Is the number of Indian tourists visiting Japan increasing?

The number of tourists visiting Japan from India has increased significantly in recent years, and has remained above pre-pandemic levels. This is driven by the expansion of the middle class through economic growth, and their presence in the inbound market is growing.

What are the main factors behind the surge in Indian visitors to Japan?

The main factors are the expansion of the middle class through economic growth, increased direct flights between India and Japan, and the shift to year-round tourism not concentrated on cherry blossom season. Young affluent people in Bengaluru and Hyderabad are showing growing interest in Japan.

How large is the travel spending of Indian tourists?

The travel spending of Indian tourists is expanding along with the growing number of visitors. In terms of not only visitor numbers but also spending scale, their presence in the inbound market is growing.

What food accommodations should restaurants welcoming Indian tourists keep in mind?

Since many Indian tourists are vegetarian or have dietary restrictions, developing a vegetarian menu is an important issue. At the same time, interest in ramen, matcha sweets, and vegetarian sushi is also high, and the food experience is a motivation for travel.

How does the increase in Indian visitors to Japan connect to Japanese companies' development of the India market?

A reverse import effect can be expected, where people who have visited Japan drive consumption of Japanese food and products within India. Analyzing consumption data from their time in Japan and using it to inform product rollout in the India market is an effective approach.

What should Japanese companies tackle first to capture Indian inbound demand?

The starting point is developing a welcoming system, including vegetarian and halal accommodations, and strengthening pre-visit information dissemination centered on Instagram. It would be good to consider a medium- to long-term design that links visits to Japan with entry into the India market, tailored to your own products.

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The Surge in Indian Tourists Visiting Japan and What's Behind It

2026.03.24

Article summary

In 2025, Indian tourist arrivals in Japan topped 300,000 for the first time in a year, reaching 315,100, up 35.2% year on year and about 80% above 2019 levels. In May alone, arrivals exceeded 43,000, a new record high. Travel spending reached about JPY 78.4 billion (up 39.6% from JPY 56.2 billion the previous year). India's middle class is estimated at about 600 million people, and the expansion of air routes and the shift to year-round tourism are driving this growth.

This article is based on what we could verify As of August 1, 2026 in public records and news reports from India. India revises its tax rules and regulations frequently, and the details here may have changed since. When making an actual business decision, please check the latest information with primary sources such as the ministries responsible and local experts.

Behind the Surge in Indian Tourists Visiting Japan [Latest 2025 Data]

In 2025, the number of tourists visiting Japan from India topped 300,000 for the first time in a year, reaching 315,100. This represents a remarkable increase of 35.2% year on year, and about an 80% increase compared to pre-pandemic 2019 (175,896).

In May 2025 alone, arrivals exceeded 43,000, a new record high. The cumulative total from January to May also reached about 142,400, up about 40% year on year. Indian tourists' travel spending reached about JPY 78.4 billion in 2025 (up 39.6% from JPY 56.2 billion the previous year), and their importance in Japan's inbound market is rapidly increasing.

3 Factors Behind the Surge

1. Economic Growth and the Expanding Middle Class

インドのGDPは名目で世界第4位にまで上がり、中間層が急拡大しています。2025年時点でインドの中間層人口は約6億人と推定され、海外旅行に十分な可処分所得を持つ層が爆発的に増えています。特にIT産業を中心としたバンガロール、ハイデラバードなどの都市では、若年富裕層が日本への関心を高めています。

2. Expansion of Air Routes

Direct flights between India and Japan have been significantly increased. The resurgence of Air India, the expansion of international routes by LCCs such as IndiGo, and increased flights by JAL and ANA have substantially increased air seat supply between the two countries. In addition to Narita/Haneda routes from Delhi and Mumbai, the launch of direct flights from Bengaluru is also boosting travel demand.

3. Shift from Cherry Blossom Season to Year-Round Tourism

Indian visits to Japan were once concentrated around cherry blossom season, but as of 2025, recognition of Japan as a year-round destination has spread. Interest in Hokkaido's ski resorts, Kyoto's autumn foliage season, and even regional cities is also growing, and travel purposes are diversifying.

Characteristics and Spending Trends of Indian Tourists

Diversification of Destinations

The Golden Route of Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto remains popular, but in recent years more Indian travelers have also been venturing to regional cities such as Hokkaido and Takayama (the Hida region). They are characterized by active information gathering on social media (especially Instagram) and strong interest in photogenic destinations.

Food Preferences and Vegetarian Accommodations

Many Indian tourists are vegetarian or have dietary restrictions, making the development of vegetarian menus an important issue for Japanese restaurants. At the same time, interest in Japanese ramen, matcha sweets, and sushi (including vegetarian sushi) is also high, and food experiences are a major motivation for travel.

Business opportunities for Japanese companies

The surge in Indian tourists is creating the following business opportunities.

Inbound-Focused Businesses: vegetarian-friendly restaurants, Hindi-speaking guide services, and meal accommodations for Muslim and Hindu travelers
Cross-Border E-Commerce and Souvenir Business: a growing number of repeat customers purchase Japanese products online even after returning home. Matcha, Japanese sweets, and cosmetics are popular
Improving Awareness of Japanese Brands in the India Market: a "reverse import effect," where people who have visited Japan drive consumption of Japanese food and products within India, can be expected

Future Outlook and Actions Japanese Companies Should Take

The Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) also positions the India market as a priority, and the number of Indian visitors to Japan is expected to continue on an upward trend. Japanese companies should consider the following actions.

Strengthening Vegetarian Accommodations: the food service and food industries should build vegetarian and halal accommodations to develop a system for welcoming Indian travelers
Leveraging Digital Marketing: strengthen information dissemination on Instagram and social media within India to raise awareness before travelers visit Japan
Linking the Japan Travel Experience with Entry into the India Market: analyze the consumption data of Indian visitors to Japan and use it to inform product rollout in the India market

Conclusion

The surge in Indian tourists visiting Japan, which topped 310,000 in 2025, is not just an inbound tourism figure. It represents a massive market generating JPY 78.4 billion in annual travel spending, and a strategic opportunity that can lead to business development in the India market starting from the Japan travel experience. With the expansion of air routes and the establishment of year-round tourism, sustained growth is expected going forward.

Sources

Indian tourist arrivals to Japan cross 300,000 for the first time – Travel Trade Journal
Indian Travel to Japan Hits Record Highs in 2025 – Skift
Japan welcomes a record 315,100 Indian visitors in 2025 – GetTransfer
Japan Sets New Benchmark For Indian Inbound Tourism – Travel And Tour World

Frequently asked questions

Is the number of Indian tourists visiting Japan increasing?: The number of tourists visiting Japan from India has increased significantly in recent years, and has remained above pre-pandemic levels. This is driven by the expansion of the middle class through economic growth, and their presence in the inbound market is growing.
What are the main factors behind the surge in Indian visitors to Japan?: The main factors are the expansion of the middle class through economic growth, increased direct flights between India and Japan, and the shift to year-round tourism not concentrated on cherry blossom season. Young affluent people in Bengaluru and Hyderabad are showing growing interest in Japan.
How large is the travel spending of Indian tourists?: The travel spending of Indian tourists is expanding along with the growing number of visitors. In terms of not only visitor numbers but also spending scale, their presence in the inbound market is growing.
What food accommodations should restaurants welcoming Indian tourists keep in mind?: Since many Indian tourists are vegetarian or have dietary restrictions, developing a vegetarian menu is an important issue. At the same time, interest in ramen, matcha sweets, and vegetarian sushi is also high, and the food experience is a motivation for travel.
How does the increase in Indian visitors to Japan connect to Japanese companies' development of the India market?: A reverse import effect can be expected, where people who have visited Japan drive consumption of Japanese food and products within India. Analyzing consumption data from their time in Japan and using it to inform product rollout in the India market is an effective approach.
What should Japanese companies tackle first to capture Indian inbound demand?: The starting point is developing a welcoming system, including vegetarian and halal accommodations, and strengthening pre-visit information dissemination centered on Instagram. It would be good to consider a medium- to long-term design that links visits to Japan with entry into the India market, tailored to your own products.