Tourism in Japan

Japan is an almost everywhere touristy developed land. Due to the high degree of industrialization of the country of tourism, however, plays only a very minor role as an economic sector.

Foreign tourists

Because of the high cost of living and the relatively long flight time from Europe or North America, the number of foreign tourists from these regions is relatively low. The majority of foreign visitors in Japan comes from neighboring Asian countries such as South Korea and the PRC. Especially the Chinese tourists who have a partial high purchasing power, particularly envisaged by Japan. In 2010, the visa requirements for Chinese travelers have been relaxed, so as to move more tourists from China to travel to Japan. 2010, there were a total of 8.6 million, relative to the population of the country, a small number. Because of the severe earthquake and the nuclear disaster at Fukushima in March 2011, the tourism broke out in 2011, a strong. The Japanese government plans to triple tourism by 2030 to 30 million.

Domestic tourists

The Japanese themselves are avid domestic tourists, so any place in the country is trying emphasize its own touristic qualities. In this case, a high value is placed on the local characteristics. Bus and rail networks extend to small towns. In each city is located near the train station tourist information, which holds maps and information material, mostly in restricted selection in English (rare in German ). In many places, local attractions such as castles and temples are accessible to tourists. Traditional crafts and foods of the area are maintained. Throughout the country are small museums, the fill of traditional culture with modern art to the most unexpected things (such as a museum of classic American cars on Kyushu ) all possible niches. Another example is the museum of modern glass art on the island of Niijima.

Japanese companies require their employees a high degree of loyalty; it is therefore common that salarymen waive a portion of their leave entitlement. Trips take place on three main times when the whole country is on vacation. The first is the Golden Week in May, the Obon Week ( by region in July or August) and New Year. A vacation of more than a week at a time is not common in Japan. Longer trips are feasible only as a student, pensioner and simply without particularly long-term investigation with the company. Nevertheless, Japanese companies are very much anxious also to offer relaxation to their employees, and so trips with the whole department are common, which should also maintain social cohesion within the company. Many companies have their own accommodation in tourist places.

Japanese tourists on their trips to follow its own pattern, and the industry is all set to it. Japanese are mainly short trips and return on the same or next day. You drive in the morning going as early as possible, and then at the destination as much as possible to see on the recommended route in the prospectus. From major attractions a picture is taken. For the folks back home are Omiyage, souvenirs, mostly bought in the form of candy or products of local crafts. Parks, temples and museums close in Japan usually already at 17 clock, because at this time reverse the tourists in their accommodation or in a sometimes very luxurious traditional Japanese hotel, Ryokan called a. An inexpensive version of the Ryokan is a Minshuku. From here you take a dinner, mostly from local specialties to be; it is good form for the owner of a good ryokan to be formed in the local cuisine. Upscale Ryokan also offer an in-house real onsen to relax, taking a hot bath offer all. Some tourist resorts also offer a nightlife with corresponding bars.

Offers

Nature

Also tourist magnets are viewpoints which enjoys delightful views of nature. After the urbanization has transformed many levels in concrete seas and the rivers could disappear under the asphalt, the Japanese longing for the places where nature is still original. Large parts of Japan, approximately 80 % of the land area is only sparsely populated, because it is difficult to reach the mountains or remote islands. For each region, even Rankings exist with the best vantage points.

Winter sports

Hokkaido, the northernmost island, is in the winter under a thick blanket of snow and is therefore a popular winter sports resort. 1972 Sapporo hosted the Winter Olympic Games. Another attraction is the Snow Festival Sapporo.

The home of Honshu consists mainly of rugged mountains, so that a high snow security prevails here, even in March, when the cherry blossoms already in Kyushu - season starts. The most famous ski resort on Honshu is Nagano and especially the place Hakuba, also an Olympic city (1998).

Amusement parks

The economic boom of the 80's, when investment capital was available in abundance, has also give rise to a variety of amusement parks, part of which has seen a great success, for example, the Tokyo Disneyland. Other theme parks had to go to the bursting of the economic bubble close or fight for survival.

Wellness

The due to the volcanic activity almost countless hot springs in Japan, an extremely important branch of tourism. The tradition of spas offering relaxing in the natural hot springs (onsen ), already dates back to the Edo period. A variant of the onsen is a bath in hot sand, a specialty of resorts such as Beppu. The massage has a long tradition in Japan, masseur was in ancient Japan, a possible profession for the blind. Since then, the generation that Japan has built up after the Second World War, has become well-off pensioners (so-called熟 年, jukunen ) experience Japan's resorts, especially on the Izu Peninsula, a boom.