Agoda reveals Kyushu, Hokkaido and Kinki are the most popular Japanese destinations to revisit

With many of us dreaming of that next chance to pack a suitcase and the opportunity to lose ourselves in a travel adventure, Agoda’s GoLocal travel survey reveals Hokkaido, with its cooler temperatures, relief from the summer heat and plentiful great value accommodation to choose from,  comes out on top as the local region most travelers would like to visit on their next trip (46%), followed by Kyushu (43%) and Kinki (24%).

Exploring Japan’s top three domestic getaways with Agoda

Famous for its national parks, ski resorts and cooler temperatures, Hokkaido is the most sought-after destination and provides a perfect backdrop to a late late summer and Silver Week stay. No trip to Hokkaido is complete without sampling the prefecture’s abundant and high-quality fresh seafood. The best way for travelers to satisfy their taste buds is to visit Sapporo’s Nijo Market where they’ll find the day’s best catch.

In second place is Japan’s southernmost prefecture of Kyushu, including modern cities like Fukuoka, as well as the Okinawa islands grabs second spot. With brilliant blue waters, some of the most famous diving spots in the world and top-notch cuisine, it’s no surprise that Okinawa remains a firm domestic favourite. Don’t miss the chance to sample Okinawa’s famous Awamori, distilled liquor made from rice. Whether travelers are looking for history, natural beauty or magnificent beaches, Agoda has with a wide range of properties that cater for families, solo travelers, groups of friends on a Joshi Tabi trip and everything in between.

Next up is western Japan’s Kinki (Kansai) region, including the cities of Himeji, Kobe, Kyoto, Osaka and Nara. As the cultural and historical heart of Japan it’s no surprise that many Japanese are looking to visit here next. While international tourists can’t travel to hot spots like Kyoto, it’s the perfect time for Japanese travelers to rediscover these destinations’ key appeal and do so with fewer crowds.

Most Visited and Revisited Regions

Kanto is the topmost region visited by Japanese travelers, with 83% of Japanese travelers claiming to have visited previously.  Kinki (72%) and Kyushu (62%) make the top three, followed by Chubu (57%), Hokkaido (56%), Tohoku (49%), Chugoku (48%) and Shikoku (43%).  Interestingly, Kyushu (34%), Hokkaido (31%) and Kinki (21%) are the three destinations that Japanese would want to return to again and again.

Relaxing Country-sides excursions trump city breaks

Nationally, Japanese domestic travelers (57%) want to visit the countryside most – while holidays to the cities (47%), and beach (40%) make the top three.

Japanese domestic travelers from Hokkaido, Tohoku and Shikoku are most likely to want to visit cities and metropolitan areas (65%), with 37% of Japanese from Hokkaido wanting to travel to Kanto on their next domestic trip.

The up-and-coming travel trend Joshi Tabi: female group travel

Traveling with friends is the joint second most popular travel companion choice (18%) aligned with partner (18%) after family at 58% for Japanese travelers surveyed in general, with women more keen on traveling with friends than men (22% and 13% respectively).

Female domestic travelers are most likely to want to visit the countryside (55%), followed by 49% looking to explore cities and 39% hoping to visit the beaches. Hokkaido again came out on top (48%) as the preferred destination for female Japanese, followed by Kyushu (46%) and Kinki (27%). Kyushu nudges Hokkaido off the top stop for repeat visits for female Japanese, with Kinki in third spot.

Recognizing demand from young Japanese women planning their perfect Joshi Tabi trip via the Agoda platform, Agoda has teamed up with popular YouTuber [Ami Ishii, URL] to share her experience planning, booking and enjoying a local trip with a friend to inspire followers for their next holiday in Japan.

“People are keen to travel again and to support their local tourism by either rediscovering old haunts or visiting new places within Japan.  The beauty of Japan is the diversity of all that is on offer, both nationwide and within each region.  Agoda’s Go Local survey found that Hokkaido is the top spot to visit again and again, and I am not surprised, because the area offers such a diverse range of activities to do whatever time of the year.  Whether it’s skiing in the winter, enjoying the autumnal leaves in October, the geo thermal springs in early Spring,  or the festivals in Sapparo year-round, even returning to the same place can uncover a host of new activities to do during different seasons, and with Agoda’s GoLocal great deals, there are plenty of places to stay, ” said Hiroto Ooka, Agoda Associate Vice President, North Asia, Partner Services.

“As we emerge from COVID restrictions, we have seen traveling with family and friends cited as the most popular choices of travel companions. This reflects the trend away towards Joshi Tabi, travel trips for female groups trips,” continued Ooka. “We’re excited to be supporting this growing, important market in Japan by working with local influencers to inspire others to discover how easy it is to research and book the perfect accommodation on the Agoda platform and enjoy the many fantastic destinations on our doorstep – along with some amazing discounts.”

Agoda has joined the Japanese government’s GOTO Travel initiative and launched its GoLocal domestic travel campaign in Japan, to incentivize and support local destinations through responsible domestic travel. Through the GoLocal campaign, travelers can now enjoy savings of up to 25% on thousands of hotels and accommodation options at their fingertips! The GoLocal campaign since its launch in June supports hotel partners through its multi-channel marketing campaign to reach travelers.

Additional GoLocal Survey Insights:

• 65% of Japanese travelers in Hokkaido, 57% in Tohoku, 54% in Chugoku44% in Kyushu would like to visit Cities and Metropolitan areas on their next domestic trip
• 57% of travelers in Japan want to visit a rural/countryside area, 47% would prefer cities, 40% would prefer a beach and 28% are excited to visit mountains on their next domestic trip
• 46% of Japanese would like to visit Hokkaido region on their next domestic trip, followed by Kyushu at 43% and then Kinki at 24%
• Looking at repeat visits, 34% of Japanese travelers would like to visit the Kyushu region again
• Hokkaido scored even higher as the preferred domestic destination for Japanese travelers from nearby Tohoku (48%), suggesting that Japanese are looking to GoLocal when it comes to domestic travel during this time. Followed closely by the 46% of travelers Japanese from Kanto who chose Hokkaido as their top choice
• Meanwhile those in Hokkaido are most likely to want to take a local city break (32%), compared with those in Tohoku (30%), Chugoku (18%) and Kyushu (45%)
• Looking at results by region, 37% of travelers from Hokkaido want to travel to Kanto on their next trip, with 32% saying they want to revisit the area
• Traveling with Family (58%) scoops the top spot for their next domestic trip, followed by travel with partner (18%), and their friends (18%).
• 37% of Japanese from Hokkaido want to travel to Kanto on their next domestic trip
• 48% of Japanese travelers from Tohoku want to travel to Hokkaido on their next domestic trip 46% of Japanese from Kanto want to travel to Hokkaido on their next domestic trip
• 32% of Japanese from Hokkaido want to revisit Kanto again

Notes to editors: Survey methodology

• Download infographic at this link 
• YouGov surveyed 1000 respondents in Japan
• Fieldwork was conducted from 16 July – 21 July 2020
• All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Singapore Pte Ltd. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of Japanese adults (aged 18+) online