Osaka sees fewer foreign tourists as U.S. and Korea hit records

Osaka is experiencing a paradox in its post-pandemic tourism recovery, with overall foreign visitor numbers softening even as arrivals from the United States and South Korea surge to record highs, according to recently released data.

Overall inbound growth masks an Osaka slowdown

Japan as a whole continues to post historic tourism numbers, boosted by a weak yen and renewed long-haul demand. Figures compiled by the Japan National Tourism Organization indicate that more than 2.7 million travelers from the United States visited Japan in 2024, exceeding pre-pandemic levels and setting a new annual record for the market. South Korea has also emerged as Japan’s largest single source of visitors, with millions of cross‑sea trips logged in 2024 and 2025 as travel links fully reopened.

Against this national backdrop, Osaka’s trajectory is more uneven. Osaka remains one of Japan’s most visited urban destinations, with city information citing more than 14 million overseas visitors a year when measured at the prefectural peak. However, publicly available regional and airport data suggest that foreign visitor volumes within Osaka have lost momentum relative to Tokyo and parts of Kyushu, even as national totals keep rising.

Local tourism statistics compiled by Osaka Prefecture and summarized through the Osaka Tourism Data Hub point to softer growth in foreign overnights for 2024 compared with the sharp rebounds seen in 2022 and 2023. The latest tables show increases that are concentrated in specific source markets, while totals for several Asian neighbors remain below 2019 benchmarks, holding back the overall count.

In effect, Osaka is benefiting from Japan’s headline tourism boom while at the same time falling short of the full pre‑pandemic mix of visitors that once fueled its shopping streets, mid‑range hotels and nightlife districts.

Record traffic at Kansai Airport, but a changing mix

Kansai International Airport, the main gateway for overseas travelers to Osaka and the wider Kansai region, is reporting some of its strongest traffic figures on record. Transport ministry statistics and summaries released by Kansai Airports show that total passenger numbers at the airport exceeded 30 million in 2024, taking overall use close to the levels last seen before COVID‑19. International passenger volumes in particular have expanded at double‑digit rates from 2022 to 2024.

Yet the composition of that traffic has shifted significantly. Traffic reports for the first half of fiscal 2024 highlighted that inbound foreign passengers had already surpassed 2019 levels, driven strongly by routes from the United States, South Korea and parts of Southeast Asia. At the same time, arrivals from mainland China and some other short‑haul markets remained well below earlier peaks because of weaker flight capacity and more cautious outbound demand.

Recent breakdowns of passenger flows by region, released as supporting material to Kansai Airport’s traffic reports, reinforce this picture. North American and South Korean routes are gaining share of total inbound seats and passengers, while aggregate volumes from mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan are still recovering. This has helped lift long‑haul spend per visitor but has not fully replaced the very high frequency of short‑stay trips that previously sustained many central Osaka businesses.

The net result is that Kansai International Airport can show record or near‑record levels of foreign passenger movements, while the city of Osaka itself registers a dip or plateau in total foreign visitor counts once the missing segments from key Asian markets are fully accounted for.

United States and South Korea set new highs

Within this mixed picture, the strength of demand from the United States and South Korea stands out clearly. A press release issued by the Japan National Tourism Organization’s U.S. office in early 2025 reported that visits from the United States to Japan rose about one‑third year on year in 2024 and were nearly 60 percent higher than in 2019. Those figures translate into record‑high American traffic across the country and a larger pool of long‑haul visitors passing through Kansai’s airports and major stations.

For Osaka, this has meant packed departures and arrivals on trans‑Pacific services, as well as strong bookings on domestic connections that link Kansai with Tokyo and regional hubs favored by American travelers. Tourism promoters identify U.S. visitors as high‑value guests who are more likely to stay longer, book branded hotels and spend on theme parks, food and cultural experiences.

South Korea’s role is even more pronounced in terms of absolute visitor numbers. Monthly snapshots of inbound travel to Japan compiled by national agencies show South Koreans consistently ranking as the largest group of foreign arrivals across 2024 and into 2025, with several months approaching or surpassing historical highs. Low‑cost carriers and major airlines alike have restored multiple daily flights between Korean cities and Kansai International Airport, lifting capacity close to or beyond pre‑pandemic levels on some routes.

Despite these record‑setting tallies from the United States and South Korea, Osaka’s total foreign visitor count has been restrained by underperformance from other important markets. The sharp growth in these two countries has not been enough to entirely offset weaker demand from parts of Greater China, resulting in a statistical situation where some national and segment records coexist with a local aggregate decline.

China slowdown and regional competition weigh on Osaka

One of the main reasons overall foreign tourist numbers in Osaka have lagged headline national gains is the slow return of Chinese visitors. Before the pandemic, travelers from mainland China formed a large share of inbound guests to Osaka, particularly for shopping trips and group tours that focused on Dotonbori, Umeda and neighboring areas. Public summaries by the Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau and recent broadcast coverage indicate that visitor numbers from China to Osaka were still well below 2019 levels as of mid‑2025, measured at under half of their previous volume in some samples.

This drag has been compounded by intensified competition from other Japanese regions and Asian cities. Since 2022, destinations such as Tokyo, Fukuoka, Okinawa and Hokkaido have invested heavily in re‑attracting international visitors, emphasizing direct flights, exclusive events and nature experiences. Osaka, though still a core stop on many itineraries, now competes more directly with these locations when travelers choose shorter, more focused trips.

Currency movements have also played a role. The weak yen has encouraged repeat visits and longer stays among some travelers, particularly from the United States and Europe, who now find high‑end accommodation and dining more affordable in Japan. However, for some Asian markets where household budgets are tight and airfares remain high, even a favorable exchange rate has not fully countered the cost of travel. That has limited the recovery of quick, frequent trips that once formed the backbone of Osaka’s inbound numbers.

The timing of large events is another factor. Preparations for Expo‑related projects in the Osaka Bay area have led to construction and temporary disruptions in some waterfront districts. While the Expo is expected to provide a medium‑term boost to visitor numbers, current works may have nudged some short‑stay tourists to focus on other cities until new facilities are fully opened.

Implications for businesses and the road ahead

The divergence between booming markets such as the United States and South Korea and a softer overall foreign visitor total is being closely watched by Osaka’s tourism and retail sectors. Travel industry analyses note that many businesses in central Osaka were built around high volumes of short‑haul Asian tourists, especially from China, who spent heavily on cosmetics, electronics and branded goods during quick stays. With that segment still short of earlier peaks, some retailers and mid‑priced hotels report more cautious trading conditions even as luxury properties perform strongly.

At the same time, the rise in long‑haul and higher‑spend guests from the United States and Europe is giving Osaka an opportunity to reposition part of its tourism offer. City information materials emphasize waterfront redevelopment, cultural heritage districts such as Semba and an expanded calendar of festivals and sports events that can appeal to visitors planning multi‑day stays. This may gradually shift Osaka’s image from a day‑trip destination to a city where travelers spend several nights.

Airport and infrastructure plans also suggest that Osaka is preparing for further international growth, even as current statistics show a short‑term dip in total foreign visitors. Data Osaka 2024, a compilation published by Osaka Prefecture, points to ongoing investment in Kansai International Airport’s capacity and transport links, with long‑term forecasts aiming to handle tens of millions more passengers annually over the coming decade. Those upgrades are intended to support both Expo‑related traffic and a broader rebound in regional tourism.

For now, the numbers present a nuanced picture. Foreign tourist arrivals from the United States and South Korea are hitting record highs and contributing to some of the strongest traffic Kansai International Airport has ever seen. Yet until visitors from China and certain other nearby markets return in greater numbers, Osaka is likely to continue reporting foreign tourist totals that trail the headline records being set at the national level.