From Mumbai to Mount Fuji: Surge in Travel Demand from India to Japan

In 2024, travel demand from India to Japan saw a significant rise, particularly among families and couples. Japan’s unique blend of ancient traditions, modern marvels, and picturesque landscapes has made it an attractive destination for Indian travelers. From cherry blossom season to vibrant cityscapes and cultural heritage sites, Japan offers experiences that appeal to both romantic getaways and family vacations. With increased connectivity, tailored travel packages, and growing awareness of Japan’s diverse attractions, more Indian travelers are exploring the Land of the Rising Sun than ever before. Let’s see these travel trends in light of data from World on a Holiday:

84% Higher Hotel Bookings

Hotel Bookings from India to Japan were 84% higher y-o-y for the travel period from January 2024 to March 2025, compared to the previous year. Here’s a breakdown of demand from different origin cities of India:

Top Origins

Source: Adara, a RateGain Company

Leading the charge are major metropolitan hubs, with Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Chennai, Bengaluru, Pune, and Hyderabad emerging as the top origin cities driving this demand. These cities, known for their significant outbound travel volume, reflect an increased interest in exploring international destinations like Japan.

What’s even more striking is the exponential growth observed from beyond the top metros. Pune, Lucknow, and Hyderabad have reported the highest spikes in hotel bookings, with increases of 697%, 602%, and 592% respectively. Other notable contributors include Navi Mumbai (371%) and Gurugram (191%), underscoring a wider geographical spread of interest beyond traditional outbound travel hubs.

Highest Increase in Hotel Bookings by Origin Cities

Source: Adara, a RateGain Company

India’s Top Picks in Japan

Indian travelers are showing a growing fascination with Japan, with Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Nagoya, and Sapporo emerging as their favorite destinations. These cities, known for their rich cultural heritage, modern attractions, and unique experiences, continue to be top choices for Indian tourists seeking diverse travel experiences.

Top Destinations

Source: Adara, a RateGain Company

Beyond the Beaten Path

However, beyond these well-known hotspots, lesser-explored destinations are witnessing remarkable growth in hotel bookings. Nara leads the surge with an impressive 500% increase, followed by Gifu (250%), Yokosuka (150%), Chiba (149%), and Sapporo (116%).

Destinations with the Highest Increase in Hotel Bookings

Source: Adara, a RateGain Company

For regular updates on the how, who and why of global travel, subscribe to the ‘World on Holiday’.

About World on Holiday

World on Holiday is a real-time travel insights hub, powered by Adara, sharing important worldwide travel trends, as well as real-time booking and search data. This hub is powered by hundreds of first-party data sources, and are based on observed consumer activity.

About Adara

Adara, a RateGain company, is one of the world’s largest data exchanges, providing access to ethically-sourced consumer data. With more than 270 global partners who supply aggregated, comprehensive traveler data, Adara delivers actionable insights and predictive intelligence to drive higher marketing ROI. For more information, visit https://adara.com/

About RateGain

RateGain is a global provider of SaaS solutions for travel and hospitality that works with 2800+ customers—including the Top 23 of 30 Hotel Chains, the Top 25 of 30 Online Travel Agents, and all the top car rentals including 8 Global Fortune 500 companies—and 700+ partners in 100+ countries helping them accelerate revenue generation through acquisition, retention, and wallet share expansion.