Reference News reported on August 2 that according to foreign media, as of July this year, the number of foreign visitors to Japan has exceeded 10 million. Among them, the number of Chinese tourists visiting Japan in the first half of the year doubled to 2.17 million, surpassing South Korea to become the largest source of tourists and reversing Japan's tourism deficit. It is expected that 4 million Chinese tourists will visit Japan this year to enjoy sushi, view cherry blossoms, and shop for rice cookers and famous toilet seats. This figure is two-thirds higher than last year.
Option 1: Group Tours to Japan Remain Popular
Whether applying for a single-entry or multiple-entry individual tourist visa to Japan, the asset requirements for applicants are stringent and the application materials are cumbersome. In contrast, the conditions for applying for a group tourist visa to Japan are more relaxed. For property proof, individuals applying for a group visa only need to provide a certificate of frozen deposits of 50,000 yuan or any one proof of owned vehicle or property. Moreover, the visa is usually issued within 4–5 working days. Therefore, for most first-time visitors to Japan, group tours can quickly resolve the two major obstacles of difficult visas and language barriers. Coupled with the relatively low cost of group travel, this is undoubtedly a key factor in sustaining the long-term popularity of group tours.
Although group tours to Japan remain extremely appealing, there are also many common issues that consumers should be aware of: for instance, unscrupulous merchants create a large number of “fake duty-free shops” to mislead tourists and profit together with tour groups. Chinese tourists are taken to these fake duty-free shops located in remote buildings, where goods originally priced at just 2,000 yen are sold to them for 20,000 yen. Some travel agencies offer “5 nights 6 days in Japan” tours, arranging flights that depart in the afternoon and arrive in Japan in the evening, and return flights that leave in the morning, meaning the actual time tourists spend in Japan is only 4 days.
Option 2: DIY Japan Travel through Flight-and-Hotel Bundles—Affordable but Not Easy to Customize
For price-sensitive travelers who don’t want to join a group, the popular flight-plus-hotel combo is undoubtedly a good option. For example, flight-and-hotel packages for a 5-day Tokyo trip or a 4-day Okinawa trip are priced on average between 4,000–6,000 yuan. However, flight-and-hotel combos aren’t all that flexible—they are mainly constrained by the departure date of the flight, requiring travelers to plan their holidays around flight schedules. In addition, booking a specific hotel limits the range of activities. Of course, given the attractive prices, most users will compromise, and the idea of a spontaneous trip is somewhat diminished.
Besides the affordable prices, the most appealing aspect of DIY travel is the freedom to set the trip duration. Currently, vendors selling such packages recommend featured attractions during the itinerary. However, due to the lack of destination-specific products, they cannot offer bookings for local activities. Common Japan-related products on the market are mainly one-day tours and show tickets, such as: a one-day tour from Tokyo to Hakone and an open-air hot spring, a one-day tour to Mount Fuji’s Fifth Station and Lake Kawaguchi, or tickets to a robot show in Shinjuku, Tokyo. There are no more than 200 such products, with Ctrip allowing same-day bookings and Tongcheng supporting bookings up to five days before departure.
Option 3: Japan Cruise Tours Gain Momentum
Currently, three major international cruise companies—Costa Cruises, Princess Cruises, and Royal Caribbean—offer cruise routes to Japan. A cruise trip is indeed a luxurious, comfortable, and romantic way to travel. The Royal Caribbean’s Explorer of the Seas, departing on September 6 for a 12-night, 13-day cruise to Japan, offers inside cabins for up to four family members starting at just 6,799 yuan per person. Recently, Japan has also designated 20 cruise ships eligible for visa-free entry for tourists. That is, foreign passengers on specified ships can enter Japan visa-free for sightseeing purposes at port stops, but must return to the ship before it departs. Many believe cruises are a dark horse in the outbound travel market. However, despite the massive promotional efforts by cruise companies, passenger traffic has not been as strong as hoped. To avoid empty cabins, some cruise operators have had to lower ticket prices a few days before departure to boost bookings. Yet just a few days ago, an 8-year-old girl drowned in the swimming pool of the luxury cruise ship Sapphire Princess, which departed from Shanghai and was headed for Jeju Island in South Korea and Fukuoka in Japan. The girl is currently under emergency treatment, sparking renewed attention to onboard safety and medical conditions.
Option 4: The Rise of Independent Travel to Japan
Independent travel can be described by no other term than “the most flexible way to travel.” Mr. Huang Zhiwen, founder of HowToTrip, once said in a media interview: “Flight-and-hotel combo products, which represent free independent travel, simply cannot solve the pain points of truly free travel. These combo products only offer a way to reach the destination and accommodation there. What users care about most is the actual experience and things to do at the destination. Where you go isn’t as important as what you do when you’re there.” It was precisely this philosophy—breaking away from traditional group tours and flight-and-hotel combos—that gave birth to HowToTrip, advocating for outbound independent travel and the freedom to explore. Compared to the previous three travel options, independent travel is not restricted by departure times or locations, and pricing varies greatly—it could be budget-friendly or a luxury trip, entirely depending on the traveler’s expectations and spending power. It is understood that HowToTrip officially launched its Japan independent travel service in early August this year. Prior to that, HowToTrip’s overseas independent travel destinations included the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, providing users with one-stop booking services for overseas hotels, self-drive options, RV rentals, local experiences, group tours abroad, visas, insurance, phone cards, and portable Wi-Fi.
With the growing demand for travel to Japan and no other service providers specifically offering Japan independent travel booking services, HowToTrip has once again targeted this blue ocean market and launched its Japan independent travel business. Different from other destinations, because Japan does not accept Chinese driver’s licenses, HowToTrip primarily promotes the JR Pass (Japan Rail Pass) as the main product for local transportation. This is a discounted fare pass designed specifically for foreign tourists in Japan and is only available for purchase at designated travel agencies outside Japan—it cannot be bought domestically. Additionally, HowToTrip offers booking services for nearly 20,000 Japanese hotels, ranging from 3-star to 5-star, as well as traditional hot spring inns. There are also nearly 500 types of unique local experiences, such as dining at a maid café in Tokyo, visiting the Ghibli Museum, exploring the Gundam Front Tokyo theme museum, enjoying cherry blossoms at Mount Fuji, and soaking in the Arima Onsen hot springs in Kobe. With such a rich selection of destination products, users can purchase short or long itineraries based on their preferences and schedule before departure.
For Chinese tourists, Japan is a high-frequency outbound destination. If the first trip is a group tour for a quick overview, then the second or third trips will definitely be independent travel, with itineraries themed around different interests. A HowToTrip spokesperson stated that to help independent travelers overcome the challenge of planning itineraries, the company will launch 2–3 day themed routes within the next two months. These include shopping in Tokyo, visiting Tokyo Disneyland, hot spring themes, historical sightseeing, food tours, skiing, autumn foliage viewing, and cherry blossom appreciation, among dozens of other themed short trips. Users only need to choose a theme, eliminating the need to spend time and effort creating their own itineraries. Any themed route can be flexibly combined to meet travel needs ranging from as short as 4 days to as long as a full month in Japan.