Osaka and Kyoto lead Japan’s strong showing in global tourism index

International

Eight Japanese destinations rank among the world’s top 50 tourism cities in the 2026 Yanolja Attractiveness Index

Japan has emerged as one of the strongest-performing countries in the 2026 Global Tourism City Attractiveness Index. Eight Japanese destinations reached the global top 50, led by Osaka in third place and Kyoto in fourth.

The index was developed by Yanolja Research in cooperation with Purdue University’s CHRIBA Institute and Kyung Hee University’s H&T Analytics Center. It evaluates how strongly cities attract attention and generate positive emotional responses among international travellers.

Regional cities strengthen Japan’s position

The 2026 ranking covers 261 cities and is based on global social media data in 14 languages. New York took first place overall, while Japan stood out for the breadth of its tourism appeal.

Alongside Osaka and Kyoto, Okinawa ranked ninth, followed by Tokyo in 14th place, Nagoya in 16th, Fukuoka in 19th, Yokohama in 21st and Sapporo in 40th.

The results suggest that international interest in Japan extends well beyond Tokyo and the traditional tourist route. Cultural and culinary experiences in Kansai, the island appeal of Okinawa, Fukuoka’s role as a regional gateway and Sapporo’s northern lifestyle all contribute to the country’s diverse tourism profile.

Osaka and Kyoto generate strongest emotional response

Japanese cities performed particularly well in the attractiveness category, which measures positive sentiment, perceived quality of experience and recommendation value.

Osaka and Kyoto ranked first and second worldwide in this category. Okinawa followed in eighth place, while Nagoya, Fukuoka, Tokyo, Yokohama and Sapporo also achieved strong results.

“For Japan, the findings imply a clear strategic opportunity: maintain the global momentum of Osaka and Kyoto while strengthening international storytelling for regional cities that already generate strong visitor satisfaction,” said SooCheong Jang, Professor at Purdue University and Director of Yanolja Research.

The index indicates that Japan’s tourism strength is based not only on global visibility, but also on the positive experiences travellers associate with destinations across the country.