Why Japan’s scenic Tohoku region is still a tourist outlier

Despite a significant tourism boom in Japan, the scenic Tohoku region, located in northern Honshu, continues to attract a small fraction of foreign visitors. In 2025, out of a record 42.7 million international tourists, only approximately 6%, or 2.57 million, stayed overnight in Tohoku's six prefectures: Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi, Akita, Yamagata, and Fukushima. This region is characterized by its mountains, hot springs, skiing opportunities, festivals, and a more relaxed rural atmosphere. The Tohoku Tourism Promotion Organisation provided these statistics, highlighting that while major cities like Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka are experiencing high visitor numbers, Tohoku remains an outlier in drawing international tourists.