Kyoto Tourist Numbers Hit Record High as Foreign Visitors Stay Longer

Jun 13, 2026 | News On Japan

KYOTO - Kyoto welcomed a record 62.79 million visitors last year, an increase of more than 6.7 million from the previous year, according to the Kyoto city government, highlighting the continued recovery and expansion of the city's tourism industry.

Tourist spending also reached a record high of 2.0474 trillion yen, rising by more than 160 billion yen from the previous year. The city said the increase was largely driven by a growing number of foreign visitors to Japan who stayed for longer periods.

The number of travelers from Europe and the United States increased significantly during the year. In contrast, the number of Chinese tourists declined sharply after November last year, following a deterioration in Japan-China relations.

The city also noted a shift among domestic travelers, with more Japanese visitors opting for day trips, a trend believed to be linked to rising prices.

京都市の観光客数が過去最多、長期滞在の訪日客増で消費額も最高更新

京都市によると、昨年市内を訪れた観光客数は過去最多の6,279万人となり、おととしから670万人以上増加した。観光消費額も過去最高の2兆474億円に達し、長期滞在する訪日外国人の増加が大きく寄与した。欧米からの旅行客が増える一方、中国人観光客は昨年11月以降大幅に減少し、日本人観光客は物価高の影響から日帰り旅行を選ぶ傾向が強まっている。

京都游客人数创历史新高长住外国游客推动消费额刷新纪录

据京都市政府统计，去年到访京都市的游客人数达到创纪录的6,279万人次，较前年增加超过670万人。旅游消费额也升至历史新高的2.0474万亿日元，主要受长期停留的访日外国游客增加带动。来自欧洲和美国的游客人数持续增长，而中国游客自去年11月以来大幅减少。受物价上涨影响，日本国内游客则越来越倾向于选择当天往返的短途旅游。

Source: ABCTVnews

Mount Fuji Puts on First Snowcap

Mount Fuji has received its first snowcap of the season, the Japan Meteorological Agency announced on October 30, after temperatures at the summit plunged to minus 9.4 degrees Celsius, marking the arrival of winter conditions on Japan's highest mountain.

Chinese Female Spy Suspected of Targeting Nvidia Chief

U.S. intelligence agencies suspect that a Chinese female intelligence operative developed a close relationship with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang in an attempt to obtain confidential corporate and U.S. government information, according to a report published by The New York Times on October 29th.

Typhoon No. 31 Heads Toward Japan's Remote Islands

Typhoon No. 31 was located near Minamitorishima Island in the Pacific Ocean, as of 3 a.m. on October 30, and was expected to approach the Ogasawara Islands south of Tokyo over the October 31-November 1 weekend while maintaining very strong intensity, bringing a growing risk of dangerously high waves, powerful swells and extremely rough seas.

Japan Blocks Websites Leaking GMO Personal Data

The Japanese government has asked major telecommunications operators to forcibly block access to websites believed to contain personal information stolen in a cyberattack on GMO, it emerged on October 29th, as authorities moved to prevent further exposure of sensitive data online.

Strong Earthquake Shakes Narita Airport

A magnitude 5.4 earthquake struck northeastern Chiba Prefecture at around 12:07 a.m. on October 29, registering a maximum intensity of 5-lower on Japan's seven-level seismic scale and sending tremors across a wide area of eastern and central Japan, including Narita Airport, where footage captured the moment of shaking.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Travel NEWS

Wakayama's Famous Sea Rocks Come Alive After Dark

A spectacular illumination of the Hashigui Rocks, a nationally designated natural monument in Kushimoto, Wakayama Prefecture, is set to begin on October 30, transforming a series of unusual coastal rock formations into a colorful nighttime attraction.

Japan's First Wintry Blast Brings Snow and Freezing Winds

Japan's first major cold spell of the season brought snow, freezing winds and record-low autumn temperatures across the country, with 639 observation points registering their coldest readings of the season on October 29, while forecasts issued that evening indicated that temperatures would recover on October 30 as rain spread across much of the country.

Early Snow Blankets Japan as Winter Arrives Ahead of November

Japan's first significant snowfall of the season has brought winter conditions to Hokkaido and northern Honshu, with snow depths exceeding 10 centimeters in several mountain and inland locations on October 28, while a fresh wave of cold air is expected to bring further snowfall over the weekend of October 31 and November 1.

Osaka's Tsutenkaku Tower Celebrates 70th Anniversary

Osaka's iconic Tsutenkaku Tower celebrated the 70th anniversary of its reopening on October 28, marking seven decades since the landmark was rebuilt in 1956 as a symbol of the city's postwar recovery, while new attractions continue to draw visitors to the surrounding Shinsekai entertainment district.

Strong Earthquake Shakes Narita Airport

Japan's Tax-Free Shopping Overhaul to Reshape Inbound Tourism Strategies

Japan will introduce a major overhaul of its tax-free shopping system for foreign visitors on November 1, replacing immediate tax exemptions at stores with a refund system that requires travelers to pay the full consumption tax upfront and claim reimbursement when leaving the country, a change expected to reshape retail strategies and purchasing behavior across the tourism industry.

Chiba Town Suffers Three Weeks of Flooding

Heavy rain linked to former Typhoon No. 30 continued to affect large parts of Japan on October 26, with authorities warning of potentially dangerous rainfall from the Kanto region to Shikoku, raising concerns in Chiba Prefecture's Shisui Town, where flooding caused by Typhoon No. 25 last month left homes and roads submerged for nearly three weeks.

Asuka Village Tackles Overtourism After World Heritage Listing

Asuka Village in Nara Prefecture is introducing new measures to control rising visitor numbers following the July 2026 World Heritage registration of the 'Asuka-Fujiwara: Archaeological Sites of Japan's Ancient Capitals,' seeking to protect its historic landscapes and residents' daily lives while benefiting from growing international interest.

< 2 3 4 5 >