Japan has long held a certain pull for Indian travellers. Once seen as a distant, carefully planned trip reserved for milestone holidays, it is now showing up far more casually on Indian itineraries.
From cherry blossom strolls and neon-lit city breaks to snow holidays and countryside escapes, Japan has quietly shifted from being aspirational to accessible, and Indian travellers are responding in record numbers.
A Turning Point Year For India-Japan Travel
That shift became unmistakable in 2025. Indian travel to Japan reached a milestone that reflected more than just post-pandemic revenge travel.
The momentum was visible across age groups and seasons, with families, honeymooners and younger leisure travellers all contributing to the surge.
Travel patterns also showed that Japan is no longer being visited only during spring, but across the year, signalling a deeper, more sustained interest.
The numbers also agree.
According to Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO), from January to December 2025, a total of 3,15,100 Indians travelled to Japan, marking the first time arrivals from India crossed the 3,00,000 mark.
This represented a 35.2 percent increase over 2024, when 2,33,061 Indian visitors were recorded, and was nearly 80 percent higher than pre-Covid levels in 2019.
Indian travel to Japan reached a milestone that reflected more than just post-pandemic revenge travel. Photo: JNTO
Monthly data further highlights the shift. May 2025 emerged as the strongest month on record with 43,040 Indian arrivals, even after the cherry blossom season had ended.
March and April remained strong due to sakura (cherry blossoms) travel, while autumn and winter months such as November and December posted double-digit growth, underlining Japan's evolution into an all-season destination
Why Japan Is Clicking With Indian Travellers Now
Several factors are coming together to drive this growth. According to JNTO, "These reasons include a sustained overseas travel boom in the Indian market and Japan's growing reputation as a unique luxury destination that blends culture, modernity, and nature."
Social Media Representation
Social media and other online shows has played a significant role in reshaping Japan's image, with viral travel videos and shows showcasing everything from convenience store food and bullet trains to lesser-known regions.
A Weaker Yen
Affordability has also entered the conversation in a way it had not before. The weakening yen has significantly improved Japan's value proposition for Indian tourists (though Japan is expensive), especially when it comes to shopping, dining and accommodation.
Compared to other popular long-haul destinations, travellers are finding that their budgets stretch further, making longer stays and multi-city itineraries more feasible without a sharp spike in costs.
Better Connectivity
Ease of travel is another critical factor. Improved air connectivity, supported by expanded services from Japanese carriers and stronger code-share networks via Southeast Asia, has reduced both travel time and logistical friction. Direct flights to Japan are available from major Indian cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore, primarily to Tokyo and Osaka, offered by airlines such as Air India, ANA (All Nippon Airways), and Japan Airlines (JAL).
Ease of travel is another critical factor. Photo: Unsplash
"Japan Airlines (JAL), with its new Narita route alongside the existing Haneda (Tokyo) service, and All Nippon Airways
(ANA), set to launch daily Mumbai–Narita flights in 2026, are driving improved air connectivity between India
and Japan. Their expanded services will give Indian families greater convenience and flexibility when travelling.
This growth is further supported by increased networks through code-share agreements between airlines and
the rising use of connecting flights via Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, and Hong Kong," writes JNTO.
More 'India-Friendly'
On the ground, Japan's tourism infrastructure has become increasingly India-friendly. The growing availability of Indian and vegetarian food, clearer multilingual signage, efficient public transport and widespread acceptance of digital payments (like Apple Pay, Google Pay) have collectively lowered the barriers that once made Japan feel complex for first-time visitors.
Beyond The Golden Route
While Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka continue to anchor first-time itineraries, Indian travellers are increasingly venturing beyond the classic Golden Route.
Destinations such as Hokkaido, the Japanese Alps, Okinawa and the Alpine Route are drawing interest for snow holidays, autumn foliage and quieter landscapes
This diversification of travel choices suggests that Japan is no longer being treated as a one-off trip, but as a destination worth revisiting in different seasons.