What Makes Japan Brands Shine in Regional Areas? 3+1 Strategies to Attract Inbound Tourists to Regional Japan

Part 1 examines the current status of the "Japan Brand" based on the latest 2024 survey, Part 2 focused on "inbound tourism," tracing its evolution to its current popularity, including past surveys.

Part 3 shifts the focus to "Japan's Regions," examining specific points of interest in the increasingly popular "regional tourism" and the needs of visitors to Japan. We delve into "The Japan Brand That Shines Brightest in the Regions."

Global attention is growing toward "Japan's regional areas"

The Japan Brand Survey continuously gathers data on "awareness," "visit experience," and "visit intention" for Japan's 47 prefectures. Comparing the 2024 results with those from 2019, five years prior, confirms the rising recognition of regional areas.

Awareness of prefecture names increased in 45 prefectures compared to 2019, excluding Hokkaido and Tokyo. Prefectures showing particularly strong gains were Kyoto (+7.6 points), Osaka (+7.3 points), and Okinawa (+6.8 points).Yamaguchi Prefecture (6.0pt) ranked fourth. This may be influenced by Yamaguchi City, Yamaguchi Prefecture being selected for The New York Times' "52 Places to Go in 2024" during the survey period.

Furthermore, focusing on the potential segment (those who have never visited Japan but wish to do so in the future), awareness of each prefecture increased significantly by +5.0pt or more in 15 prefectures (see Figure 2).One contributing factor is likely the active overseas information dissemination efforts by prefectures. Aomori Prefecture, which has been attracting tourists from Asia in recent years, has seen the effectiveness of its digital media outreach grow, with its Chinese social media Weibo account exceeding 1.3 million followers.

Approximately 68% of visitors to Japan are repeat visitors. Opportunities to attract visitors exist nationwide!

According to the "2024 Tourism White Paper," approximately 68% of visitors to Japan in 2023 were "repeat visitors" (visiting Japan for the second time or more). This figure was particularly high for Hong Kong and Taiwan, at around 90%, while South Korea, Thailand, and Singapore also saw 70-80% repeat visitors.The same survey found that when focusing on visits to the three major metropolitan areas and regional areas, approximately 86% of visitors who visited "regional areas only" were repeat visitors.

The Japan Brand Survey gathers future "visit intentions," enabling analysis that includes future opportunities.Looking at visit intentions by prefecture for the potential segment (those intending to visit Japan but with 0 visits), the beginner segment (1 visit), and the repeat visitor segment (2+ visits), scores were higher for prefectures other than Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka. Furthermore, the light repeat visitor segment (2nd-3rd visit) showed a similar trend to the repeat visitor segment. This suggests that opportunities exist to attract visitors to various regions across Japan starting from their second visit onwards.

*The Repeat Visitor segment includes the Light Repeat Visitor segment.

The "Absence" is the Appeal!? Three "Absence" Values Expected in Regional Tourism

Why are regional areas attracting attention from visitors to Japan? Responses to the newly added question "What do you expect from regional tourism?" in the Japan Brand Survey 2024 revealed three key characteristics.

Ranking in the overall top three were: "Enjoying natural landscapes that showcase the four seasons," "Savoring local cuisine prepared with regional ingredients," and "Relaxing both mind and body while taking in the leisurely scenery of the region." The demand for "relaxation" alongside "seasons," "food," and "history" was a discovery for us as well.

Yamaguchi City, selected for the aforementioned "52 Places to Visit in 2024," was chosen because "Yamaguchi City is called the Western Capital and suffers significantly less tourist pollution compared to Kyoto." In today's climate where overtourism is a concern, "being less crowded" and "not yet widely known" can be major attractions.

Looking at regional preferences among visitors to Japan reveals subtle differences in what they seek from local areas. In East Asia, "Gastronomy" ranks first, indicating high expectations for unique local food experiences. "Forest Bathing" ranking fifth also reflects a clear desire for relaxation. In Southeast Asia, the longing for "Four Seasons" is strong; the demand for natural landscapes like snow, cherry blossoms, and autumn foliage – unseen in their tropical homelands – remains high.

Additionally, the high focus on "locally sourced ingredients" suggests that fresh seafood (oysters, crab, sea urchin, etc.) and regional brand fruits (strawberries, melons, grapes, peaches, etc.) – available uniquely in Japan – are key reasons for their popularity. A notable characteristic for Europe, America, and Australia is that "history" ranks highest compared to Asia.

From these expectations for regional tourism, three key "non-traditional" charms of the regions emerge.

The first is the value of being "not overly developed. " Beyond the tangible aspects like historic ruins, old townscapes, and local transportation, the source of unique regional tourism experiences lies in the preservation of traditional local lifestyles.

The second is the value of being "not yet widely known." Amidst the popularity of visiting Japan, the number of discerning Japan enthusiasts is increasing, a trend particularly pronounced among repeat visitors. Furthermore, the desire to avoid crowds means that the very fact of being less known to the masses is becoming a significant value. Tourism to unknown regions is precisely what will capture the hearts of visitors to Japan.

Third is the value of "unavailable at home." As often seen among visitors from Southeast Asia, the appeal lies in the rarity of experiencing distinct seasons and fresh ingredients—things unavailable in their home countries. It is precisely these hard-to-find experiences that unique regional destinations can offer.

By focusing on these three "lack of..." values, the attractions worth highlighting within a region should become clearer.

This is a no-go! One "lack" obstacle we want to overcome in promoting regional tourism

On the other hand, the newly added 2024 question "Barriers to Regional Tourism" revealed several challenges in attracting visitors to regional areas.

The greatest concern was "anxiety about language barriers in communication." This tendency was more pronounced among those with no prior visit to Japan. Following this, concerns like "not knowing about regional tourist destinations outside major cities," "insufficient information sources about activities available in regional destinations," and "not understanding Japan's traffic rules" showed that lack of information about tourism resources and secondary transportation remains a worry regardless of the number of visits to Japan.

Analyzing the overall responses reveals that the primary barrier to regional tourism is not a lack of appeal or inadequate infrastructure, but rather a lack of awareness. This suggests that addressing information gaps within the region should be the first step in preparing to welcome international visitors.

To achieve this, it is crucial to check from the perspective of foreign visitors whether detailed information is being provided. For example,

• Transportation options and routes for visiting

• Skills required for experiences, such as necessary preparations or Japanese language ability

• Time required for experiences, costs like fees and effort

• Whether advance reservations are required

Providing information that foreign visitors can understand, from before their visit through arrival at the destination, is just as important as communicating the region's appeal.

Three Key Points for Promoting Regional Tourism

This time, we focused on "regional tourism in Japan" and examined what makes the "Japan brand shine brightest in the regions" based on survey results.

With repeat visitors now accounting for over two-thirds of all Japan trips, there's an opportunity for regional destinations—places with unique history, culture, and lifestyles that remain "Untouched" compared to urban areas—to be chosen as the next destination by visitors who have developed a discerning eye for Japan.Furthermore, combined with recent issues like overtourism and the popularity of Japanese cuisine, the value of destinations being "Unknown" – spots known only to the initiated – and offering "Unobtainable" experiences – things unavailable in their home countries – has also increased for many visitors. We believe these three "un-" values are precisely the characteristics of the Japan Brand that shines in regional areas.

On the other hand, a persistent concern in regional tourism is the "inconvenience" of transportation and environment compared to metropolitan areas. However, it has become clear that what foreign visitors perceive as a barrier more than such inconvenience is "uncertainty." It is essential to quickly eliminate this uncertainty by providing appropriate information—from pre-visit web resources to key transportation hubs, accommodations, and tourist spots within the region—and by utilizing technologies like automatic translation.

The growing attention on regional tourism, if further activated, represents a breakthrough for regional revitalization. It is also an essential piece for achieving the government's target of 60 million international visitors to Japan. However, it is likely that those working in regional tourism face challenges such as "not knowing the region's appeal," "being unable to communicate necessary information due to staff and personnel shortages," and "lacking the know-how to effectively communicate."Amidst this, we hope the 3+1 points presented here offer some insight for prioritizing and selecting the attractions to communicate and the outreach efforts to pursue.

Moving forward, the Japan Brand Research Project Team will continue its efforts to enrich tourism destinations across Japan. This includes analyzing the perspectives of foreign visitors to regional areas by nationality and region.

[Contact for Inquiries Regarding This Matter]
Dentsu Inc. Dentsu Japan Brand Survey Project Team
japanbrand@dentsu.co.jp

Japan Brand Survey Hub Page
https://www.dentsu.co.jp/knowledge/japan_brand/

【About the Dentsu Inc. Japan Brand Survey】
Dentsu Inc.'s proprietary survey launched in 2011 to understand how the Japan brand was perceived globally when reputational damage affected Japanese agricultural and marine products and inbound tourism following the Great East Japan Earthquake. In 2022, it evolved into a cross-company project activity with enhanced expertise through a fundamental restructuring of its survey design, analytical approach, and outputs.In 2025, it will newly plan and build a knowledge portfolio for the general public, aiming to create social value grounded in consumer insights.
The Japan Brand Survey regularly gauges the perceptions and realities of overseas consumers regarding the Japan Brand as a whole, covering areas such as inbound tourism, regional revitalization, food, Japanese products, content, values, lifestyles, and social trends. It visualizes the changing sentiments of consumers and the challenges and potential of the Japan Brand, contributing to increasingly complex corporate activities while also promoting cross-cultural understanding within Japanese society.

[Dentsu Inc. Japan Brand Survey 2024 Overview]
・Target Areas: 15 countries/regions (United States, Australia, United Kingdom, Germany, France, India, United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea)
・Sample Size: 7,460 (Breakdown: USA 960, India 900, Mainland China 800, Other countries/regions 400 each)
・Survey Period: January 19 to March 26, 2024
・Respondent criteria: Men and women aged 20–59 (middle-income and above)
・Survey Method: Online survey
・Research Organizations: Dentsu Inc. (Principal Investigator), Video Research Ltd. (Implementation Support)

[Notes and Disclaimers]
※1: Mainland China coverage areas: Shanghai and Beijing; India coverage areas: Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru; Australia: Greater Sydney metropolitan area; Southeast Asia: Primarily metropolitan areas.
※2: Definition of middle-income class: Criteria set per country based on national average income (e.g., OECD statistics) and social class classification (SEC).
※3: Samples were collected with equal allocation by gender and age group across all countries/regions, then weighted to match the population composition.
※4: Proportions in this survey are rounded to the second decimal place (or first decimal place for some integer values), so totals may not add up to 100%.
※5: Country and region names used in this survey report and on the website follow the longstanding views of the Japanese government, as well as Japanese social conventions and business practices.
※6: In creating the charts and graphs for this survey, the names of countries and regions analyzed use the international standard ISO country codes (ISO 3166-1 alpha-2/3), with some exceptions.
United States/US/USA, Canada/CA/CAN, Australia/AU/AUS, United Kingdom/UK/GBR, Germany/DE/DEU, France/FR/FRA, Italy/IT/ITA,Spain/ES/ESP, Finland/FI/FIN, United Arab Emirates/UAE, Saudi Arabia/SA/SAU, India/IN/IND, Indonesia/ID/IDN, Singapore/SG/SGP, Malaysia/MY/MYS, Philippines/PH/PHL, Thailand/TH/THA,Vietnam/VN/VNM, Mainland China/CN/CHN, Hong Kong/HK/HKG, Taiwan/TW/TWN, South Korea/KR/KOR
※7: The names of countries and regions used in this survey are for statistical or analytical convenience only and do not indicate any political stance or viewpoint.
※8: The maps used in this survey (world map and Japan map) have been partially edited and cropped to suit the analysis content and page layout. They do not necessarily accurately reflect national borders or territorial boundaries.