Popular visitor attractions and destinations in Japan are moving towards the implementation of two-tiered pricing systems between locals and inbound tourists.
With Japan's weak currency attracting large numbers of tourists - pushing up costs for local businesses - operators are moving to raise entry prices for foreign tourists by as much as sixfold.
The move if being led by Hideyasu Kiyomoto, Mayor of Himeji city in western Japan who is considering quadrupling entry prices for foreign tourists for the UNESCO World Heritage site Himeji Castle.
Visitors aged 18 years and up currently pay 1,000 yen (US$7) but, in a news conference this week Mayor Kiyomoto said he would like foreigners to pay US$30 and locals to pay US$5, with the intent of putting the money toward castle maintenance.
He advised “foreign tourists come here once in their lifetime, but locals enjoy this place regularly.”
The nearby Mount Fuji introduced a mandatory 2,000 yen (US$19) climbing fee in May, but some have called for the fee to be increased for tourists.
Mountaineer Ken Noguchi said the fee was not high enough to combat over tourism, advising in a post on X “tourists should pay 30,000 yen (US$284), while locals pay 10,000 yen (US$95).
Tourist surcharges in Japan are well established - usually embedded in hotel receipts or as visa fees. However, with the weakening of the yen having allowed inbound tourists to be able to spend more in Japan, the country's stagnant wages has resulted in a sharp disparity in purchasing power between locals and visitors.
The Washington Post reported last month that Japan was struggling amid a post-pandemic travel surge during which an unprecedented 25 million tourists visited the country in 2023, straining local residents and daily life.
Commenting on the issue, Linda Osti, a Senior Lecturer in Tourism Management at Bangor University in Wales, advised “introducing a higher entry fee for international tourists can also be seen from a social sustainability perspective (Himeji) castle has a cultural value for the local people, and access should be granted to them.
“Secondly, it can also be seen from an economic perspective; often cultural monuments are maintained by local authorities with the use of public money raised through taxes imposed on local people.
“Therefore, in a sense, locals have already paid for the maintenance of the building or cultural asset. “They should not be charged twice.”
Image: Himeji Castle. Credit: Shutterstock.
About the author
Nigel Benton
Co-founder/Publisher, Australasian Leisure Management
Born in the English county of Dorset, Nigel Benton is the co-founder and Publisher of Australasian Leisure Management, Australia, New Zealand and the Asia-Pacific’s only magazine for professionals in all areas of the leisure industry and the www.ausleisure.com.au website - the go to news resource for industry leaders and professionals.
With a long-term commitment to communicating all that is best about the leisure industry (aquatics, attractions, entertainment, events, fitness, parks, recreation, sport, tourism and venues) his career has been defined by an ability to develop and implement industry communications.
Starting his career working in heritage visitor attractions and then adventure travel in Africa and the Middle East, an interest in writing about his experiences led to his change of career into magazine journalism and publishing.
In addition to publishing, Nigel speaks on marketing communications at a range of industry events.
He was made a Life Member of the World Leisure and Recreation Association in 2006 and is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society (London).
In 2020, he launched the new Asian Leisure Business website.
As of October 2024, he was inducted into the Australian Fitness Awards Roll of Honour at the 2024 AUSactive National Awards.
Among a range of published works and features, his comments on a Blog (blogspot) from 2007 to 2011, when this website went live in its current form, may be interesting to reflect back on.
His philosophy on life is to be kind to all and to indulge those that you love.
His passions include family, Newcastle United and motorcycles (especially British ones) as well, until February 2025 when she left us, caring a little pug named Stella.
Click here to connect with him via LinkedIn.
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