A foreign tourist wearing a kimono is photographed in Tokyo’s Asakusa district on July 16, 2025. (Kyodo)
TOKYO (Kyodo) — Japan has been picked as the top destination people want to revisit, partly due to the Asian country’s cuisine and quality products, according to a recent survey by major advertising agency Dentsu Inc.
In the online poll asking people from 20 economies who have traveled to multiple countries where they would like to visit again, Japan ranked top at 52.7 percent, followed by South Korea at 20.0 percent and the United States at 16.6 percent.
Interest in Japanese cuisine and goods, including the quality of used items, outscored a weaker yen, often cited as the reason for the growth in tourist numbers.
The most popular convenience store items among respondents were sushi at 46.9 percent and ice cream at 45.1 percent, while rice balls and sweets were picked by 43.3 percent.
The survey, conducted between May and June, received responses from 12,400 individuals in Australia, Britain, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam and the United States.
Among Japan’s 47 prefectures, Tokyo, Hokkaido, Osaka and Kyoto topped the list in terms of recognition and visitor experience.
In contrast, the percentage of travelers who visited rural areas and did not go to Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka or Kyoto was small.
Of those who visited rural areas, 96.2 percent were satisfied with their experience and 93.4 percent said they want to visit again.
A Dentsu official said while there is a “high potential” for tourism in rural areas, there are issues that need to be addressed.
According to the survey, a lack of Wi-Fi hotspots and multilingual support as well as inaccessibility discouraged people from visiting rural areas.
AloJapan.com