Japanese tourists return to Hong Kong in throngs, with a 32.2% growth in visits in the first half of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. Between January and July, 395,375 Japanese tourists travelled to the city, which indicates a robust recovery in tourism. Although these numbers are still 46% lower than 2018, pre-pandemic figures, the increase in arrivals represents a positive development towards Hong Kong’s goal of recovering its tourism market, especially from Japan.

Japanese visitors are likely to be as a result of the Hong Kong Tourism Board’s (HKTB) focused marketing and promotion efforts to reestablish connections with overseas Japan, which was a bit reluctant during the period following the pandemic. The growth in Japanese tourists, regardless of the weaker Japanese yen and lingering international travel uncertainties, indicates a strong marketing to the Japanese.

The Enchantment of Kawaii Culture and Nostalgia and Its Hold Over Hong Kong

Among the most critically acclaimed attractions pulling in Japanese tourists to Hong Kong is the ‘kawaii’ subculture and nostalgia that the city resonates with. The affection delineating the offerings of Hong Kong, bamboo pandas for instance, evokes fondness among Japanese tourists. Ocean Park Hong Kong is of growing renown for enabling panda viewing – a critically acclaimed emblem of ‘China’ which narratively echoes with many Japanese.

a. Kawaii culture in Hong Kong is most resonantly epitomised in the character ‘Labubu’. The persistent ability of Hong Kong to forefront ‘kawaii’ characters, like the many ‘kawaii’ characters plastered regionally in and around Hong Kong shopping districts and other condensed urban arrays, perpetuates the status of Hong Kong as a safe haven for nostalgia ‘kawaii’ enthusiasts.

Hong Kong, apart from shopping and sightseeing, for the Japanese, is profoundly a centre for cultural intersection where the urbanity decorates and draws a clinquant boundary around the timelessness of temples and busy lifestyles with surrounding glowing city horizons.

Efforts Made by Hong Kong to Draw Tourism Traffic from Japan

The Japanese tourists indicate that there were necessary efforts to recover and develop new markets on the part of the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB). In an interview, Marii Hayashi, the Assistant Manager for Public Relations at the HKTB Tokyo office, explained that Japan is and difficult to penetrate, especially after the pandemic. Many Japanese still have uncertainties about going abroad and have pivoted to domestic travel.

HKTB marketing campaigns and promotional tours to encourage Japanese citizens to travel abroad, and to reminisce about exotic trips, especially about the country Labubu, have boosted tourists from the country. Besides, HKTB’s concentration on Japanese travel agents and the Japanese market has fused them with plaster-like marketing.

The Japanese tourists also relates to other international travel phenomena. In general, the world travel market is still recovering from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Japan has made an effort to keep active in the comparability of Hong Kong by tourists. The Japanese Outbound tourists have been consistent in visiting international destinations like Hong Kong, Thailand, and South Korea.

Although the weak yen and travel reluctance are challenges, Hong Kong’s ability to deliver its tailor-made travel services to Japanese tourists has significantly increased arrivals. Japanese tourists looking for a cosmopolitan city and rich heritage, along with a focus on eating and shopping, should look no further than Hong Kong.

The Impact of Japanese Tourism on Hong Kong’s Economy

The increased number of Japanese tourists significantly contributes to Hong Kong’s economy. Japanese travellers to Hong Kong during the tourist season directly impact the economy of Hong Kong. Japan is one of the leading source countries for Hong Kong tourism, and with the rapid increase in Japanese travellers, the economy is set to grow further.

The local economy is also set to benefit from the 200,000 Chinese and Indian tourists expected to arrive daily. Tourists from Japan are gaining the most benefit as Japanese-focused hotels are gaining more occupancy. To add to the demand of the Japanese tourists, there is an increase in the need for tour guides, local transportation, and other services from the Japanese tourists.

In addition, the HKTB is still stressing responsible travel habits while balancing supply and demand in the leisure and culture space because sustainable tourism remains core to Hong Kong’s strategy in managing growth versus sustainability.