Look out, Canadians: if you’re heading to Japan, you’ll have to fork over some extra cash to travel there.
But this doesn’t just apply to Canada’s residents. In an effort to decrease overtourism, all tourists will have to pay more if they want to visit some of Japan’s most iconic attractions
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International Tourist Tax in Japan
Although the international tourist tax is not new to Japan, this is the highest it will ever be in the country. This price increase will apply all throughout the country.
The tax applies specifically when travellers depart the country, whether that be by plane or cruise, according to Japan’s National Tax Agency. Although, children under the age of two are exempt from this tax. Notably, the fee is charged by airlines and cruise lines, meaning that you won’t have to pay it separately.
It was announced on March 27 that the Japanese government approved a proposal to increase the country’s international tourist tax. As of now, tourists are required to pay ¥1,000 (C$8.71) when departing. When the increase kicks in, travellers will instead pay triple that amount to ¥3,000 (C$26.14).
The fee is reportedly being increased so that Japan may tackle its overtourism problem
Overtourism
Japan isn’t one of the world’s biggest travel hotspots for no reason. The country is filled with both futuristic and historic adventures, beautiful architecture, and delicious food. It’s known for being an extremely safe place to visit, as well.
But with that comes tourists– a lot of them. Japan is one of Canada’s more popular travel destinations with 580,000 Canadians having visited in 2024, a record-breaking high.
In April, Kyoto’s geisha district Gion experienced a number of reports of tourists bothering geishas for photos. Tourists were then banned from entering private alleys, sparking further conversation on Kyoto’s overtourism problem.
The international tourist tax in Japan is set to go into effect in July 2026.
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