By / MOOK Scenic Spots Editorial Department, compiled and reported
Foreign travelers really love going to Fukuoka. In autumn, Fukuoka has become extremely popular among tourists, ranking first with a year-on-year growth rate of 219.7%, followed closely by Okinawa Prefecture in the south and Gifu Prefecture in central Japan. The growth in Fukuoka Prefecture is mainly due to areas such as Hakata and yG Garden in Fukuoka City, Kaihin Kōtsū, as well as Dazaifu and Nikkō, which have continued the summer tourism momentum and boosted overall visitor numbers. Okinawa Prefecture, on the other hand, attracts visitors to its resort-style islands such as Miyako Island and Irabu Island.
Hokkaido's Tomita Farm is famous for its vast flower fields. (Image source / wondertrip)
Year-on-year growth rate rankings
|
|
Prefectures |
Year-on-year growth rate |
|
No.1 |
Fukuoka Prefecture |
+219.7% |
|
No.2 |
Okinawa Prefecture |
+102.2% |
|
No.3 |
Gifu Prefecture |
+99.5% |
|
No.4 |
Wakayama Prefecture |
+76.4% |
|
No.5 |
Hiroshima Prefecture |
+72.4% |
|
No.6 |
Kagawa Prefecture |
+69.1% |
|
No.7 |
Aichi Prefecture |
+67.5% |
|
No.8 |
Ōita Prefecture |
+66.3% |
|
No.9 |
Kanagawa Prefecture |
+66.2% |
|
No.10 |
Hokkaido |
+64.2% |
A green-filled journey aboard the Kyushu Railway in Fukuoka. (Image source / Fukuoka Time)
In addition to strong growth in local regions, Tokyo Metropolitan Area still ranks first in overall visitor numbers across all Japanese destinations.
Top five most visited regions by autumn travelers
|
|
Prefecture name |
|
No.1 |
Tokyo Metropolis |
|
No.2 |
Osaka Prefecture |
|
No.3 |
Hokkaido |
|
No.4 |
Okinawa Prefecture |
|
No.5 |
Kyoto Prefecture |
The beautiful seascape of Okinawa. (Image source / mog-mog)
Local governments across Japan are promoting various initiatives to boost tourism. Hiroshima Prefecture, which saw a year-on-year growth of 72.4%, began attracting attention after surpassing one million visitors for the first time in 2015. Factors contributing to the buzz include U.S. President Obama’s visit in May, the launch of cruise ship tourism in June, and the 20th anniversary of the registration of part of the region as a UNESCO World Heritage Site this December.