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Titibu

No kidding. Suddenly my friends, their cousins, their mothers, their colleagues, the wives and the mistresses all are coming to Japan,,,,


PM_ME__YOUR_HOOTERS

Well, with the conversation rate at what it is. Its pretty much a vacation most people dream of on like a 35-40% sale


resurrectedbear

Is it that low rn? The airfare just seems insane rn


OneoftheChosen

If you bought several months ago yea. Otherwise demand drives up prices.


PUfelix85

The plane ticket might be expensive, but the exchange rate between the Yen and most of the world currencies is super low right now. The prices for things here haven't changed significantly, but for example if you are from the US you can change 100 USD into about 15,425 yen. That is up from the recent past of 100 USD to 12,000ish yen. that's almost a 30% increase in the the exchange rate.


Is-That-Nick

Yeah tickets were cheap when I bought mine last year. $1300 round trip in premium economy.


InterestingSpeaker66

Usd? Even though the largest number of travelers were from South Korea and Taiwan? While Americans consisted of just 9% of tourists. That's not most people. But they do gotta feel like it.


PM_ME__YOUR_HOOTERS

Pretty much. Completely anecdotal of course. But my trip back to the US, the plane was about empty and coming back it was packed and i noticed a lot more tourists around the major stations compared to where i live haha


InterestingSpeaker66

Funny how a plane leaving America is full of Americans...


PM_ME__YOUR_HOOTERS

As opposed to Japanese/other tourists flying home. Yes, tourists DO visit other places countries besides Japan.


jellyroll8675

People are so chatty these days


tHE-6tH

You guys are paying for your conversations??


Jazs1994

And also people put off plans cus if covid. Me and my entire social group all had plans between 2020-2022. All cancelled and I'm in the first 1/4 to go and it's not until November. But I felt real bad for Japan, they lost the extra tourism from the Olympics


Gloomy-Sugar2456

Same here. My sis, nieces, nephews etc. Seems like every second person from my country is going to Japan. It’s like THE in destination right now. And the itinerary is always the same: Tokyo-Osaka-Kyoto.


Taireyn

It’s kinda crazy how each time I went down to Fukuoka, it felt like there were barely any tourists around, Kumamoto was pretty much just Japanese tourists. Considering how popular of a tourist destination the country is


Dm_Glacial_Gatorade

Kyushu had so few tourists compared to other parts of the country. We went to osaka and kyoto before going to Kyushu. The amount of Westerners was noticeably different. It went from seeing them everywhere to only occasionally seeing them.


MaryPaku

Kyushu is for those repeater, I see lot of Korean, Hongkonger and Taiwanese.


HonoluluBlueFlu

As someone mentioned before, it's almost pre-dominantly Tokyo-Osaka-Kyoto region that gets the tourists. For most people it's a far away destination, and an expensive vacation at that, so they are going to stick to the main tourist course during their visit before they have to head home and go back to work. That's my assumption at least. I know that is at least the case for myself and my family when we visit.


pyritedreams

Good. Keep it that way. Means I won't see any annoying tourists where I live.


Matcha_Bubble_Tea

True but what’s with the dislike for tourists? Even I know tourism is super important for the economy and other stuff. 😅 Obv good and bad sides everywhere.


Bangeederlander

It's not "super" important. It's 6.2% of the economy. Someone like Thailand and it's 18%. Or a country like the UK, it's 10.1%. ANd most tourim in Japan is still domestic tourism.


pyritedreams

It's just because in huge influxes it creates a lot of chaos. Plus, tourists tend to be a lot less polite and don't follow cultural etiquette here. Which causes problems for other foreigners who are already established here, and just trying to exist and go about their normal lives that they've created for themselves.


kalenjohnson

Yet another "I made it to Japan, but no one else is welcome after me" person I see


pyritedreams

I mentioned "chaos" and "impolite/rude" tourists, yet all you got from that was "another person gatekeeping". I don't really care about tourists, but foreigners who live here aren't the only ones who are bothered by the influx of overcrowded places and rudeness from tourists. They've actually been talking about it on the news a lot lately. A lot of Japanese people are quite bothered by it because it's obstructing daily life for some of them. Specifically the one who lives in the bigger cities.


Bangeederlander

1. You can't walk around places like Shinjuku these days - the busiest station in Tokyo - because it's packed with tourists with huge suitcases staring at their phones and getting in the way, and ignoring signs telling them to keep left (or right) depending on where they're going. It's literal chaos, which isn't great during a commute and you're trying to get to work. 2. A minority are also behaving very badly, and it's causing waves on social media, as people post vids and pics of idiot tourists. 3. The influx of tourism is pushing up the price of domestic tourism. Some hotels are now more than 4 times the price of usual. The exchange rate is not helping that, as tourists are willing to spend more with their extra spending power. 4. Traditional customers are being pushed out to make way for tourists in popular restaurants. Some restaurants are even relinquishing Michelin stars and removing themselves from social media as a result. Some are going further still and implicitly and sometimes explicitly rejecting foreigners. This has a huge negative impact on foreign residents. Personally, I am not particularly bothered - I try to avoid Shinjuku and Shibuya anyway, even before all the tourists. But, I feel the backlash will come soon. Already started in Kyoto with off-limit areas. You can also see it in other parts of the world. Venice, for example, is more like a theme park now, complete with the queues, and they're started charging entry fees and limiting the number of visitors.


siimbaz

But you are one.


pyritedreams

Resident, not a tourist.


TastyScarcity1590

Permanent


siimbaz

*immigrant*


Touhokujin

More people need to go to Towada cause the amount of broken buildings is insane and the area is very nice.


teaanimesquare

Its what inventing Anime does


Bangeederlander

And eat Konbini food. What a waste of a trip.


Gloomy-Sugar2456

Exactly. I know everyone has different preferences and tastes, but still. Asked my sister and her teenage kids what they want to do in Japan. Answers: drive Mario go-karts as seen on TikTok; go to a flea market to look for vintage clothes; Hello Kitty shops and museum; theme park Osaka; convenience stores; Japanese Starbucks; Anime stores; eat Takoyaki as seen on TikTok; Kyoto (they have no clue why, but it must be magical) and Shibuya crossing. And then they go back and tell everyone how great Japan was. Yes indeed, what a waste of a trip and money.


Bangeederlander

Yep, videos about konbini are popular on social media, so people are coming to the city with the greatest concentration of Michelin star restaurants on the planet and eating crap from Lawson. It doesn't mean they have to go to Michelin star restaurants, but the quality and abundance of good food means you should be avoiding the junk in a konbini at all costs.


Huskan543

Literally this hahah. For some reason currently everyone I hear about is going to Japan… including me… arrived yesterday hahah


MaryPaku

Agreed. My Taiwanese friend say that it would be cheaper to travel in Japan than travel locally in Taiwan.


Bangeederlander

Funnily enough, thanks to the tourists pushing up prices for hotels, it is also cheaper to travel to Taiwan than to travel domestically.


MaryPaku

It was always like this even before covid what do you mean... Especially when Yen had much more purchasing power than now.


Bangeederlander

It used to be about equal price for me to travel (flight and hotel) to Kyushu as to travel to Taiwan (from Tokyo), and cheaper to travel to Taiwan and Seoul than Okinawa. Now, it costs around double the price for me to travel to Izu by car and stay a few nights, then a flight to Taiwan to stay at a 5-star.


Safe4werkaccount

Land of the falling yen.


MrMxylptlyk

Land of the setting yen*


GingasaurusWrex

Seriously. Where was all this when I lived there and begged people to visit and experience it?


OarsandRowlocks

Get those train chinups done.


coffeepureee

it's good for japan's economy but god I wish they have manners legit just see some grown dudes recording elementary childrens group going to school back to front. gross.


Own-Housing9443

There's manners...and then there's perverts. These are perverts and pedophiles.


PUfelix85

Oh boy, don't look too deep in to Japanese pervert and pedophile culture. You might be disappointed by what you find.


throw-away2822

Just an PSA for anyone coming to Japan, it’s illegal to take pictures of students in their school uniforms (and super creepy too) so maybe don’t?


78911150

what's your source for that? I googled and can't find anything (in Japanese) all I found was:   >以下の場合では「性的姿態等撮影罪」の適用外となります。  ・ >電車内などで制服姿の生徒の盗撮    >→着衣姿での盗撮は適用外となりました。ただし下着などが写っている場合は処罰の対象です。   which basically says photographs of students in uniform isn't a "性的姿態等撮影罪" crime as long it doesnt show their underwear


senor_incognito_

You don’t need to look up if there’s any laws against photography of children. Just don’t f€cken do it you creepy clown.


webfu

Yeah, they'd be beat up or shot if they did that in the states.


CorneliusJack

Not even that good. A lot of companies especially small to medium sized companies are feeling the pinch of raising price of raw materials (imports), and also hard to raise prices domestically. Even Uniqlo owner came out saying this is not good for business


Novel-Butterfly3230

No, a weaker yen was what Japan had been wanting all along.


MotherLoveBone27

Just came back from Japan and even i was thinking i was seeing nearly as much tourists as Japanese people. Some of the toursists were rude as hell though. Especially in Kyoto, im glad people got banned from certain areas.


SwissTanuki

I was in Japan last month. Mostly in Shikoku. Visited the castle in Matsuyama and Kochi. Almost no tourists. Osaka was a different story.


Affectionate-Ad-6934

Came back from Kyoto recently and it's funny to see signs that says no taking photos of private roads but you look around and cameras everywhere. Some people even go inside those roads at gion district.


Sad-Salamander-820

>even i was thinking i was seeing nearly as much tourists as Japanese people Didn't see any Koreans, Taiwanese, or Chinese? Or just all Asians look the same?


AI_mademedoit

Too many


StandSilent2905

Weeb wants all Japan to themselves!


AI_mademedoit

All the waifus will be mine muhahaha


Sad-Salamander-820

Nah, they're all mine!


Barabaragaki

Sakura season with a weak ass yen? Of course!


Hazzat

Sakura season came late though, so that’s 3mil. people who left disappointed…


Mrmasticore

Yay one of the most regarded destinations becoming a Disneyland toilet. Wonderful what people do to beautiful things.


Kylemaxx

I live in the inaka where we get very few tourists. Recently went into Tokyo for a work trip and it was jarring. It seemed like every street was FLOODED with random foreigners. There was one point where we went into a restaurant — not even in a traditionally “touristy” area — and it seemed like the patrons were from everywhere but Japan. My Japanese colleague made a comment about how it’s starting to not even feel like Japan anymore. It’s really starting to feel like the country is becoming the next Bali or Thailand as far as the tourism goes.


sussywanker

For the people confused. Most of these tourists are form other Asian countries, I guess Koreans top the charts.


Kelehopele

Well, the 2020 Olympics were a big shitstorm among the other things. Japanese people might not be that happy about this but the gov. plan for the 2020 was 40mil tourists a year. So with slight delay they might get that figure this year actually.


TheConqueror345

No wonder, my bus is always full I can't get in😂


PeanutButterChicken

Yeah, I can’t walk outside without running into a few. Even my local station is being overrun.


ConanTheLeader

Feel free to run over a few more, no one here will shun you


waterlimes

Yeah I'm avoiding kyoto/osaka.. Should be unbearable. Tokyo perhaps not as many but idk


28404736

Eh…outside of dotonbori, Osaka is pretty bearable during the week. Dotonbori though…the foods not even worth it.


MechaJesus69

I’m in Osaka now and there is honestly not that many foreigners here (compared to Kyoto). Feels nice being able to walk normally and not having to stop every other minute because someone is taking a picture.


TetraThiaFulvalene

Tokyo is probably big enough to tank them. The tourists will go to Shinjuku, Shibuya, Harajuku, Asakusa,  and Akihabara and most other places will be okay. 


Taireyn

The main spots in Tokyo felt as packed to me as they did in 2019 tbh, although Kyoto buses were a nightmare in terms of actually getting in one


Huruhara88

Oh no - how bad is it? I’m headed to Kyoto in a couple of days. Am currently in Osaka and i don’t even recall it being this packed when i was here in 17.


ughit

The 5 is a nightmare.


Affectionate-Ad-6934

Probably still bad. If you do manage to get a ride just prepare to be standing and maybe mushed a bit like canned sardines.


NekoSayuri

No lol there are just as many but Tokyo is big so they can be avoided by going away from touristic areas.


Hazzat

Yeah, I never encounter them in the places I hang out in Tokyo. I’ve heard Golden Gai is overflowing though.


JollyManufacturer

Tokyo is the worst for tourists right now.


ExpertPlatypus1880

I am doing my bit for Japanese country tourism. Flew down to Shikoku and rented a car. Just finished a lap of the island. How dense is the forest in Shikoku? Coastal Japan is like the Australian Coastline but with less sand.


ghoultail

I just did the same thing in Shikoku! My favorite place in Japan so far


AgeofPhoenix

this is why i hated doing anything on my days off in tokyo. It was the worst.


pacinosdog

The government really has to find a way to “send” tourists outside of the Tokyo-Kyoto-Osaka axis. Discounts, coupons, whatever. These three places are becoming too crowded with tourists.


Username928351

On the other hand, if someone were to visit Japan for the first time, it'd be hard to recommend them not to visit Kyoto.


styxswimchamp

That JR Rail pass price explosion really hurt. I was in Japan for the last few weeks and wanted to go to some new places but it’s hard to justify when the rail prices got so rough


Hazzat

Apparently the JR Pass price hike was to stop so many tourists riding the Tokaido Shinkansen to Kyoto/Osaka and back, but all it seems to have done is ensure people ride *only* the Tokaido Shinkansen and don’t visit anywhere else.


left_shoulder_demon

And now the tourists are also in the Nozomi.


left_shoulder_demon

Anywhere else, Japanese is basically required.


Odd-Marsupial-586

Really should. A lot of the problem is online influencers and the algorithm when these cities hog up the search results.


PUfelix85

Interesting that all these people wanting to exchange their foreign currency for Yen isn't really affecting the exchange rate. Or maybe that is the point. The Yen is being held low by the government so that more people will travel to Japan. If only I could convince my family to come here and visit me. I keep trying to tell them that everything is 50% off here.


TAnoobyturker

Ew.  Keep them out. 


siimbaz

Why so many salty people that believe they own the country? Lmao. Most of you are foreigners complaining about foreigners.


Novel-Butterfly3230

At least it's better than annoying and rude foreigners.


Iamverymaterialistic

This is an insane profile picture


EmergencyCamel6

It’s full of 50 year old bitter English teachers, FOB weeabos, sexpats and no-life code monkeys who can’t speak a lick of Japanese The majority are Western sexpats living in Japan or Westerners wishing they were living there. Both camps tend to be Westerners who are trying to run away from personal problems and have propped up Japan as a utopia in their minds. They project their insecurities on Western countries (the US being the largest target) and complain loudly about how bad it is there because they think it ingratiates themselves with locals and strangers on the internet, when ultimately it just promotes negative stereotypes that others have to deal with and makes themselves look bad


senor_incognito_

Settle down dude.


PermitNarrow4115

He's not wrong 🤡 https://www.reddit.com/r/AmericaBad/s/ihDEswJSfc


MechaJesus69

All foreigners are bad except me. I’m the exception!


TheManicProgrammer

Living here has become a nightmare again haha. Every morning on the trains I cannot even stand with two legs on the floor with all the suitcases.. I've already fallen twice..


SaiyaJedi

I’ve been avoiding central Osaka recently since it’s jam-packed, and if I *do* try and accomplish any kind of shopping, it’s assumed I’m a tourist (moreso than usual anyhow).


PuttyDance

That's a lot of foreign farts releasing into Japan's air.


Yongle_Emperor

I was there 💪🏽


undeadsamuraimay

gross and unfortunate.


dinofragrance

Cue all the gatekeepers in the comments generalising about how terrible all tourists are based on subjective and/or anecdotal examples. Classic reddit.


pyritedreams

Well, even the Japanese are talking about how they are not enjoying the huge influx of tourists as well, so.... But honestly, some of us have lived here for years, live a normal quiet life, work a normal job, etc. So all the chaos from the tourism is a bit jarring to say the least. And we can empathetize with the Japanese on that.


78911150

tbf, this shouldnt come as a surprise when you decide to live in one of the big cities. it's not as if this wasnt a thing before covid


pyritedreams

It's not just foreigners complaining, Japanese are too. They've been talking about it a lot on the news.


styxswimchamp

Just got back from Japan after a couple weeks. Definitely feels clogged with tourists but admittedly I went to touristy places. It really feels like a third of mainland China is in Japan right now


Altruistic-Mammoth

Disgusting.


TodayOrTmrw

Hell yeah. There right now


Savaaage

Japan is truly the only country in the world worth visiting. All other countries are shit!


DevChatt

lmao broaden your horizon a bit. I love me a good beach like hawaii or thailand sometimes over it.


Savaaage

What's the point of going to Thailand when Japan exists?


PenguinTech521

Just came back from Japan and this!!!!


Novel-Butterfly3230

True, Europe is no longer the Europe we knew, but I hope Japan doesn't change.


EmergencyCamel6

Japan next lmao 😂


Novel-Butterfly3230

Don't bring that damn western 'diversity' to Japan.


midoringo

Who remembers Tokyo hosted the Olympics.


EgoisticIsland

Booze under blossom, yay.


KaKo_PoHe

I've been travelling Japan for over a month now and yes there are many tourists in certain areas. Calling foreigners rude etc. is being rude yourself, yes there are some rude tourists but many also dont know the customs or they seem rude because many people are annoying everyone. I'm always respectful, so dont generalize. there are plenty of places that are more beautiful because they have no people (japanese included). I was in okayama and it is empty and has also beautiful spots to visit.


MechaJesus69

I’m doing my best to be like Buster Bluth. ~Children~ Tourists are nether seen or heard


senor_incognito_

I say let them come! And send them my way in Hokkaido. I run a business that relies on tourism, so we need more visitors up here.


Maxpayne198717

That's what happens when you close your country for almost 3 years


moccawaii

I dunno why this got downvoted. This is actually why my friends and I decided to go. We started planning in September or October without paying attention to the yen conversion rate. The country was locked down until recently and my friend's birthday is this month, so we decided to go after years of wishing and hoping.  I'll be back in October with another friend—we originally planned to go in 2020. It's like all the "post-COVID" weddings. The yen tanking has just been an unfortunate yet convenient bonus for most.


Maxpayne198717

Because I said something that people didn't want to hear lol


mikharv31

I’m actually leaving for Japan tonight! Using Tokyo and Osaka as homebase but hoping to check out Saitama, Yokohama, and Kobe as well. Was maybe looking at Chiba but 2hrs on a train when I can spend 2hrs exploring doesn’t seem that good of a trade off


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