August 8, 2025 | 10:14 pm
Kyoto has been the most visited city in Japan after Tokyo. Both local and international tourists flocked to the city to experience and witness the most authentic history and traditional culture of Japan. The city is home to many ancient shrines and beautiful gardens.
However, recently, the capital of Japanese culture has lost its appeal to local tourists. The city has become too crowded with foreign tourists, which makes it uncomfortable to visit. They are now more interested in Nara, the neighboring city of Kyoto.
Blogwatcher, a Tokyo-based data/research organization, recently released its analysis of travel patterns during the 2025 Golden Week holiday in Japan, which takes place between late April and early May. By examining mobile location data, Blogwatcher found a significant decrease in the number of Japanese visitors to the five most famous tourist spots in Kyoto compared to just two years earlier.
Compared to 2023, the number of Japanese visitors to Fushimi Inari Shrine dropped by 40.4 percent, while the number of Japanese visitors to Kiyomizudera and Kinkakuji/the Golden Pavilion decreased by about 25 percent. Both the Shimogamo Shrine and the Byodo-in Temple saw a slight increase in Japanese visitors in 2024. However, this trend reversed in 2025, with approximately 10 percent fewer domestic visitors during Golden Week compared to 2023.
The Impact of Weakening Yen
The high number of foreign tourists in the city is attributed to the weakening yen. The current value of the yen makes Japan more affordable for foreign tourists compared to previous generations. The influx of tourists choosing Kyoto in Japan has made the city's tourist attractions crowded and its hotel prices expensive.
Data from the Kyoto Tourism Association shows that during the first five months of this year, the average nightly hotel rate in Kyoto has increased by about 50 percent over the past two years. The cost increase is relatively easy for foreign tourists to bear because they take advantage of favorable exchange rates.
However, for Japanese tourists, who are already burdened by rising prices without a corresponding increase in wages, the expensive prices in tourist-filled places are certainly less enjoyable.
Nara as a Replacement for Kyoto
Many local tourists choose Nara over Kyoto, which is located nearby. Apart from being famous for its tea, the city is also popular for its ancient temples and was once the capital of Japan in the 8th century.
Blogwatcher tracked the number of domestic visitors to 33 of the best temples, places of worship, and historical sites in Kyoto Prefecture, and 37 in Nara Prefecture. During Golden Week 2023, Japanese tourists showed a strong preference for Kyoto. Its main tourist attractions welcomed 746,000 visitors, nearly 70 percent more Japanese visitors than Nara, which recorded 446,000 visitors, according to data quoted by Sora News24.
However, more Japanese tourists visited Nara's main tourist attractions than Kyoto's in 2025. According to Blogwatcher's records, the number of local tourists to Kyoto was 559,000, while Nara had 561,000.
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