Canadian visitors to Japan have been steadily increasing
Osaka is preparing to host a major extravaganza that tourism authorities expect will put the Japanese city in the history books.
Liam Duffy, assistant manager of the Japan National Tourist Office’s Canadian office, told a recent Toronto event that Osaka will “make history in 2025 as the first Japanese city to host the World Expo twice,” having earlier staged the event in 1970. That Expo was the best-attended Expo of the 20th century.
“Fingers crossed that we can hold that record in the 21st as well,” Duffy added.
News regarding pavilions, tickets and sample itineraries can be found on the JNTO’s japan.travel/en/ca/ website.
The evening also saw Yuka Suzuki, the Canadian office’s new executive director, report that Canadian visitors to Japan have been steadily increasing, with 2024 being a record year.
“The number of Canadian visitors so far this year is 40% higher than last year,” she reported. “This achievement would not have been possible without the cooperation of everyone here.
“This highlights the growing global appeal of our country. Popular destinations like Tokyo and Osaka are not just exciting cities. There is always something new to discover, no matter how many times you visit.
“But we want to encourage travellers to get off the beaten path and discover the hidden gems that our country has to offer. Japan has something for everyone.”
Duffy in turn reported that last year saw over 425,000 Canadians visit Japan.
“To put that into context, that’s more than one in every 100 Canadians. That’s more than the population of London, Ont.,” he stated. “And if that weren’t enough, as of September we are already slated for a remarkable increase of 39.7% over 2023.
“This feat would not have been possible without dedicated industry professionals such as yourselves, so I’d like to thank each and every one of you for your efforts.”
Duffy noted that overtourism has become a concern in much of the world and Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka draw large numbers of visitors. But he added that “over 60% of Canadian travellers prefer to get outside of the big cities – and even those who stick to them tend to opt for day trips. According to our surveys, travellers often cite practical factors such accessibility and language barrier as preventing them from visiting regional Japan.”
Duffy suggested travel agents encourage clients to “delve deeper into Japan and its culture, and push beyond the beaten path. For starters, hopping on the train for another hour or two south from Kyoto-Osaka will bring you to the idyllic coastlines of the Seto Inland Sea. The climate varies wildly across the Japanese archipelago, with the northernmost island of Hokkaido being quite similar to Canada, while the southernmost is likened to Hawaii.
“Seto Inland Sea is a happy middleground – enjoying a temperate climate year round, with seafood, citrus, and olives all being local staples. This also makes it the perfect setting for outdoor activities, whether physical or cultural.”
Duffy said Naoshima — located 2.5 hours from Osaka — is dubbed the “art island” and features stunning indoor and outdoor exhibits by renowned contemporary artists from around the world.
Entire district of shrines and houses have been converted into contemporary art installations, he reported
Meanwhile, Duffy suggested history buffs should consider visiting the mainland’s southernmost prefecture of Kagoshima as it was the last stronghold of Samurai Culture in Japan in wake of the Meiji Restoration.
“The sight of the Satsuma rebellion, Kagoshima is still home to sights such as the 13th-century Iriki-Fumoto Samurai residences, where you can don the full set of Samurai armour and go out for a walk, or experience a tea ceremony in these historic dwellings,” Duffy reported.
Shin Kawai of Tokyo Tourism told the audience that Tokyo offers visitors an intriguing blend of nature, culture, history and food.
The city uses the tagline Old Meets New to promote local tourism , with Tokyo tourism authorities adding that “tradition and innovation meet and evolve to create new value.”
More Information on Tokyo can be found at GoTokyo.org/en/agent/.
