What Japan Searches About You

What you'll learn in this article:

• What Google Trends reveals about Japanese curiosity, concern, and something the headlines completely miss
• What 4,424 Japanese people told their government about how they feel about foreigners increasing in their communities
• Why the largest group isn't hostile, isn't welcoming — they just haven't met you yet

What does Japan really think about tourists? A government survey of 4,424 citizens and six years of Google Trends data reveal the answer. "Overtourism" searches grew 10.8x, but "dislike foreigners" stayed completely flat. The largest group (47.3%) is undecided — not hostile, just hasn't met you yet. And curiosity searches like "why do foreigners come to Japan" are growing nearly 3x faster than complaints.

You've probably seen the headlines. "Overtourism in Japan." "Tourists banned from Geisha district." "Mount Fuji gate installed." Reading those stories, you might wonder: Does Japan even want me there?

We wondered too. So instead of guessing, we looked at the data — not tourist surveys, but what Japanese people themselves are searching, saying, and telling their own government about how they feel about foreign visitors. We analyzed six years of Google Trends data from Japan (2019–2025) and a nationwide government survey of 4,424 Japanese citizens to find out what's really going on behind those headlines.

The answer surprised us. Yes, concern is growing. But so is something else — something the overtourism headlines never mention.

Quick Guide

The one thing to remember: "Dislike foreigners" searches have stayed completely flat since 2019. Japan's concern is about infrastructure, not about you. And their curiosity about you is growing faster than their worry.

About the Data

Part 1: What Japan Types Into the Search Bar

The Wave You've Heard About

Let's start with what you already suspect. Yes — Japanese people are increasingly searching about problems related to tourism.

"Overtourism" went from a niche term to a mainstream concern — a 10.8× increase. Searches about tourist manners nearly doubled. This is real. Japan is worried.

But here's where it gets interesting.

The Signal Nobody Expected

While concern was growing, something else was quietly surging in Japan's search bar:

"Why do foreigners come to Japan" literally did not exist as a search query before 2023. Then it appeared — and shot up. Japanese people aren't just worried about overcrowding. They're genuinely asking: Why do you love our country?

And the search for "foreigner culture" grew steadily from 22.9 to 36.4 — a quiet but consistent rise in cultural curiosity.

The Number That Didn't Move

Now look at this:

This is the number the headlines miss entirely.

Overtourism concern exploded 10.8×. But "dislike foreigners" didn't move. It actually decreased slightly, from 3.1 to 2.9. In a period when visitor numbers hit an all-time record of 42.68 million, when Kyoto residents couldn't board their own city buses, when Mount Fuji needed a physical gate — the xenophobic search volume stayed flat.

Japan's frustration is real. But it's aimed at the system — infrastructure, policy, urban design — not at you.

What 4,424 Japanese People Told Their Government

Google searches reveal behavior. But a government survey reveals declared attitudes. In late 2023, Japan's Immigration Services Agency asked 4,424 randomly selected Japanese citizens — by mail, not online — how they feel about foreigners increasing in their communities.

The biggest group — nearly half — chose "can't say either way." Not hostile. Not enthusiastic. Just... undecided. And when asked why they have no foreign friends, the answer was overwhelming:

付き合う場やきっかけがないから "Because there's no opportunity or occasion to interact."

73.5% gave this answer. Not "I don't want to." Not "I'm uncomfortable." Just: I haven't had the chance.

The generation effect is dramatic:

Among 18–19 year olds, a majority welcomes more foreigners. Among those 80+, the largest group (57.4%) simply says "I'm not sure." The generation shift is clear — but even among older Japanese, the dominant note isn't hostility. It's uncertainty.

Part 2: What the Numbers Don't Tell You

The statistics paint a picture. But numbers don't capture the sigh of a Kyoto resident watching another tour bus block the road, or the flutter in someone's chest when a foreigner asks for directions and they freeze because their English disappears. For that, you need to hear the voices.

"The Problem Isn't You — It's the System"

無料で開放し、入域を制限せず、料金も徴収せず、住民と観光客を同じ空間に押し込める。こうした無策の積み重ねが、京都のバス、富士山の渋滞、沖縄の交通麻痺を生み出した。 Free access, no entry limits, no fees, cramming residents and tourists into the same space — this accumulation of inaction created the bus crisis in Kyoto, the gridlock on Mount Fuji, and the traffic paralysis in Okinawa. — Inbound tourism researcher, Gendai Business

京都市民は自分たちが乗れないバスに市民税を払わされてます。 Kyoto residents are paying city taxes for buses they can't even board.

通勤時間に観光客は乗りません。平日は学生は勉強、大人は働いています。邪魔ではないから、道を教えたり、しています。 Tourists don't ride during commute hours. On weekdays, students study and adults work. They're not in the way — so I give them directions and help out. — Kyoto resident

オーバーツーリズムは「人が多すぎる現象」ではなく、同じ空間をどう分け合うか、その設計が追いついていないときに起こる現象です。問題は、数ではなく、重なり方です。 Overtourism isn't "too many people" — it happens when the design for sharing the same space hasn't caught up. The problem isn't the numbers. It's the overlap.

Data × voices: Google Trends shows "overtourism" surging 10.8× — but when you read what Japanese people actually write about it, the word "tourist" barely appears as the villain. The targets are city government, bus policy, hotel regulation, and urban design. A Kyoto resident is angry — but at the mayor's office, not at you. Even the frustrated voices tend to draw a clear line: the system is failing, and tourists are caught in it too.

"We're More Curious About You Than You Think"

当たり前だと思っていたことが、実は奇跡だったんだ。 What we took for granted turned out to be a miracle.

海外の人が観光する所が意外なところで驚くし。 I'm surprised by the unexpected places foreigners choose to sightsee.

なぜか日本人だけが「私たち、日本人についてどう思いますか？」って聞いてくる！ For some reason, only Japanese people ask "What do you think of us Japanese?"

ヤラセくさいよね。自分の国の価値は自分で決めるし。 It feels staged. We should decide our own country's value ourselves.

That last voice is important. Japanese curiosity about foreign visitors isn't one-dimensional cheerfulness. It comes with a layer of self-awareness — some people feel uncomfortable with the "foreigners love Japan" narrative, questioning whether it's genuine or whether Japan's self-esteem depends too much on outside validation. The skeptics make up 12% of voices, but they add an honesty that makes the other 88% more credible.

Data × voices: The Google Trends data shows "why do foreigners come to Japan" appearing from nothing and surging. The voices reveal why Japanese people are searching: not because they're confused or suspicious, but because your presence is making them see their own country differently. Your interest in a random vending machine, a quiet side street, or the way a convenience store clerk wraps a bento — these moments are triggering a quiet rediscovery. A 2024 IIBC survey found that 77.6% of Japanese people want to offer hospitality to foreign visitors. The desire is there. It's the confidence that's missing.

"Follow the Rules — But We Know We Should Try Too"

The government survey asked Japanese people what they want foreigners to do. Two answers dominated:

1. "Follow Japanese customs and life rules" — 77.5%
2. "Learn Japanese language and culture" — 60.7%

That sounds strict. But the same survey asked what Japanese people themselves should do. And here's where it gets interesting:

1. "Not hold discriminatory attitudes toward foreigners" — 66.2%
2. "Greet nearby foreigners in daily life" — 43.5%
3. "Learn foreign languages, cultures, and customs" — 40.7%

The duality is striking. Yes, they want you to try. But they also recognize the responsibility runs both ways.

外国人観光客が増えて生活しづらいし出かけても気分が悪い事が増え出かけなくなりました。私の心が狭いのでしょうか。 Foreign tourists have increased so much that daily life has become difficult. Going out often makes me feel bad, so I've stopped going out. Am I too narrow-minded?

That last line — Am I too narrow-minded? — appeared in a question that received 280 sympathetic responses. The frustration is real. But so is the self-doubt. Japanese people aren't just asking you to adapt. They're asking themselves whether their own reaction is fair.

これまでの経験では、外国人にやんわりと言うような注意では絶対に理解してもらえませんよ？日本の様に「空気を読む」文化が逆に助長していることも見直すべきです。 In my experience, subtle hints absolutely don't work with foreigners. We should also reconsider how Japan's "read the air" culture actually makes the problem worse.

Data × voices: "Foreigner manners" searches grew 1.6× — the slowest growth among all concern-related terms. Overtourism infrastructure searches grew 10.8×, manner searches only 1.6×. This matches the voices: the deepest frustrations aren't about individual tourist behavior. They're about a system that doesn't communicate expectations clearly, wrapped in a culture that expects you to figure it out without being told.

"I Don't Hate You. I Just Haven't Met You Yet"

68.3% of Japanese people acknowledge that prejudice toward foreigners exists in Japan. That's a remarkably honest admission. But "dislike foreigners" searches remain flat. How do these coexist?

The voices explain:

「外国人」と見ている段階で偏見はなくならない。その個人に注目して、その個人のいいところを探す。つまり、日本人の知人に対してと同じように見なければ。 You can't overcome prejudice as long as you see "foreigners." You need to focus on the individual and find their good qualities — see them the same way you'd see a Japanese acquaintance.

島国根性で、彫りの深い顔、低い声、長い手足に漠然とした不安を感じていた。 With my island-nation mentality, I felt a vague unease around deep-set features, low voices, and long limbs.

たまに駅などで地図などを片手に困っている外国人さんを見かけます。助けられるなら助けたいのですが、言語の壁が不安で…一度こういう方を助けようとして何もできなかった事があり、それからとても落ち込みました。 I sometimes see foreigners at stations looking troubled with maps in hand. I want to help if I can, but the language barrier makes me anxious... I once tried to help someone like this and couldn't do anything, and I felt terrible about it afterward.

外国人と友達になりたいのですがどうすればいいですか？自分は中学3年です。同じ年齢の外国人と知り合いたいけど、人見知りなので… How can I become friends with foreigners? I'm in 9th grade. I want to meet foreigners my age, but I'm shy...

Data × voices: Here's where the data and voices tell the same story from two directions. The survey says 73.5% have no foreign friends because they "lack opportunity." The search data shows "dislike foreigners" is flat. And the voices fill in the emotional gap: it's not dislike. It's a mix of desire and anxiety — wanting to help but being paralyzed by English, wanting to connect but not knowing where to start, wanting to be kind but freezing in the moment.

Even among the 23.5% who told the government they're "uncomfortable" with more foreigners, the survey found that 68.1% still want to greet foreign neighbors and 68.3% want to use easy-to-understand language when talking to them. The discomfort is about change itself — not about you as a person.

The Contact Effect

The ISA survey reveals something that ties all of this together:

People who have actually met foreigners are more than twice as likely to welcome them. The single strongest predictor of whether a Japanese person feels positive about foreign visitors isn't their age, education, or where they live — it's whether they've met one.

This is the most hopeful finding in the data. The 47.3% "undecided" middle isn't a permanent state. It's a starting position — and it moves toward "welcome" the moment real contact happens.

When you smile at the convenience store clerk, ask "sumimasen" before a question, or try to separate your recyclables — you're not just being polite. You're part of a data point. You're shifting someone from "I'm not sure" to "maybe this is okay."

What This Means for Your Trip

None of this data says "Japan doesn't want you." It says something more nuanced — and more human:

Japan is having a conversation with itself about how to handle the biggest influx of visitors in its history. The system is struggling. But the people? Most of them are somewhere between curious and undecided — and the ones who've actually met a foreign visitor tend to remember it warmly.

You don't need to solve overtourism. You don't need to be perfect. You just need to be someone worth meeting.

The data suggests you already are.

More Japanese Perspectives

• Is Japan Overtouristed? — The policy side: dual pricing, tourist caps, and whether the measures are working
• 42 Million Visitors — Are Japanese People Happy About It? — Regional differences in how Japan receives its record visitor numbers
• Where You're Most Welcome — The places where local sentiment is warmest
• You're Worrying Too Much — Why Japanese anxiety about English mirrors your anxiety about Japanese

Share Your Experience

Have you felt Japan's curiosity? Have you noticed someone wanting to help but hesitating? We'd love to hear your story.

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