Number of foreign tourists visiting Japan plunges 24.1% in Dec

Wednesday 28th January, 06:55 AM JST

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ReikiZen at 06:58 PM JST - 29th January

The government can do all they want but until the people change their views and attitudes towards foreigners this won't change. I myself would love to visit Japan but it scares me to death. You hear horror stories about how cab drivers won't stop for you. Hotels that refuse to book rooms to foreigners or tourists. Many restaurants and clubs which ban foreigners from their establishments. Just about everywhere you go is anti tourists or foreigner. Not to mention that people treat you like you are some sort of plague. Not to mention the unfriendly vibe you seem to get from everyone. Who in the hell would want to visit a place which obviously doesn't want you there. It sad really as Japan has so much to offer and would be a great place to visit if this weren't an issue. There is a reason why Japan ranks among the lowest in the world in this regard. If the Japanese government takes this so seriously then maybe it needs to look at ways or changing peoples perceptions and paranoia of foreigners. I would love to visit Japan before I die but not if I am not welcome there. This is frustrating though in that Japanese tourist aren't treated this way but they expect the same courtesy and respect which obviously is one sided.. Maybe this will change with time but I am not holding my breath. At this point in the game. It is just a waste of tax payers money and time.
cleo at 07:43 PM JST - 29th January

ReikoZen -

All the 'horror stories' you're hearing are so much hot air. I've lived here 30 years and look very obviously furrin, and not once has a taxi refused to stop for me. Not once have I been refused a room in a hotel. Not once have I been turned away from a restaurant or club. Not once have I been treated like some sort of plague. The only unfriendly vibe I ever had was from an old neighbourhood biddy who objected to my dog barking at her, but she objects to all the neighbours' dogs, not just the furrin ones. Not once have I felt obviously unwanted (except by the old biddy).

Maybe you should just ignore the spinners of horror tales who are pushing your buttons, throw away your preconceptions, save up your pennies (coz the yen is ridiculously high), and hop on a plane.
Asahak at 09:15 PM JST - 29th January

I have visited Japan four times and I was refused by taxi drivers. I think that is quite common, especially in the big cities. When they see a foreigner approach, they roll up the window and pretend that they dont notice you, because they dont speak a single word of English and are afraid they won`t find your destination. But I also had a very nice taxi driver you made every effort to find my small hotel in an unnamed street. And I was never refused at any hotel or restaurant and I never felt that I was treated like some sort of plague.
Crokk at 07:35 AM JST - 30th January

Well, first time in Japan and in Osaka (first step, just arrived at train station after a loooooooooong trip) I (tried to) ask an info to a guy, he simply ignored me...(big plague) but in Tokyo , one week later, I was looking for my hotel that I couldn't find (my bad, i picked up the wrong subway exit) and another guy really help me a lot... So, basically it's just a matter of "luck", you could find that kind of people everywhere...
Pukey2 at 09:20 AM JST - 30th January

Cleo: You seem to be one hell of a lucky person. Most posters have at least one story where they have encountered some unfortunate incident. I don't go looking for trouble or inconvenience, but sometimes it does happen. I've been refused one hotel because I wasn't Japanese (speaking Japanese doesn't help), I and some friends were brushed off by one of those fortune tellers on the streets because 'we needed to understand Japanese', despite talking to her in Japanese, and I've had a hotel reservation made for my Australian friend cut short to make way for Japanese guests. Nowadays I stick to places like Toyoko-Inn and youth hostels - places where I am welcomed.

As Crokk says, some people are nice, some are damn right horrible. But please don't make out that discrimination does not exist just because you don't experience it.

Reikizen:

This is frustrating though in that Japanese tourist aren't treated this way but they expect the same courtesy and respect which obviously is one sided..

I understand fully. Japanese expect to be treated well as tourists when abroad and they also would throw a hissy fit if they were not allowed to rent an apt because of their race. And yet many aren't aware/don't care that this sort of thing happens to foreigners in Japan. Many don't want people coming here for vacations, they don't want immigrants and they don't want foreigners to have human rights, but when it's all reversed, my golly gosh...

Having said that, if you really are interested in Japan, then I would advise you to come here (when the yen is cheaper) and enjoy yourself. Japan can be a very nice place and you will meet kind people. Don't let the bad things spoil your stay. BTW, I look forward to my next vacation in Korea.
Tahoochi at 02:59 PM JST - 30th January

Here's my view of the MAJORITY of Japanese tourists in other countries: Follow the crowd, follow the rules, don't complain, and keep to themselves... the worst thing a "bad" Japanese tourist might do in other countries is not tip, or complain a lot. On the flip side, The MAJORITY of foreign tourists in Japan are similarly very considerate, but A HANDFUL of foreign tourists in Japan: Do what they want when they want, don't follow the rules, complain a lot, and disturb those around them..... "bad" foreign tourists in Japan leave a bigger impression on Japanese people than "bad" Japanese tourists in foreign countries. That's only my view based on living in Canada, US, Japan, and having traveled to some other Asian countries... Please let me know if you disagree or have seen otherwise.
mrgalactic at 05:05 PM JST - 30th January

And Reikozen... feel free to ignore the plants employed here to enforce the constant "Japan is wonderful" agenda. So if I may...

"All the 'horror stories' you're hearing are so much hot air."

No they're not. I've been denied entry into restaurants, apartments, hotels, bars etc on the simple basis of my skin color alone. Japan remains rife with bars proudly displaying signs of "no foreigners allowed". Just last October 16th Japantoday ran an article about the vast majority of japanese inn owners who don't want foreign guests... like 70% !!! My experience simply supports this. I can't help but wonder if the 24% plunge has anything to do with those poll results. If so, well, be careful for what you wish for.
cleo at 06:01 PM JST - 30th January

the vast majority of japanese inn owners who don't want foreign guests... like 70% !!!

Is that old chestnut still hopping about in the flames? It was 70% of the members of one particular hotelier association who had not had foreign guests in the previous year - works out at a whopping 3-4% (if that) of all establishments, most of whom stated not that they 'don't want' foreign guests, but that they are 'not prepared' for them - no beds only futons, no extra-large yukata, no English-speaking staff, no Western menus. Most of them are the tiny little Mom-and-Pop affairs up in the mountains run on a shoestring. Pops isn't going to invest in English lessons just in case a foreigner wanders in off the mountain, neither is he going to invest in giant-size yukatas just in case.

please don't make out that discrimination does not exist just because you don't experience it

There's discrimination everywhere. But so bad that people are 'scared' to come? No way. I'm not really surprised mrgalactic gets refused, though - after reading his posts the past coupla days I don't think I'd want him in my taxi.
mrgalactic at 06:16 PM JST - 30th January

"There's discrimination everywhere."

Not "legal" discrimination ! That proud monacle goes to Japan, and Japan only... the only signature nation to the UN's charter against "all forms of racism" to not have any punishable laws against such backwards behaviour.

And this ?

"I'm not really surprised mrgalactic gets refused, though - after reading his posts the past coupla days I don't think I'd want him in my taxi."

Still afraid of fact based truths over generalities and slanted opinions I see. Funny how you chose to leave out the number of hotel association members in your above reply. And what makes you think that all other hotel associations wouldn't respond the same ? The rest of your post also reeks of stereotypes and silliness not worth commenting on. I mean really, "no extra-large yukata" ??? "no Western menus" Huh ??? Seems someones been in Nippon way too long !
LostinNagoya at 07:02 PM JST - 30th January

Unfortunately, most of these ¨no foreigners¨ story are true. Otherwise, how can there be so many of them? I personally have been subject to some or witnessed them. The ones who live here they get used to it (and there are the naives, as we see). But, a tourist would never return for a second visit, or would recommend Japan as tourist destination to friends. No matter how much money they spend advertising Japan abroad, if they do not prepare the Japanese to welcome tourists.
cleo at 07:08 PM JST - 30th January

Funny how you chose to leave out the number of hotel association members in your above reply.

Better things to do than go running around looking for old numbers? I'm sure anyone who's interested can look up the old JT article, the numbers are all there. Suffice it to say the 70% thing is so far off the mark anyone who wasn't hellbent on Japan bashing some what may, would realise it was ridiculously inflated.

Seems someones been in Nippon way too long !

The Mom and Pops running the inns up in the mountains have been here forever. Your gripe about perceptions is with them, not me. (I trip over the hem of your average M-sized yukata, doesn't stop them offering me LL size...)
Pukey2 at 01:57 AM JST - 31st January

No more mom and pop hotels/ryokans for me. My friend who last stayed in one said the blankets/futon were full of yellow stains. Problems don't arise merely because of language problems. Hotel owners from other countries can still give good service and will resort to sign language if needed. Language is just an excuse.

Giant size yukatas? Yukatas are not like jeans or shirts. They'll fit nicely on most people, big or small. What next? All foreigners are Americans?
space_monkey at 04:20 AM JST - 1st February

I went to Hiroshima for a night and had pre-booked a hotel. I arrived at 10:10 pm on the shinkansen with only 4,000 yen. When I got to the hotel they insisted that I pay upfront for the hotel. To my big surprise all the ATM's in the city closed at 10:00pm so I couldn't get any money out. I had at least 10 major hotels around the train station refuse me accommodation unless I pay upfront. Even when I showed them my bank card, offered them my luggage and passport etc. I ahd to go to a bar and stay up all night. It was a horror story.

I recently visited Tokyo to go to a wedding reception in Ginza. I must have asked 15-20 people for directions only to be either completely ignored or waved off. In two cases I was standing outside the restaurant and showed people a map in Japanese to have them say they have no idea.

Secondly not one Japanese person would stop to take my photo. I asked about ten people. Only a passing America.

I think for a tourist this would be most unwelcoming.
Yelnats at 04:02 PM JST - 2nd February

I have only been rejected from renting a parking space for my car once. I was also told I could not go in one restaurant , but it was because they thought I could not afford it. Other than that, I love this country and people.

ATM`s are open all night. How did you pay for the drinks at the bar Space Monkey? Credit card?
space_monkey at 05:24 PM JST - 3rd February

I bought a cheap bottle of spirits at a convenience store. This was 6 years ago. ATM's were not open all night in cities outside of Osaka or Tokyo. They closed at 10pm. Many ATM's still do.