Tourism Number of Chinese tourists plummeting in Kyoto

[thomas]

Kyōto 's autumn leaves reached their height in late November, drawing large crowds to Eikandō, one of the city's best-known viewing spots, where visitors stopped for photos along the bridge and foreign tourists were obvious. Chinese travellers typically make up about a fifth of all overseas visitors to Kyōto, and their numbers had been running above 2019 levels for much of 2025, but worsening relations between the two countries have already begun to curb arrivals.

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Reporters visiting several popular sites were told that Chinese visitor numbers had fallen sharply, raising the possibility that this shift might ease some of the pressure caused by overtourism. A guide showing people the "maple tunnel" said the colours had reached their most vivid stage, but noted that far fewer Chinese tourists were present despite the ideal timing. Local staff also remarked that overall foreign visitor numbers remained high, but the usual volume of travellers from China had clearly declined after Beijing advised its citizens to avoid nonessential trips to Japan.

The report also examined hotel rates among Chinese visitors currently in Kyoto. Many appeared to fall into higher-priced accommodation brackets, with some paying about 30,000 yen per night and others around 21,000 yen, noting that prices were not unreasonable compared to major U.S. cities. According to the Kyoto City Tourism Association, the average hotel rate in November last year was 28,686 yen. Among ten Chinese tourists surveyed, several were staying in relatively high-priced rooms, including one paying 60,000 yen per night. Analysts suggested that the more immediate impact was occurring among lower-priced accommodations. At one guesthouse priced at 7,500 yen per night with only two rooms, two Chinese guests cancelled bookings on November 17th, citing family concerns due to deteriorating Japan-China relations. The owner, who relies heavily on Chinese guests, said cancellations are likely to increase, expressing concern that losing half of their business would be painful.

A separate survey conducted by the reporting program among shops around Kiyomizudera found that 16 out of 24 stores—around 70%—reported a decline in Chinese customers following the advisory. One commentator noted that China's wealthy travellers tend to have access to diverse sources of information, suggesting that proactively communicating Japan's safety might help reassure them.

Chinese Tourists Plunge in Kyoto

Kyoto’s famed autumn foliage reached its peak in late November as crowds gathered at Eikando, a temple with more than a thousand years of history and one of the city’s most celebrated spots for viewing fall colors, with visitors posing for photos along the bridge railings and foreign tourists...

newsonjapan.com

I find it a bit hypocritical when people welcome the decline in Chinese visitors, given how heavily many Japanese businesses rely on them.

I asked ChatGPT:

Spending Patterns of Chinese and Western Tourists in Japan

Recent tourism data shows a clear difference between how Chinese visitors and Western travellers spend money in Japan. Chinese tourists account for the largest share of total spending because of their sheer numbers, while Western visitors tend to spend more per person.

According to a 2024 report, visitors from China spent 1.7 trillion yen, accounting for 21.3% of all tourism-related consumption in Japan. No other single country or region matched this total. However, when looking at individual spending, Western tourists ranked higher. Travellers from the United Kingdom topped the list at about $2,980 per person, with Australia and Spain following close behind. By comparison, Chinese tourists spent an average of $1,660 per person in the same period.

The pattern also varies by category. Chinese visitors still devote a large share of their travel budget to shopping, while Western tourists spend more on accommodation, dining and entertainment. Together, these differences highlight how the makeup of Japan's inbound tourism shapes both the volume and nature of spending across the country.

 

[Hiroyuki Nagashima]

It seems there is little concern even if the number of Chinese tourists decreases, and many Japanese people appear to welcome the change.

How are tourist spots reacting to China's travel advisory?
In Hakodate's Morning Market, store staff say there is "no impact at all." Meanwhile, in Biei Town, which struggles with overtourism, reactions are mixed.

On the last day of the three-day holiday, tourist destinations across Hokkaido were bustling with visitors.

Ten days have passed since the Chinese government called on its citizens to "refrain from traveling to Japan." Has this affected tourist sites?

Visitors were handed freshly baked sweet potatoes—"Yukuri-imo," grown in Kuriyama Town.

(Reporter Ishida)
"At Sapporo's Hitsujigaoka Observation Hill, free roasted sweet potatoes are being handed out. Customers who had been lining up are now receiving them one by one."

Fifty servings were given away to the first arrivals, and a long line had formed early in the morning.

(Visitor from Sapporo)
"It's delicious—really, really good! I'm so happy to get something this tasty for free."

(Tourist)
"Ready—delicious! I thought it would just be one bite, but they gave us a whole potato. I was so surprised. Very generous!"

Although the site was crowded with families, the operators had one concern:

(Saito Keisuke, Deputy Manager, Sapporo Hitsujigaoka Observation Hill)
"We are a little worried about what will happen to the number of Chinese tourists who have been coming until now."

This is due to the Chinese government's call to avoid traveling to Japan, in response to Prime Minister Takaichi's statement in the Diet that a "Taiwan contingency" could become an "existential crisis situation," which China strongly protested.

At Hakodate's Morning Market, crowds of visitors filled the area. But was there any impact?

(Reporter Tokairin)
"Has there been any impact from China?"

(Shop staff)
"For us personally, not at all. Almost none. Even before COVID, the Hakodate Morning Market wasn't overly dependent on Chinese tourists—we've always had visitors from many different countries."

(Shop staff)
"For our shop, it's fine. We're getting a lot of Taiwanese visitors."

(Reporter)
"And business-wise?"

(Shop staff)
"Everything's OK."

One group that is visiting Hakodate in large numbers is—

(Visitors from Taiwan)
"Taiwan!"
"We're from Taiwan. Japan is very good!"

With many inbound tourists from Taiwan and other places, the overall impact appears limited.

In Biei Town, blessed with clear skies, the famous "Blue Pond," its surface partly frozen, drew large numbers of visitors.

However, in this location often associated with overtourism, some Japanese tourists expressed different views:

(Japanese tourists)
"I personally prefer when there aren't too many tourists."
"To be honest, hotel prices are rising everywhere, so we're avoiding travel ourselves."
"Increasing tourists has good points but also bad ones."

With China urging its citizens not to travel to Japan, the long-term impact remains uncertain, and tourist areas across Hokkaido are expressing a variety of opinions.

(Broadcast on November 24, 2025)

 

[thomas]

Perhaps Hakodate has not yet felt any impact, but other tourist destinations like Kyoto might soon. What sets this "boycott" apart is that it is not widely supported by Chinese citizens but seems orchestrated from the top down. Supportive online posts from people whose flights to Japan were cancelled are increasingly being censored. Another indicator of orchestration is that, unlike in the 2012 Senkaku protests, Japanese products are not being boycotted.

Chinese censors are apparently scrubbing citizens' online views that diverge from Beijing's official line concerning Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's remarks about Japan responding to possible Chinese military action against Taiwan. One person forced to cancel a reservation at a ryokan in Kyoto said a recent post about an exchange with the inn on Xiaohongshu, China's Instagram-like platform, has been deleted. "My flight was canceled, and I can no longer travel to Japan," the person's message to the inn, written in Japanese, read. "I am extremely disappointed because I was truly looking forward to it. I sincerely apologize." A representative of the ryokan responded in Chinese: "We are sorry you cannot come on the trip you were looking forward to. Please do visit us next time when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom." The Chinese government urged citizens to refrain from traveling to Japan on Nov. 14, a week after Takaichi's remarks in the Diet. Chinese airlines subsequently canceled flights to Japan one after another. It appears the flight booked by the poster was among those canceled.

Chinese social media posts supportive of Japan disappear | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis

 

[Hiroyuki Nagashima]

It seems that the decrease in Chinese tourists has been offset by an increase in Japanese tourists. Tourist spots in Kyoto remain crowded as usual.

[Final Day of the 3-Day Weekend] Kyoto Bustling in the Autumn Foliage Season – Arashiyama Shops Say "Fewer Chinese Tourists, but Little Impact on Sales" and "We Must Rethink Relying on a Single Country" (November 24, 2025)

On November 24, the final day of the three-day weekend, Kyoto's famous sightseeing area of Arashiyama was extremely crowded.

Kyoto has entered the autumn foliage season. With sunny weather and a comfortable high of 17.4°C, many tourists—both domestic and international—flocked to Arashiyama, renowned for its fall colors.

(Visitor from Hyogo Prefecture) "We came to see the autumn leaves. They're so beautiful."

(Visitor from the U.S.) "It's very beautiful."

(Visitor from the U.S.) "I love Arashiyama, but there are so many people—it's extremely crowded."

(Kyoto resident) "I didn't expect there to be this many people."

(Kyoto resident) "There were more than twice as many people as I expected. I was shocked."

In front of the iconic Togetsukyo Bridge, long lines formed as people could not cross the street before the traffic light changed. Police officers and others were stationed at the intersection to manage the situation. By 1 p.m., car traffic on the main street was stopped, turning it into a pedestrian zone.

Arashiyama's famous "Bamboo Forest Path" was also packed. The area has faced problems with tourists carving graffiti into the bamboo. In November, the city and local residents decided to cut down reachable bamboo along the path—including four vandalized bamboo stalks—as a preventive measure. On the 19th, part of the bamboo was cut.

Checking the area afterward, there was no new graffiti where measures were taken, but some untouched bamboo still bearing old carvings had turned brown, possibly due to the damage. The city and local residents plan to consider expanding the range of bamboo removal while assessing the impact on the landscape.

Meanwhile, November is the month when Kyoto sees the highest number of visitors each year. However, after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's recent remarks, the Chinese government urged its citizens to refrain from traveling to Japan.

Has this affected Arashiyama as well? A restaurant owner says:

(Owner of Chojiy a)
"(Q: Have you noticed fewer Chinese customers?) Yes, a lot fewer.
(Q: Has it affected your sales?) Not really. The number of Japanese customers has increased to make up for it."

A local shopping street representative adds:

(Keisuke Ishikawa, Arashiyama Shopping Street Association)
"What stands out this year is that many more Japanese visitors are coming. People from many different countries are visiting, too. It's become clear that we cannot rely on any one country—especially China—and we must take measures accordingly."