Japanese cherry blossom season

This year, the economic impact of hanami is estimated at 1.14 trillion yen ($7.7 billion), nearly double last year's 616 billion yen, according to Katsuhiro Miyamoto, emeritus professor at Kansai University in Osaka. "Hanami, the tradition of enjoying cherry blossoms, has long been a national event in Japan, and the beautiful cherry blossoms have now become a tourism asset, attracting foreign visitors," Miyamoto said.

The economic impact has been boosted in part by the lifting of restrictions such as bans on gatherings and parties since the government downgraded the COVID-19 infection level to that of seasonal flu in May 2023. In a report released last week, Professor Miyamoto said he expected the number of foreign tourists to Japan this year to increase by 32% compared to last year. Professor Miyamoto also pointed to other factors contributing to the economic benefits of hanami, including rising prices for products, including souvenirs, and a weaker yen.

The average daily spending per capita of foreign visitors is estimated at 30,286 yen, up from 28,580 yen last year, due to the weaker Japanese currency. Based on travel agency JTB's estimates for 2024, about 3.73 million foreign tourists are expected to visit Japan during the hanami season – from late March in the southern Kyushu region to early May in Hokkaido.

As the hanami season approaches, travel agencies are seeing a surge in bookings from travelers eager to visit Japan. All Japan Tours, a California-based company that primarily serves customers from Europe and the United States, reported a 300% increase in profits compared to pre-pandemic levels. “With the Japanese government’s complete lifting of travel restrictions, our booking process has been significantly streamlined. As a result, our group tours are in greater demand, while our private tours are fully booked,” said Kiyoshi Katsume, a representative of All Japan Tours.

Not all travel agencies are doing well, however. Hankyu Travel, which operates tours for domestic tourists, said it has seen a 70% drop in bookings compared to last year, as travelers choose to travel abroad in the post-pandemic era.

In recent years, some tourists have chosen to book guided tours on platforms like Airbnb and Klook instead of booking through travel agencies because of the wider selection and lower prices.