Guests from Australia among most enthusiastic searchers for trips to Japan

Airbnb reveals guests from Australia among most enthusiastic searchers for trips to Japan ahead of border reopening next week

As Japan reopens to the world for individual travel from 11 October, Airbnb data has revealed guests from Australia, South Korea, the United States, Hong Kong and Singapore have generated the most searches to visit the land of the rising sun. This will be the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic that individual travellers can visit Japan without any daily limits on inbound tourist numbers (currently 50,000) and the requirement for short-term visas.

We are very pleased that inbound individual travel will finally be eased from October, and that the people-to-people connections between international visitors and Airbnb Hosts that were frequent before COVID hit will be able to occur again. 

We look forward to working with our Host community to promote the attractions of Japan. Our recent research shows that over the past three years, the number of overnight stays in regional cities in many Asia-Pacific countries has increased, and dispersed tourism is creating new economic opportunities in these days of inflation. 

The return of international travel also represents a great opportunity for locals to become Hosts and both earn additional income and support jobs and economic growth in their communities. We look forward to working together with the Airbnb community to develop innovative programs that connect people and bring economic benefits to various parts of Japan.

Yasuyuki Tanabe, Airbnb Country Manager for Japan

Australia has always enjoyed a strong connection with Japan and they are one of our great partners in the region. Australians have always been enthusiastic travellers to Japan, enjoying the amazing skiing, food and culture that the country offers and have been eagerly awaiting this reopening, so it’s no surprise to see Australia feature in these rankings so highly.

Susan Wheeldon, Airbnb Country Manager for Australia and New Zealand

Airbnb can also reveal Japan’s most searched destinations on Airbnb from the day the Japanese government announced the lifting of the border restrictions.

Guest locations that generated the most searches for Japan on the day of the government’s announcement (23 September):

1. Korea
2. United States
3. Hong Kong
4. Australia
5. Singapore
6. Taiwan
7. Thailand
8. Canada
9. France
10. Great Britain

Top searched destinations for Japan on Airbnb on the day of the government’s announcement that restrictions are lifting (23 September):

1. Tokyo – Shinjuku, Shibuya and Taito (most searched areas)
2. Osaka
3. Fukuoka
4. Kyoto
5. Sapporo
6. Okinawa
7. Niseko
8. Hakuba 
9. Nagoya
10. Yokohama

Below are the top 10 wishlisted* listings in Japan for some travel inspiration:

• 【Ginza/Tokyo area】 Junior Suite (Free Wi-Fi) (Tokyo)
• 4beds in Tokyo/3min. from the station : Studio B (Tokyo)
• Elegant, secluded cabin for couples & families (Nagano)
• [Inn house] Yanagi-dori west wing Asakusa A modern Japanese-style luxury house with an open-air bath limited to two people (Tokyo)
• YANAKA SOW STANDARD TWIN (Tokyo)
• MANGA design, all-you-can-read comics, 1 bed, free snacks included, free WIFI [Hotel Tavinos Kyoto] (Kyoto)
• [Shinagawa Oimachi] Good access to the airport and Shinkansen! A stylish designer hotel that can be used for both business and travel (Tokyo)
• [Private room] An old folk house guest house with a goat! Equipped with Wi-Fi – Matakitai (Iwate)
• Handmade strawbale house Tida House (Hokkaido)
• Enjoy the superb view of Lake Nojiri, a detached house with private sauna Anoie (Nagano)

*This wishlist was compiled from global travellers wishlisting listings in Japan on Airbnb from Sept 1-Sept 22, 2022. All Homes referenced are intended purely to inspire and illustrate. Airbnb does not recommend or endorse specific Home listings on the Airbnb platform.