Nearly 30 percent of prefectures across Japan experienced crowds surpassing pre-coronavirus pandemic levels in the first half of this year, with local areas outpacing Tokyo, according to private sector data.
Based on an analysis of major train stations in each of Japan's 47 prefectures, 13 locations, or 28 percent, recorded more people than during the same period in 2019. Conversely, 21 locations, or 45 percent, witnessed a decline in crowds, but this decrease was less than 10 percent.
The Miyazaki station in southwestern Japan saw the most significant crowd increase at 11.2 percent compared to 2019. The surge is believed to be due to the opening of a commercial facility in front of the station in 2020 and enhanced public transport in the city.
Miyazaki was followed by Sendai, northeastern Japan, up 7.5 percent, and Matsue, western Japan, up 6.0 percent, according to the analysis.
The worst performer was Tokyo's Shinjuku station, down 21.4 percent from 2019, with some economists attributing the decline to an increase in work-from-home policies and fewer drinking parties in the wake of the pandemic.
Yokohama, south of Tokyo, followed with a fall of 20.9 percent, and Omiya in Saitama Prefecture, with a fall of 17.0 percent.
"The slower recovery in the flow of people into the Tokyo metropolitan area is largely due to changes in working styles, while the recovery in rural areas can be attributed to increased leisure demands," said Toru Suehiro, chief economist at Daiwa Securities Co.
In the Tokyo area, many office workers and people in the IT industry switched to working remotely amid the pandemic, and that practice has continued since, Suehiro said.
Due to a shift in drinking culture, fewer people are staying out late at night as they did before, and train operators have moved up the departure times of the last trains, contributing to this change, he said.
Kyodo News came up with the analysis based on population flow data collected by X-Locations Inc. from GPS data on smartphone apps. It looked into the number of people within a 500-meter radius of major train stations.
© KYODO
16 Comments
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sakurasuki
Why this is worst, this good, nobody want to be stuck inside Shinjuku station.
Again this is good, less people stay late at night and drinking. So they have more rest without overloading their liver with liquor.
Yubaru
"Crowds".... there are crowds every single day, in nearly every single municipality, in Japan at one point or another.
I have read some pretty lame stuff here over the years, but this one is just stretching things.
Define "crowd"
Yubaru
Yup! And it's just going to get worse as more and more foreign travelers take advantage of the weak yen and come here to visit.
I almost felt sorry for the people who were stuck here in Okinawa last week during the typhoon. Spend all that money just to stay in a hotel room!
But then I woke up!
Kaowaiinekochanknaw
Good to see people out and about. Smiling and having some fun for a change.
Mr Kipling
The Chinese government have just OKed Chinese tour groups to restart visiting Japan. That with 145 Yen to the dollar is going to make crowding something to get used to.
Zoroto
Let me rewrite the Kyodp style positive spin title to one that's more accurate;
More than 45% of Japan prefectures saw crowds decreased from pre-COVID levels
Norm
It seems that it’s going to take take time for travelers and those in the travel and hospitality sectors to go back to the way things were before. It looks like a good start.
I’m living close to the castle in Osaka, and even with the large number of foreign tourists, that hasn’t been my experience at all. Perhaps true, though, in some of the dodgy parts of the city.
Zoroto
Do these economists get paid for these insightful observations?
This has nothing to do with nomikais. Nobody goes to Shinjuku station because they want to attend a nomikai. People only go to Shinjuku station because they have to take a train from there.
So this is purely because of WFH. The one thing positive Japan embarrassed from COVID is WFH. None of my friends (all professional, no ALT types) were called back to the office. Most moved away from Central Tokyo or just don't go to the office at all (like me). Some others go to the office voluntarily. Nomikais have essentially disappeared.
So while Shinjuku station foot traffic is down by 20%, I bet izakaya takings are down 40-50%
Fighto!
Yeah, let's not show any sympathy for our fellow man, many of whom have likely looked forward to and saved up for their dream trip for a couple of years. Right?
kohakuebisu
This will be the same equipment/cameras and whatever used during Covid to see if the (soft) lockdown was working. There were regular reports saying whether efforts to get people to work from home etc were working. Foot traffic at major stations is something that is measured.
Get some data about something in Japan and flesh it out is classic reporting in Japan. Stories can be trivial in the extreme.
Rodney
Visited Kyoto recently. 80% were foreigners.
kintsugi
80% of Kyoto visitors are domestic.
Yubaru
Wrong! They only have themselves to blame as it was known for at least a week prior to it hitting that the weather was going to be bad, one way or another. And no I have zero empathy for people who can afford to spend literally thousands of dollars for a "vacation" when most of the world has no idea what a "vacation" even is.
You should look up the meaning of the word "sympathy", as you used it incorrectly here, as you are stating you want me to have pity for them, and there is no way in hell I am going to feel pity for someone who can spend that kind of cash on a vacation.
The word you should be using is "empathy"
mountainpear
Of course, they're crowded. With the low yen nobody can afford to go abroad! You keep trying to put a good spin on it!
Alex
mountainpearToday 01:42 pm JST
This right here. I think the only reason why crowds have surpassed pre-pandemic levels in some places is because 1.) you've got the foreign tourists coming here and taking advantage of the incredibly weak yen, and 2.) you've got the domestic tourists (Japanese) who simply can't afford to leave the country due to said incredibly weak yen. It honestly sucks. I'd like to be able to afford to go home and see my family again some day.
JRO
I was out in Namba at night last weekend and I was quite surprised to see the amount of western looking foreigners, honestly more than pre covid by the looks of it. I didn't think it would normalize this fast, especially with flights from Europe having doubled in price and length because of Russia.