Top Booking Destinations in Japan for 2016: Kagawa Prefecture Takes First, Tokyo Fourth

▲ The top travel destination in Japan for 2016, with Tokyo in fourth place. (Image / from the Tokyo Tower official website)

Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

Japan, with its unique cuisine and culture, has long been an ideal travel destination for many. Japan’s Rakuten Travel announced on the 11th the hottest travel destinations in Japan for 2016. Surprisingly, the top spot wasn’t Tokyo, Kyoto, or Hokkaido, but Kagawa Prefecture—home to Yayoi Kusama’s giant pumpkin.

▲ Yayoi Kusama’s giant pumpkin on Naoshima Island in Japan’s Seto Inland Sea. (Image / Annie)

According to booking data from Rakuten Travel in 2016, Kagawa Prefecture and Naoshima saw a surge in popularity due to the “Setouchi Triennale” art festival. Takamatsu, serving as a key transit hub, also became a tourist destination. Coupled with the regions of Sanuki and eastern Kagawa, the overall annual growth rate of foreign visitors to Kagawa Prefecture reached an impressive 241.6% (approximately 3.5 times), making it the top prefecture in terms of year-on-year growth in foreign tourist numbers.

The statistics show that Okayama City in Okayama Prefecture, ranking second, benefited from its prime location in the Kansai region, along with the addition of new direct flight routes by Tigerair Taiwan in 2016. As a result, the number of hotel bookings and visitor numbers from Taiwan to Okayama grew nearly fourfold, achieving the highest global increase. Fukuoka City in Fukuoka Prefecture came in third (including the Tenjin area and nearby coastal areas), benefiting from increased inbound tourism from China, with the growth rate also ranking high.

The analysis found that in the 2016 rankings, half of the top destinations were located near major popular tourist spots such as Tokyo, Mount Fuji, Hakone, Kyoto, and Osaka, but were not part of the traditional golden route. This reflects an emerging trend where travelers are increasingly seeking unique and personalized travel experiences.

▲ The top ten hottest travel destinations in Japan with the highest growth rates in foreign visitor numbers for 2016. (Image / Provided by Rakuten Travel.)