TOKYO, Japan Wire - Individual spending by foreign visitors during stays in Tokyo in 2025 rose 9.6 percent year-on-year to 199,874 yen ($1,237) from 182,390 yen, during an average stay of around seven nights, according to a Tokyo Metropolitan Government survey.

Visitors from China were the biggest spenders among the 20 countries and regions covered by the survey on foreign visitor behavior in Tokyo, despite a drop in spending of 8.8 percent. Chinese visitors spent 267,757 yen per person during an average stay of 7.2 nights.

Visitors from Spain spent the least, with average spending falling 25.8 percent to 120,009 yen over an average stay of 6.5 nights, according to the survey results published in June.

Accommodation accounted for the largest average expenditure across the survey at 65,199 yen, followed by spending of 59,970 yen on souvenirs and 41,428 yen on food and drink during the average stay period.

Spending included in package tour fees and on international airfares was excluded from the survey.

Questionnaires for the survey were conducted in the international departure lounges of Haneda and Narita airports during 2025, with more than 16,000 responses received from visitors mainly from Asia, North America, Western Europe, Russia and Australia.

Travel and leisure accounted for 83.7 percent of visits.

Shibuya maintained its status as the most popular destination in Tokyo among foreign visitors for the fourth consecutive year. In the multiple-choice question, 60.3 percent of respondents selected Shibuya -- a center of youth and popular culture -- among the districts visited during their stay.

Ginza and the area around Tokyo Station, including the districts of Marunouchi and Nihombashi, completed the top destinations in 2025.

Of Tokyo’s attractions, friendly people, cleanliness and safety were the most frequently cited, ahead of options including delicious food, the spirit of “omotenashi,” or Japanese hospitality, and its image as a technologically advanced city.

An estimated 28.65 million foreigners visited Tokyo in 2025, marking a record high, according to data from the metropolitan government.

This article was submitted by a contributing writer for publication on Japan Wire.

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