Japan is pleading with Australian visitors not to flood its main tourist areas and to explore the country beyond “social media trends”.
The country is proving to be a magnet for Australian adventurers as the Australian dollar advances against the yen.
A record 637,000 Australians visited the country between January and September last year, an annual increase of 42 per cent according to the Japan National Tourism Organization.
This has prompted the executive director of JNTO’s Australian office, Naoki Kitazawa, to steer visitors away from overwhelmed tourist hotspots.
“Tokyo, Kyoto and the Golden Route offer incredible experiences, but there is much more to discover beyond the obvious and the trends on social media,” he said.
“We strongly encourage Australians to consider lesser-known destinations, as well as consider shoulder travel seasons such as autumn, as well as summer in Japan, known locally as the ‘green season’, where rural and regional areas of the country They really take on importance.
“Don’t just limit yourself to postcard views – venture out and discover stories that aren’t always on the tourist trail.”
While Kitazawa said Japan was “encouraged” to see Australians had returned to the country en masse post-Covid, the numbers risked ruining the very sites they had come to see.
Japan pleads with Australian visitors not to flood its main tourist areas and explore the country beyond “social media trends” (file image)
“By making informed decisions, travelers can help preserve the beauty and integrity of the places they visit, ensuring they remain vibrant for future generations to enjoy,” he said. news.com.au.
For visitors who want to experience the typical beauty of Kyoto, Mr. Kitazawa suggested Kanazawa as an alternative.
The city, known as “little Kyoto”, is about two hours and 30 minutes by train from the main cities of Tokyo and Osaka.
Like Kyoto, Kanazawa has a rich tea house and geisha culture, but is more open and accessible to tourists, according to Kitazawa, who also said that a visit to The Kenrokuen garden, considered one of the most beautiful in Japan, is a must-see.
For a taste of traditional rural Japan, Mr. Kitazawa recommended Takayama in the mountainous Gifu Prefecture.
Other “off the beaten path” destinations include exploring canyons in the UNESCO ecological park, taking guided tours through ancient cedar forests, or meeting snow monkeys in Joshin’etsukogen National Park.
Kitazawa also suggested trying traditional city and heritage stays, as well as sleeping among the branches at the Treeful Treehouse Sustainable Resort in Okinawa’s Yanbaru National Park.
Australians are not only visiting Japan in record numbers, they tend to be among those staying the longest, according to official data.
Japan’s message follows that of Indonesia, which in 2023 implored Australian tourists to explore the country beyond Bali.
Concerns about tourists overstaying their visas and misbehaving in Bali led Indonesia to launch a crackdown in October last year.
Crimes that previously saw tourists imprisoned for six months to a year are now punishable by 10 to a maximum of 20 years behind bars.