Isn’t it interesting how things work – Japan’s tourism numbers are skyrocketing, but people’s patterns of shopping changed from what they had done previously. It’s as if everyone returned from Covid with a different mindset – more memories, less shopping bags.
The Japan Tourism Agency and the Japan National Tourism Organization indicated that Japan welcomed over 3.26 million international tourists in September last year – the highest monthly number ever. It was an increase of 13.7% than the same month in 2024. The largest volumes came from China (approximately 775,500 landed), with South Korea, Taiwan, and the U.S. following. So yes, Japan is once again crowded and bustling.
The interesting point comes when determining how people are spending money. Between July – September of 2025, the average tourist in Japan spent 219,428 yen (just under $1480) – relatively consistent with last year. However, spending on shopping decreased more than 11%, whilst spending on hotels increased almost 8%. In summary, people are trading department store bags for better experiences and improved hotels.
If that sounds unusual, it’s really not. NHK World observed that modern travelers to Japan have moved from seeking luxury goods to seeking stories; imagine sushi-making classes, trying sumo for yourself and going to an onsen deep in the countryside.
Kuga Naoko, a senior analyst at the NLI Research Institute, said it the best: first time tourists buy souvenirs and repeat tourists buy experiences. “People who have already come are looking to do something new and authentically Japanese,” she said. Plus, with the yen now stronger against the dollar, Japan is no longer quite the shopping paradise it used to be.
Meanwhile, the numbers of tourists is also through the roof. In the first nine months of 2025, Japan hosted 31.65 million visitors, which outpaces any other year we’ve seen. If the trend continues, 2025 will be the first year Japan surpasses 40 million arrivals, breaking the previous record of 36.87 million.
Ironically, there is a gentle shift accompanying the influx of tourists. Fewer people are racing to Shibuya for tax-free goods — rather, they are exploring smaller towns, extending their stay, and seeking something authentic.
Perhaps that is a new wave of travel: not a world of collecting possessions, but rather collecting moments. Japan, is the ideal playground for that transition because it’s a place of chaos and calm; two very different experiences can be so close together.
So, if you are planning to visit in the near future — you might consider skipping the tax-free shopping; a more fitting souvenir may become rolling sushi with a local chef or watching the sunrise over Mount Fuji.
