People crossing the famous Shibuya Scramble Crossing in Shibuya City, Tokyo, Japan. Benh LIEU SONG (Flickr)
Türkiye’s interest in Japan is experiencing a remarkable surge, with the number of Turkish visitors reaching record levels.
Visa‑free travel for up to 90 days, newly launched direct flights and the powerful influence of social media have combined to fuel an unprecedented rise in demand.
In the first nine months of the year alone, approximately 70,000 Turkish tourists traveled to Japan.
Data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) shows that around 7,000 Turkish citizens visited Japan in 2022, a figure that climbed to nearly 17,000 in 2023. Since TÜİK has not yet released figures for 2024 and 2025, the latest trends are reflected in statistics from the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO).
JNTO reports that between January and September 2025, Japan welcomed 31.6 million international visitors, marking a 17.7 percent increase from the same period in 2024. During the same timeframe, arrivals from Türkiye rose by an impressive 76.8 percent.
Industry representatives note that the number of Turkish tourists visiting Japan is expected to reach 90,000 by the end of the year, indicating a staggering 430 percent increase over the past two years.
The long‑standing visa‑free entry for Turkish passport holders remains one of the strongest drivers of this growth. Additional factors include new direct flight routes, Japan’s diverse cultural and tourism offerings, heightened social media visibility, and a growing fascination with Japanese culture.
Flight prices vary depending on the season. Promotional fares for round‑trip economy tickets typically start above 50,000 Turkish Liras ($1,170), while peak‑season prices can exceed 100,000 liras.
In February 2025, All Nippon Airways (ANA) launched a new direct route between Haneda and Istanbul, while Turkish Airlines announced plans to increase its Istanbul–Narita service from seven to ten weekly flights in the 2026 summer schedule. These developments are expected to encourage even more Turkish travelers to visit Japan.
According to Davut Günaydın, vice President of the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies (TÜRSAB), demand for Japan tours has risen threefold, and packages covering five to seven nights start at around 2,300 euros, reaching up to 4,500 euros. He adds that airfare accounts for roughly 60 percent of total tour costs and that prices have remained relatively stable compared to last year.
Günaydın also highlights the favorable exchange rate of the Japanese yen, which has made shopping — particularly electronics — more attractive for Turkish travelers.
Tokyo’s upscale Ginza district has become a popular destination for such purchases, according to Günaydın.
Emphasizing that interest in Japan “never fades,” he predicts that the strong demand seen this year will continue into 2026.
