I have understood that Japan has strong domestic tourism market that caters to their market, that is short weekend or extended weekend holidays. That fit better in the work culture.
Why Japan has so many ‘never travelers’
11–20 of 136 posts
Re: Why Japan has so many ‘never travelers’
#12Anecdotally from friends, I'd say the top three reasons are: * Lack of money * Lack of time off from work * Lack of English skills, making travel abroad intimidating. In previous generations this was counteracted by bus tours with Japanese guides, but those are seen as lame by the younger generations.
Isn't the "Lack of English skills" easily solved with the plethora of translator devices and apps these days? About a decade+ ago (I think 2010-11), I remember a woman who sat next to me after Narita, traveling "to explore India." She carried a tiny device the size of a typical compact (make-up thing for person who wants/needs to make up). She had no idea about English but can communicate via her device and it was pr…
Last year I've been asked by a guy for directions to the hotel where he was staying.
It standed out for me because:
a) he was clearly in his early 20s
b) he asked me this after boarding the bus on the same stop as me
c) he could find out the directions just by using a plethora of map/navigation (GPS for Americans) apps available here
d) he was going the wrong way
Just yesterday I saw a woman trying to find out which route she needs to board. She was in ~50s and I can bet $10 she had an Android phone => at least Google Maps. She just didn't even though about using it.
So despite it's 2023 there are people there who still live like it's 1990.
Re: Why Japan has so many ‘never travelers’
#13Anecdotally from friends, I'd say the top three reasons are: * Lack of money * Lack of time off from work * Lack of English skills, making travel abroad intimidating. In previous generations this was counteracted by bus tours with Japanese guides, but those are seen as lame by the younger generations.
id probably add to that: Lots of hostile neighbors. Korea/japan (both koreas) relations aren't great, netiher are russia nor china. Meaning you gotta fly a long long way to get anywhere. Similar to how there are many people from american midwest whove never been abroad. living in europe all my life, almost everyone has been abroad here, but much much fewer have ever left europe, which is essentially what japanese peo…
> id probably add to that: Lots of hostile neighbors. Korea/japan (both koreas) relations aren't great, netiher are russia nor china. Meaning you gotta fly a long long way to get anywhere.
South Korea is one of the top international destinations for Japanese people. It has varied over time, but right now it actually may be the top destination.
Re: Why Japan has so many ‘never travelers’
#14Anecdotally from friends, I'd say the top three reasons are: * Lack of money * Lack of time off from work * Lack of English skills, making travel abroad intimidating. In previous generations this was counteracted by bus tours with Japanese guides, but those are seen as lame by the younger generations.
Isn't the "Lack of English skills" easily solved with the plethora of translator devices and apps these days? About a decade+ ago (I think 2010-11), I remember a woman who sat next to me after Narita, traveling "to explore India." She carried a tiny device the size of a typical compact (make-up thing for person who wants/needs to make up). She had no idea about English but can communicate via her device and it was pr…
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Re: Why Japan has so many ‘never travelers’
#15Earlier quoted context omitted.
Isn't the "Lack of English skills" easily solved with the plethora of translator devices and apps these days? About a decade+ ago (I think 2010-11), I remember a woman who sat next to me after Narita, traveling "to explore India." She carried a tiny device the size of a typical compact (make-up thing for person who wants/needs to make up). She had no idea about English but can communicate via her device and it was pr…
Last year I've been asked by a guy for directions to the hotel where he was staying. It standed out for me because: a) he was clearly in his early 20s b) he asked me this after boarding the bus on the same stop as me c) he could find out the directions just by using a plethora of map/navigation (GPS for Americans) apps available here d) he was going the wrong way Just yesterday I saw a woman trying to find out which…
Foreign travelers often don’t have cell access, or don’t have it until they arrive at their first stop.
Re: Why Japan has so many ‘never travelers’
#16Sounds like Japan had a massive fear campaign around Covid that might make Japanese people less likely to be willing to travel. It is a pity, although this will make Japan stay more authentic for longer, as the less Japanese people travel, the more distance there will be between Western culture and them. As someone who might want to visit Japan some day this might even be good news.
Re: Why Japan has so many ‘never travelers’
#17> blah blah blah > The cost of travel is also a consideration. > The yen is at its weakest in decades, and many Japanese workers haven’t had a raise in 30 years. > Less disposable income means young people may be more inclined to stay at home or explore nearby locations Sure, there are some other valid points, but it's pointless to talk about traveling abroad if you don't even have the money. Being an island nation w…
I don’t think that explains everything. In many other countries “the $Foo is at its weakest in decades, and many Foo workers haven’t had a raise in 30 years” means young people will be more inclined to emigrate and that isn’t happening in Japan, AFAIK ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_diaspora#Americas : “The Japanese diaspora has been unique in the absence of new emigration flows in the second half of the 20t…
TYO to LAX ticket cost, travel time?
TYO to PAR?
Re: Why Japan has so many ‘never travelers’
#18Re: Why Japan has so many ‘never travelers’
#19Anecdotally from friends, I'd say the top three reasons are: * Lack of money * Lack of time off from work * Lack of English skills, making travel abroad intimidating. In previous generations this was counteracted by bus tours with Japanese guides, but those are seen as lame by the younger generations.
id probably add to that: Lots of hostile neighbors. Korea/japan (both koreas) relations aren't great, netiher are russia nor china. Meaning you gotta fly a long long way to get anywhere. Similar to how there are many people from american midwest whove never been abroad. living in europe all my life, almost everyone has been abroad here, but much much fewer have ever left europe, which is essentially what japanese peo…
The US is so huge that you literally cannot visit another country by land (save Canada, aka Diet US; or Mexico, aka California Sur) - and there are definitely regional variations but it’s all much more similar than even a couple hundred miles in Europe.
A common school trip in the USA is visiting Washington, DC; for some that’s a six+ hour flight. The same flight in most places in Europe would put you in Asia or Africa.
Re: Why Japan has so many ‘never travelers’
#20Earlier quoted context omitted.
Last year I've been asked by a guy for directions to the hotel where he was staying. It standed out for me because: a) he was clearly in his early 20s b) he asked me this after boarding the bus on the same stop as me c) he could find out the directions just by using a plethora of map/navigation (GPS for Americans) apps available here d) he was going the wrong way Just yesterday I saw a woman trying to find out which…
Foreign travelers often don’t have cell access, or don’t have it until they arrive at their first stop.
Or they know that roaming is horribly expensive outside certain cases like inside EEA for EEA contracts.
And hunting for working wifi might be complicated as well.