Is Japan Overrated? Overcrowded? Over the Peak?

Japan has a magnetic pull.

It's clean, safe, incredibly efficient and undeniably beautiful. 

But if you've been scrolling through social media and seeing the same photos of torii gates, sushi, and cherry blossoms, you might start wondering: 

Could Japan be starting to turn a bit... overrated?

It’s a fair question — especially as the post-pandemic tourism boom continues to swell. More people than ever are making their way to Japan, and while that's got a lot of upside, it’s leading to a travel experience that, for many, looks strikingly similar.

Tokyo & Kyoto Crowds: The Challenge of Japan's Tourism Circuit

There’s no denying it: Tokyo’s highlight sights are crowded, and parts of Kyoto now reflect the realities of overtourism. 

But let’s take a closer look at what those crowds really are, because it’s not just “Japan being Japan.”

Most tourists land in Tokyo, hop on a train to Kyoto, maybe add Osaka, Hiroshima, Kanazawa or Takayama. The route has expanded slightly in recent years, but it’s still a well-trodden circuit. And more importantly, most people are doing the same activities, visiting the same sites and eating at many similar tourist-optimized restaurants.

That means:

• Tokyo crowds at major sights aren’t “just locals going about their day” — they’re largely tourists like you*

• Kyoto crowds aren’t made up of monks and geisha — they’re tour groups from around the globe, especially other parts of Asia

• “Hidden gems” like Kanazawa or Takayama? They’ve been discovered, and they’re on the same circuit now!

(* see below about how many tourists might not look like you, but they are in fact tourists & not Japanese)

So if it feels like Japan is packed to the gills with people, that’s because the tourist infrastructure — trains, hotels, attractions — is largely funnelling everyone into the same places at the same time.

Who Are All These Tourists in Japan, Anyway?

Western travelers sometimes think they’re getting a local, “authentic” experience because they don’t see many other white faces in the crowd. 

But that’s misleading. The majority of Japan’s international tourists right now come from other parts of Asia — China, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam — and they’re flocking to the same hotspots.

So when you walk through Omicho Market in Kanazawa, or down Nakamise Street in Asakusa, or through the gates of Fushimi Inari — you’re very likely surrounded by other non-Japanese travelers. It might look and feel busy (it is) and local (it is not). Let’s make the distinction that it’s not “just Japanese people” living their lives. It’s a crowd of global tourists converging on the same circuit of sights & experiences in Japan.

The Japan Tourist Experience vs. Real Japan

But let’s be clear: Most travelers are having a blast in Japan. 

The trains are (almost always) on time, the streets are clean, the food is great, the people are polite — what’s not to love?

But what most people don’t realize is that they’re getting a curated, surface-level experience. They’re spending time in a version of Japan that’s been fine-tuned for foreign visitors, often without knowing it.

Let’s take a look at some typical stops:

Popular Tourist Spots That Are Overrated — Probably or Possibly

• Tsukiji Outer Market (Tokyo): Once home to the world-famous fish auction, now just a gauntlet of overpriced street food (often on a stick, the telltale sign of shlock) catering to tourists

• Nishiki Market (Kyoto): A once-functional shopping street turned into a theme park of matcha lattes and skewered mochi, packed all day with crowds that hardly utter a word of Japanese

• Kuromon Market (Osaka): Packed shoulder-to-shoulder with tourists, offering Instagrammable seafood and the allure / facade of “local Osaka” (it used to be, but that’s gone now)

• Omicho Market (Kanazawa): Once loved by many Japanese people — but on its way to becoming just as flooded with visitors as the aforementioned “markets”

• Dotonbori (Osaka): More like Times Square than the foodie haven it’s billed as (can thrown in nearby Shinsekai on this as it’s nearing or past the tourist tipping point)

• Nakamise-dori (Asakusa): A parade of souvenir shops with a view of Sensoji Temple at the end

These places can be fun — but they’re also crowded, often overpriced and not particularly reflective of the Japan that locals actually live in.

The Euphoria of Visiting Japan the 1st Time

Interestingly, you’ll almost never hear a first-time visitor say they were disappointed with Japan. 

The euphoria is real. Travelers are riding high on the thrill of novelty, the pleasure of seeing in real life what they’d previously seen on social media, the giddiness of trying Japanese food in Japan.

Even when people note the crowds, they often just assume: “Japan is crowded.” But that’s not the whole story. Much of Japan isn’t crowded at all — it’s just that tourists aren’t going there.

What they’re really experiencing is tourist Japan — a polished loop that’s been fine-tuned for mass consumption.

Is it the Same Kind of Euphoria as Travel in General?

Visiting Japan for the first time brings that “high” for a lot of people. 

But why, exactly?

• Japan’s order & efficiency, safety and cleanliness are a breath of fresh air

• Visitors are often on short trips to Japan, and short trips tend to hide flaws and mask reality

• Language barriers limit deeper interaction, so experiences remain on the surface

• Many first-time visitors don’t realize they’re doing the same trip as millions of others

Is there anything inherently bad about this?

Not. Not bad… not exactly.

But if your goal is to visit Japan and have meaningful experiences by engaging with the Japanese culture and seeing “real” and “authentic” places, maybe you want to dig a bit deeper?

Most of Japan Is Real – & Even Better – If You Look Past the Obvious

Despite all this, Japan is not overrated. 

It’s just that the parts most people see are starting to get overrun.

Here’s what we want you to know:

• Japan is huge. From the wild mountains of Shikoku to the windswept coastlines of Tohoku, there’s so much more than Tokyo-Kyoto-Osaka.

• Most small towns, mountain villages, and even mid-size cities are peaceful, authentic and welcoming.

• The farther you go from the main tourism circuit, the more likely you are to have meaningful, unscripted experiences.

There’s a whole lot of Japan that’s behind the curtain, backstage at what’s become quite the theme park of tourism these days,

So What’s the Solution? How Can You See the Real Japan?

We’re not saying skip the big sights entirely. 

If you’ve always dreamed of seeing Kyoto’s temples or Tokyo’s skyline, go for it. But:

• Try visiting major spots early in the morning or off-season

• Balance your trip with time in lesser-known regions like Tohoku, Shikoku, Kyushu or rural Chubu

• See cities that don’t get as many tourists, relatively, such as Nagoya, Sendai, Okayama, Shimonoseki, Kumamoto, etc.

• Spend time in less-visited, more local parts of Tokyo, Kyoto or Osaka — away from the tourist masses

• Look into ditching some of the “top 10” lists and doing your own digging

• Don’t just follow Instagram — follow your curiosity

And most importantly:

Reframe what you’re looking for.

If your goal is to tick off every “must-see” site from a blog post or YouTube video, you’ll probably end up having the same trip as everyone else. 

But if your goal is to understand what life in Japan really looks like — to eat at local diners, talk to shop owners or wander down a street with no name — then your trip will be unlike anyone else’s.

Skip the Crowds, Slow Down & Experience Japan

Here are some ways to escape the Japan tourist bubble and travel deeper:

1. Stay in smaller towns

Instead of basing yourself only in major cities, spend a night or two in:

• A countryside ryokan

• A coastal fishing town

• A mountain village in Gifu or Nagano

2. Prioritize experiences over sights

It’s not about how many temples you see — it’s about how present you are when you visit them. Try:

• Taking a local cooking class

• Joining a morning prayer at a quiet temple

• Volunteering at a farm stay

3. Travel slower

Give yourself time to absorb your surroundings. Linger. Observe. You’ll notice more — and experience more.

4. Be open to imperfection

The real Japan isn’t all perfect lantern-lit alleys and bamboo forests. It’s also:

• Concrete buildings

• Rusty vending machines

• Elderly shopkeepers with zero English

But that’s where the travel magic often occurs.

Going from Tourist to Traveler in Japan

So... is Japan overrated? Not at all.

But the typical tourist experience — the same old temples, markets, and photo ops — definitely is. 

If you’re willing to push beyond the obvious, question what’s been marketed to you, and explore a bit further afield, Japan will reward you with depth, beauty, and insight.

Let’s stop seeing Japan as a perfectly preserved theme park, and start seeing it as a real, complex living country.

And if you're wondering how to do that — we’re here to help. Schedule your free Japan travel consultation from the calendar below.