Visitors satisfied with Kyoto sightseeing experience despite the crowds
The number of foreign visitors to Kyoto hit a record high of 10.88 million in 2024 with the city welcoming a total of 56.06 million visitors, the second highest on record after 2015, according to data published in a tourism survey by the Kyoto city government in June.
Despite the continuing surge in tourists and the problems related to overtourism that have come with them, satisfaction with the Kyoto sightseeing experience among foreign and Japanese visitors remained largely high, according to the survey.
Tourist-related records tumbled in the ancient Japanese capital last year, including a record 16.3 million visitors who stayed at least one night in the city. At 8.21 million, more than half of these were foreign visitors.
But Kyoto's attractions continued to deliver visitor satisfaction. According to the survey, which targeted Japanese and foreign tourists, 97.2 percent of foreign respondents and 94.6 percent of Japanese respondents were at least fairly satisfied with their visit, largely unchanged from the previous year.
Temples, shrines, and places of historic interest were at the top of the Kyoto sightseeing agenda for foreign visitors. Kiyomizu temple, Nijo-jo castle, Fushimi Inari Taisha shrine, the Gion area, and Kinkaku-ji (the Golden Pavilion temple) were the most visited sightseeing locations.
Japanese visitors, however, were more put off by Kyoto's crowds than foreign visitors, with 48.4 percent of Japanese survey respondents left feeling disappointed at some point during their time in the city, compared to just 19.4 percent of foreign respondents. Crowds, manners, and issues related to public transportation were the most cited causes.
A hike in lodging tax to include a maximum rate of 10,000 yen ($68.18) for stays costing 100,000 yen or more per person per night is due to take effect in March 2026. Revenue from the tax, the city said, will be put towards strengthening measures to tackle overtourism.
The Kyoto tourism survey was carried out over four periods in 2024, gathering 5,572 responses, including 1,764 foreign visitors. People living outside of Kyoto who visited the city for purposes other than school or work were included in the survey.
This article was submitted by a contributing writer for publication on Kyodo News Plus.
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