Some hiked costs are set to begin in the next couple of months, while others are coming later in the year, so you might be able to avoid the worst of it if you time your trip right.
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If it seems like everyone is visiting Japan at the moment, you’re not mistaken. With the yen at a historic low, trips to what has historically been a big-budget destination are becoming much more affordable for travelers, including from the US, UK and Europe.
According to travel company Saga Holidays, UK Google searches for ‘Japan holidays’ were up 30% this past month, and Japanese is the currently most searched-for non-European language among UK travelers, up 32% year-on-year.
But some significant changes are coming for tourists to Japan this year, which could make vacations to the country a lot pricier. Some hiked costs are set to begin in the next couple of months, while others are coming later in the year, so you might be able to avoid the worst of it if you time your trip right.
Japan Introduces Hotel Tax In One Of Its Most Popular Cities
At the end of last year, Japan gave the green light to its highest-ever hotel tax in a bid to promote sustainable tourism. Kyoto is fast becoming one of Japan’s most popular visitor destinations, sparking frustrations about overtourism.
In 2024, the city restricted access to some private-property alleys where tourists flocked to see geisha and their maiko apprentices dressed in traditional kimonos with makeup hair ornaments, performing dance and music. The streets in the Gion district were closed off to visitors after complaints of inappropriate behavior.
Authorities say Kyoto’s new accommodation tax is not specifically aimed at deterring tourists, but rather to ensure visitors are “bearing the cost of countermeasures against overtourism.”
Kyoto is fast becoming one of Japan’s most popular visitor destinations, sparking frustrations about overtourism.
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The new tax will come into force on 1 March. Under the system, guests staying in luxury hotels will be charged upwards of JPY 10,000 ($66) per night, while those in mid-range accommodation will pay between JPY 1,000 and JPY 4,000 ($6.50 and $27). The lowest rate, JPY 200 (about $1.20), will apply to budget stays costing under JPY 6,000 ($40) per night.
“Although the cost is quite a high one, it is only happening in Kyoto as a way of improving issues around overtourism in the ancient city,” says James Mundy, PR manager for travel operator Inside Japan Tours.
But he says higher fees can be balanced by savvy choices elsewhere: “The yen exchange rate at the moment still ensures that Japan is great value on the ground with incredible restaurants and impressive sights all very reasonably priced and surprisingly cheap compared to many countries in the West.”
Japan Will Hike Visa And Departure Fees For Tourists In 2026
Japan’s visa fees have remained unchanged for decades, making them surprisingly reasonable compared to other countries. At the moment, a single-entry visa costs around JPY 3,000 ($20) and a multiple-entry visa about JPY 6,000 ($40).
However, these are now under review, with the government proposing to hike the fee to ¥15,000 ($100) for single-entry and ¥30,000 ($200) for multiple-entry, beginning around April 2026. Authorities are also raising the international departure tax to align with “international standards”.
This is a levy on all people leaving the country, usually on flights, which was first introduced in 2019 at a flat rate of ¥1,000 (about $6.50). From July 2026, this will triple to ¥3,000 (about $20) per person for all travelers (aged two and older) leaving by air or sea.
AloJapan.com