Foreign guest overnight stays surpass pre-pandemic levels in 39 prefectures.
In 2025, Japan saw a 55.6% rise in foreign overnight stays, driven by regional tourism growth post-pandemic, especially in Ehime.
Overnight stays by foreign visitors in Japan soared to an estimated 179.92 million in 2025, a 55.6% jump from 2019—pre-pandemic levels. A survey revealed that 39 out of 47 prefectures surpassed their former records. Ehime Prefecture led the pack with foreign guest nights hitting 580,000 in 2025, that’s 2.7 times the 2019 number! Tokyo and Ishikawa followed closely, doubling their figures to reach 60.12 million and 2.14 million respectively.
On the flip side, Saga saw a drop of 30%, with Shiga and Miyazaki not far behind. In fiscal 2023, Ehime tapped into the growing Korean golfing craze, promoting its 16 golf courses near Matsuyama Airport. With 204,000 South Korean guests in 2025, that’s six times the 2019 level! An Ehime official noted that tourists often skip Tokyo and Kyoto for the peaceful allure of regional cities. Ishikawa also saw gains, thanks to the Hokuriku Shinkansen linking it to Kanazawa's scenic spots, showing just how tourism is bouncing back all over Japan.
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