If you’ve read older travel blogs warning about overwhelming crowds at spots like Kyoto’s most popular streets or Osaka’s Dotonbori, you might be pleasantly surprised in 2026: some of the heaviest large-tour-group traffic at these locations has genuinely thinned out compared to recent years.
The reason traces back to a diplomatic dispute between Japan and China that began in late 2025, following remarks by Japan’s prime minister about a Taiwan-related security scenario. China’s government subsequently advised its citizens against traveling to Japan, and Chinese airlines and travel agencies scaled back Japan-bound flights and tour packages. Chinese visitor numbers to Japan dropped sharply as a result — by roughly 60% year-over-year at the low point in early 2026.
Here’s the part that might surprise you: Japan’s overall tourism numbers didn’t fall as a result. Record numbers of visitors from South Korea, Taiwan, the US, UK, France, and other markets more than filled the gap, and February 2026 set an all-time record for that month’s total inbound visitors.
What this means practically: if your itinerary includes some of Japan’s most famously crowded spots, you may find things noticeably calmer than pre-2026 reviews and blog posts suggest — worth factoring into your planning, since this kind of situation tends to shift again as diplomatic relations evolve.
Want to know exactly which specific locations have seen the biggest crowd reductions, and what this shift means for pricing and tour availability?
Read the complete guide on [ Medium → ]
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