Tokyo is crowded, very crowded. Trains on the metro lines are packed with tourists, suitcases, strollers, and shopping bags. Hotels, still short-staffed after the pandemic, are struggling to meet the demand. In 2024, Japan has welcomed around 35 million visitors. 2025 will only see this number growing further.
In November, Japan's capital has just been named the world's best big city to visit by a leading American travel magazine (Condé Nast Traveler) ahead of Singapore, Sydney, and Cape Town. Despite congested tourist spots, strained infrastructure, and the rising prices of airfares, Japan will be a magnet for people from overseas.
Stories of Kindness
One of the reasons is nostalgia. In a world that is becoming increasingly divided and chaotic, Japan feels reliable and safe. Politeness and respect, clean public toilets and punctual trains, the joy of a hot bath followed by a cold drink, superb craftsmanship and persistent work ethic, grace and beauty, tradition and hospitality.
Visitors returning from Japan will often tell stories of police officers helping stranded travelers or of a wallet reunited with its rightful owner. They are in awe of Japan's attention to detail where even mundane manholes carry designs and of so many other virtues the country has to offer.
It is an appreciation and respect that goes beyond the magic of cherry blossoms, the vibrancy of the autumn colors, or the glowing lights of the winter illuminations that line the streets of Ginza and Omotesando.
Growing Japanization
With Japan's soft power steadily growing, more and more tourists are coming not only to get a glimpse of Japan's culture but to take a small part of it home. The fascination with anime and manga has long attracted otakus (fans) from all over the world.
Now, more traditional things are following. A Swedish woman visiting Tokyo had just come back from Kyushu, in southern Japan. She was visiting her son doing an apprenticeship in Japanese gardening. "I don't remember the name of the place," she admits cheerfully. "Was it with a K at the beginning?"
As a result of this trend, signs of "Japanification" are cropping up overseas. While ramen, sushi, and gel pens from Muji already have a global reach, other cultural phenomena are increasingly getting exported as well.
Tea Brings People Together
In 2024, the Oxford English Dictionary added 23 new Japanese words to its latest update. Among them were santoku (kitchen knife), tonkatsu (pork cutlets), and kintsugi (a traditional pottery repair technique). The concept of wabi-sabi, (beauty in imperfection) resonates globally, influencing art, design, and lifestyle choices.
Japanese tea ceremonies prove popular even outside of Japan. Paris-based tea master Katsuhito Imaizumi is holding tea ceremonies all over Europe connecting people. He also organizes exhibitions of Japanese pottery.
"Tea is a medium that connects us," he explains. "It is a delicate bridge that brings people and things together."
Katsuhito hopes that tea can lead to a warmer, more peaceful world. He provides a Japanese space outside of Japan, where his guests can find Japanese aesthetics, but also a getaway from the noise and the daily pressure.
From Tea and Pens to Toilets
While retail giants like Muji and Uniqlo have brought the Japanese art of simplicity to a global audience, Japanese bathroom makers have also taken note of an increased demand from overseas.
No longer are Japanese high-tech toilets only found in Japan. According to a study by bathroom fixture company Toto, over 40 percent of the 200 five-star hotels in London and Paris surveyed are now equipped with heated toilet seats.
Japanese washlets, with their elevated hygiene standards, are becoming more common in private homes outside of Japan. In part because visitors to Japan who got used to the comfort and convenience want a similar system at home.
Other Japanese hygiene triumphs might have a harder time catching on, like taking off shoes in private homes or showering before taking a bath. Yet, there is always hope that good things will prevail in the end.
It is an enduring cliché that in Japan, tradition and modernity coexist side by side. And to a remarkable degree, it's true. In turbulent times, Japan will see a lot more visitors who come looking for it.
Follow our special New Year's series, Predictions 2025.
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Author: Agnes Tandler
