Case 03 Why Do Foreign Travelers Visit Tokyo?
This page presents a cross-sectional summary of findings from multiple surveys published on this site, focusing on foreign travelers’ purposes of travel, reasons for visiting Tokyo, and activities in Tokyo.
By reviewing the factors behind foreign travelers’ visits to Tokyo and their activities during their stay in one place, you can gain an overview of their interests and behavioral characteristics.
Purpose of travel
The reason for visiting Tokyo
◆ "Intention" filter choices change depending on survey year.
Activities in Tokyo
◆ "Intention" filter choices change depending on survey year.
◆ The "Display content" filter's "Primary purpose" is unavailable before 2019.
Analysis
Purpose of Travel and Reasons for Visiting Tokyo
In 2025, 86.9% of foreign travelers cited sightseeing and leisure as their purpose of travel. The most frequently cited reason for visiting Tokyo was video-sharing websites (e.g., YouTube), at 23.8%, followed by Japanese anime and manga at 20.7%, recommendations from relatives and friends in their home country at 19.8%, having enjoyed a previous visit at 19.5%, and social media (e.g., Facebook and Renren) at 19.4%.
Comparing response options common to 2019 and 2025, Japanese anime and manga rose by 9.7 percentage points, from 11.0% to 20.7%. Social media rose by 13.2 percentage points, from 6.2% to 19.4%; Japanese films and television dramas rose by 6.7 percentage points, from 6.3% to 13.0%; and television commercials and programs rose by 4.5 percentage points, from 3.3% to 7.8%.
Recommendations from relatives and friends in their home country also rose by 5.3 percentage points, from 14.5% to 19.8%, while having enjoyed a previous visit rose by 2.6 percentage points, from 16.9% to 19.5%. Responses citing Japanese content, including anime and manga, and online channels such as social media were more common than in 2019.
The composition of respondents by country and region of origin and some response options differed between 2019 and 2025. The differences between the two years therefore reflect not only changes in traveler behavior but also differences in respondent and questionnaire composition.
Activities in Tokyo
Among activities undertaken in Tokyo in 2025, enjoying Japanese food ranked highest at 90.3%. This was followed by shopping for daily goods, cosmetics, food, and confectionery at 64.8%; enjoying skyscrapers and modern streetscapes, views, and architecture at 56.8%; visiting traditional buildings and enjoying traditional streetscapes at 56.4%; and shopping for clothing and fashion accessories at 56.3%.
The results show that many foreign travelers enjoyed both modern urban landscapes and traditional streetscapes and architecture, in addition to food and shopping. Buying anime- and manga-related merchandise accounted for 35.6%, while attending anime-related events or visiting places associated with anime accounted for 12.7%.
Surveys used for illustrative purposes
- Survey on Behavioral Characteristics of Foreign Tourists by Country/Region
- https://data.tourism.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/en/data/kunibetsu/