥1,000 to ¥3,000 for departures from 1 July 2026.
Japan Tourism AgencyTax-free shopping switches to a refund-at-departure model on 1 November 2026, and the window to take goods out of Japan extends from 30 to 90 days.
JNTO CanadaKyoto's tiered accommodation tax, up to ¥10,000 per person per night since March 2026, signals tougher overtourism pricing in Japan's busiest hotspots.
Kyoto City
Latest on Japan
Quick answers on Japan
Do Canadians need a visa for Japan?
No. Canadian passport holders can visit visa-free for up to 90 days, with a passport valid for the whole stay (travel.gc.ca). An electronic travel authorisation, JESTA, is planned for fiscal 2028.
Is Japan safe to visit?
Yes. Canada rates Japan at its lowest level, 'Take normal security precautions' (updated 13 October 2026), the US State Department has it at Level 1, and Australia's Smartraveller says 'Exercise normal safety precautions'.
How many tourists visit Japan?
A record 42.7 million in 2025, up 15.8% on 2024. From January to August 2026 arrivals were 27.6 million, down 2.7%, mainly because of fewer visitors from China (JNTO).
When is the best time to visit Japan?
Late March to early April for cherry blossoms and October to November for autumn colour, both busy, so book early. Avoid Golden Week, mid-August and New Year if crowds matter.
How much is Japan's departure tax?
¥3,000 per person for departures from 1 July 2026, up from ¥1,000, usually included in the airfare; children under two are exempt (Japan Tourism Agency).
Is tax-free shopping changing in Japan?
Yes. From 1 November 2026 visitors pay consumption tax at the till and claim a refund at customs when leaving Japan (JNTO).
Every figure on this page comes from the organisation that publishes it, linked where it appears and listed here. We checked them on 17 October 2026 and update the file when new figures come out. Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we'll fix it.
- JNTO
- JNTO
- Japan Tourism Agency, Inbound Consumption Survey
- Japan Tourism Agency, Inbound Consumption Survey
- Japan Tourism Agency, Overnight Travel Statistics Survey
- JNTO, visitor arrivals by nationality
- Japan Meteorological Agency (1991–2020 normals)
- Japan Tourism Agency
- Japan Tourism Agency
- JNTO Canada
- Kyoto City
- travel.gc.ca
- travel.state.gov
- www.mofa.go.jp
- www.smartraveller.gov.au