Inbound Tourism in April 2026: A Fragmenting Market and Why KARASUYA Still Gets Chosen

Hello, this is Nomura from KARASUYA Guesthouse.

The inbound tourism data for April 2026 has been released, and it was quite striking, so I’d like to briefly share my thoughts.

Overall, Japan saw 3.692 million international visitors in April (down 5.5% year-on-year). While the total number slightly declined, the more important point is that the structure by country is clearly shifting. Korea and Taiwan grew significantly, while China dropped sharply.

Looking at KARASUYA’s April, Japanese guests still made up the majority, but we also welcomed visitors from Taiwan and Korea, along with a notable number from Europe—France, the UK, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Italy. In particular, French guests stood out, both in number and in presence.

What’s interesting here is that Europe as a whole actually declined year-on-year due to the Easter holiday being split across March and April. However, France alone recorded its highest-ever April numbers. In other words, demand hasn’t weakened—it has simply shifted in timing.

In that context, the fact that KARASUYA continues to attract European guests suggests that we are well positioned to capture this more flexible, distributed demand. Compared to hotels, guesthouses tend to align better with travelers who have looser schedules and a preference for longer, more experiential stays.

At the same time, the growth from Korea and Taiwan is also reflected in our guest mix. On the other hand, the sharp decline in Chinese visitors has had little direct impact on us, as we were not heavily reliant on that market to begin with. That said, the indirect effects—such as falling hotel prices—are starting to influence the competitive landscape.

When we put all of this together, April’s inbound market appears highly fragmented. Some markets are growing but tend to be price-sensitive, others are volatile, and some depend heavily on timing. Relying on any single market feels increasingly fragile.

Given this, we believe it is important not to focus on “nationality,” but rather on “travel style.” The guests who resonate with KARASUYA are those who value the experience of staying itself—people who enjoy interaction, shared spaces, and the unexpected connections that come with them. On the other hand, those who prioritize price or convenience above all else may not find the same value here.

That is why we want to be more intentional about who we are for, and how we design experiences that truly matter to them.

It’s not about where someone comes from, but how they travel.

Whether we can continue to be a place chosen for that reason—this is something we will keep refining, by looking closely at both the numbers and what happens on the ground.