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“Japan is everywhere when you open TikTok”: British visitors to Japan rise 25% in a year
🇰🇷 South Korea /Culture & Society

“Japan is everywhere when you open TikTok”: British visitors to Japan rise 25% in a year

From Dong-A Ilbo · () Korean

Translated from Korean and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Context piece
  • Japan received 483,157 visitors from the United Kingdom in 2025, a 24.8% increase from the previous year and 40.8% above 2019 levels.
  • British travelers cited TikTok and Instagram exposure, as well as lower costs linked to the weak yen, as reasons for visiting.
  • The surge has contributed to overtourism concerns, including congestion, littering and new local enforcement measures.

Japan's appeal is following British young people through their phones. TikTok and Instagram feeds filled with matcha, ramen, skincare products and famous destinations are helping turn online curiosity into travel plans.

The Japan National Tourism Organization recorded 483,157 British visitors in 2025, up 24.8% from the previous year and 40.8% from 2019. The increase continued in 2026, according to the report.

When I scroll through TikTok or Instagram, videos constantly appear showing people trying various skincare products at the convenience store 7-Eleven, eating snacks and viral sandwiches and drinks, or visiting restaurants that have become famous on social media.

— Alex BakerThe British traveler described how social media promotes Japanese travel experiences.

British travelers interviewed by the BBC described social media as a major influence. Alex Baker, who has visited Japan three times, said videos repeatedly show convenience-store snacks, skincare products, popular sandwiches and drinks, and restaurants that have become famous online. Twenty-four-year-old Maitri Sanvi said Japan kept appearing as she scrolled through TikTok, renewing her desire to visit. She traveled there with her boyfriend for three weeks earlier this year.

The journey remains long and expensive. Even an off-season low-cost flight via China starts at about £450, while direct flights take roughly 14 hours. The weak yen, however, has made spending in Japan feel relatively affordable to British visitors.

Every time I scrolled through TikTok, Japan kept appearing.

— Maitri SanviSanvi explained how repeated exposure encouraged her to visit Japan.

Food reviewer TikToker Faye Jawad said a mediocre bowl of ramen in Britain can cost about £20, compared with £3 to £4 in Japan for what she called life-changing ramen. The lower prices also fuel shopping hauls featuring KitKats, stationery, clothing, matcha and skincare products. Sam Corbett, who visited in May, said he bought so much that he needed another suitcase.

The influx has also intensified overtourism disputes. Fujiyoshida, near Mount Fuji, canceled its cherry blossom festival after complaints linked to congestion, litter and trespassing on private land. Tokyo's Shibuya ward began issuing on-the-spot fines for littering in June, while Japan raised its international tourist tax from 1,000 yen to 3,000 yen in July to support tourism facilities and overtourism measures.

In Britain, even a mediocre bowl of ramen costs about £20, but in Japan you can eat life-changing ramen for £3 or £4.

— Faye JawadThe food reviewer compared travel costs in Britain and Japan.
About this summary

Originally published by Dong-A Ilbo in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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