Why everyone you know is going to Japan
If you're a globe-trotting American between the ages of 25 and 50, you probably fit within one of three cohorts: A. planning a trip to Japan, B. currently in Japan, or C. telling your friends about your recent trip to Japan. It's hard to overstate the degree to which Japan has taken hold of American vacation culture.
Exactly why certain places spike as vacation destinations is an interesting puzzle. There's a very practical side to it – exchange rates, flight discounts, language barriers, etc., (think Iceland Air's layover options which have made Iceland an easy tack-on to any European jaunt) – and there's also an emotional side, often tied to specific cultural touchpoints – The Lord of the Rings movies did wonders for New Zealand, just as the latest season of The White Lotus will likely do for Thailand.
Our Japan fixation is certainly a combination of the two, but it's also more than the sum of its parts – Japan has become the answer to any number of questions; a guaranteed way to get something you're looking for.
It's possible, in fact, to map out an array of different Japans that exist across the American psyche, an archipelago of idealized archetypes. And if you spend any time on Instagram or TikTok, these places may seem intuitively familiar.
There's Historic Japan, embodied by Kyoto, tea ceremonies, kimono, cherry blossoms and traditional arts like bonsai.
Historic Japan is adjacent to Fine Art Japan, filled with serene museums featuring art of the past, present and future.
Fine Art Japan is adjacent to Mindful Japan, a soothing place of self-discovery filled with onsens, meditation, torii gates and fish for breakfast.
From there, it's not much of a leap to get to Culinary Japan, with its omakase, sushi counters, market tours and luxe dining experiences.
Drinking Japan is next door, where cozy izakaya offer up frosty mugs of beer and craft cocktail artisans carve perfectly clear blocks of ice into faceted cubes.
The notion of craft that Drinking Japan puts forward becomes a lifestyle in Artisan Japan – this is the world of selvedge denim, antiquing, vintage vinyl, post-third-wave coffee shops and listening bars. There's plenty to geek out on here, which is why it borders on...
Otaku Japan, which encompasses pop culture, video games, anime, kaiju movies and more – a neon-lit haven of nostalgia and a massive draw that increasingly spans demographics.
One of Japan's real strengths as a tourist destination is that, in reality, these worlds overlap to such a degree that every member of a family can get what they want in the same trip – a veritable travel buffet. Mom can visit the Mori art museum, Dad can shop for the perfect pair of limited-edition workwear pants, and the kids can pump 100Y coins into the arcade machines in Akihabara.
In the American consumer's mind, all of these islands float in a tranquil sea of favorable exchange rates and a general sense of public safety. Japan is welcoming to tourists (though sheer overtourism is revealing some cracks here) and, while average income can be shockingly low there's still a general feeling of middle-class-ness in Japan that helps shield tourists from any risk of appearing economically un-woke in their Instagram reels.
If you're planning your own trip to Japan, we have some recommendations for all of these worlds – if you're interested in history, Kyoto is the easy answer – but with its severe overcrowding, we recommend checking out some of Japan's other historic sites, like the castle in Gujo Hachiman; for fine art, Japan's art islands – Naoshima Island and Teshima Island – are truly unreal; you can do them as a day trip, or even stay overnight. For a taste of mindful Japan, head to Nyuto Onsen, a complex of traditional hot springs linked by forest trails. And for culinary Japan, make reservations at Sushi Takeru in Ginza. If you're interested in something less formal, Asari Izakaya is considered by many to be the quintessential izakaya experience, and Music Bar Cave Shibuya is one of Tokyo's best listening bars. For Japanese vintage shopping in Tokyo, check out the Shimokitazawa neighborhood and be sure to make a stop at the Shirohige’s Cream Puff Factory for a delectably cute treat. There's also the antique market at Hanazono shrine every Sunday in Shinjuku, and 10Tow for vintage Japanese fashion. And if you're going full otaku, nothing beats the iconic multi-floor Mandarake Complex where you can find new and vintage toys, games and more.