What do you think were the top 3 popular international destinations for Australians in 2024?
The figures show that Indonesia, home to the always-popular island of Bali, was in first place, followed by New Zealand, which is close and easy to get to, and then Japan, in third place.
Japan stands out with an increase of about 75% compared to 2019, making it an increasingly attractive travel destination for Australians. These days, traveling to Japan seems to carry some kind of social status, and you often see posts from Australian social media influencers about visiting Japan.
I will write about Indonesia (1st place) and New Zealand (2nd place) next time, so let me discuss here what travel to Japan is like for Australians.
It has become easier for Australians to travel to Japan thanks to the weak yen, as well as the high cost of living in Australia, but when you ask Australians after their trip, “What did you like about Japan?” many say the same thing: "The food was affordable and really good.” It looks as though the special appeal lies in being able to easily get the Japanese foods popular among Australians, like ramen, gyoza, sushi, curry, and okonomiyaki. Most Japanese restaurants have menus with pictures, which makes it easy to order even if you can’t do so in English. (In Australia, menus with pictures are not so common.) Plus, they are surprised at the huge selection of items available at convenience stores. By the way, Australia does have 7-Eleven, but the only ready-to-eat items like the pastries and lunch boxes in Japan are sandwiches or meat pies, and they don’t sell alcohol, so the range of items is very different from what’s available in Japan. Australians also mention other handy things in Japan that you don’t find in Australia, like 24-hour pubs and karaoke boxes. While many Australians visit Japan for sightseeing, they also say that the crowds and packed trains in city centers are an unusual experience for them, so they can enjoy it for what it is.
Rather than coming to Japan on package tours, it seems many Australians travel DIY style, arranging their own airline tickets and hotels, and freely choosing the local tours they want to do, to suit their own purposes. Some Australians who have visited Japan many times have already been to the famous major tourist attractions, so they sometimes visit places that are not well known among overseas visitors. Someone I know did a tour where they visited various hot springs in Tohoku and walked the old Tokaido Highway. There are also lots of people interested in Japanese history, and some of them know more about it than even I do as a Japanese person.
I heard that an elderly couple who had once dreamed of traveling on the Shinkansen had long given up going to Japan because the COVID-19 epidemic forced the cancellation of their trip, but last year their dream finally came true and they had a wonderful time in Japan. The couple were in their late 70s, and they made sure they checked before the trip which side of the train they should sit on to get good views of Mt. Fuji on the journeys both to and from Tokyo.
Japanese anime is also popular, and the child of a friend of mine, who loves Japanese anime, has such a strong longing for Japan that they even said, "I want to live in Japan.”
Some look forward to going around the vintage clothing stores, others come for used brand-name goods in relatively good condition, and some buy large quantities of Japanese snacks to return home with, so everyone enjoys their own particular shopping activities.
Being Japanese, I’m very happy that Japan is rapidly gaining popularity as a travel destination among Australians. Living in Australia, more people than ever are telling me, “I’ve been to Japan!” and I’m having more lively conversations about Japan.
A long time ago, an Australian friend who had never been to Japan asked me, "Do Japanese people live in houses made of paper?” I guess they were talking about shoji screens, but it surprised me that there were people who had perceptions of Japan like that. But the time may come when, on the contrary, I will hear from Australians about restaurants in Japan that serve great food, or their recommended sightseeing spots. I look forward to the day when I can chat with people from overseas about Japan’s deep allure.