Sakaiminato in Tottori Pref. Ranks 1st for Rate of Increase in Foreign Visitors

By Miyu Hayashi / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

8:00 JST, January 25, 2026

TOTTORI — Sakaiminato in Tottori Prefecture ranked first in Japan last summer for the rate of increase in inbound foreign tourists, followed by Yonago in the same prefecture, according to a ranking released by a private company.

According to the data released by the Japan Tourism Agency (JTA), the total number of overnight stays by international visitors in Tottori and Shimane prefectures reached a record high last summer. The demand from inbound tourists, which has been surging across the country, is also reaching these two prefectures in the Sanin region.

Navitime Japan Co., a Tokyo-based provider of route search services for foreign visitors, released a ranking of municipalities based on the year-on-year increase in foreign visitors who stayed overnight between June and August.

According to the ranking, the city of Sakaiminato welcomed 183% more foreign visitors staying overnight than the previous year. Many of these visitors went to Mizuki Shigeru Road and the Sakaiminato marine products sales center.

Meanwhile, Yonago saw a 172% increase, with many staying near JR Yonago Station and in the Kaike Onsen hot spring district. Nichinan in Miyazaki Prefecture came third in the rankings.

According to the Yonago-based San’in Tourism Organization, the JTA data revealed that the prefectures of Tottori and Shimane received a total of 35,670 foreign visitors who stayed overnight in July alone. Tottori Prefecture had 22,890, close to the highest number recorded in November 2018 at 22,920, while Shimane Prefecture had a record-high 12,780.

The organization believes that the increase in international flights to Yonago Airport in Sakaiminato is the main reason for the surge in foreign visitors.

Considering overnight visitors by country or region, Tottori Prefecture received the largest number from China, followed by Taiwan and South Korea. In Shimane Prefecture, Taiwan came first followed by China and South Korea.

Shift to individual trips

An official of the organization cited the shift from group tours to individual trips as another reason for the increase. Since group tourists tend to use sightseeing buses while individuals use their own means of transportation, he said, “Many tourists may choose to stay in Yonago when traveling around the Sanin region because it has good transportation access.”

The Mizuki Shigeru Road is lined with souvenir stores selling items related to yokai monsters, some of which are even labeled in foreign languages. A 39-year-old woman from Taiwan, who was visiting the city with her family in late November, said that this was her fifth visit to Japan this year. She said: “I came here to enjoy the beautiful scenery, delicious food and hot springs. I visit Japan three or four times a year.”

Many foreign tourists visit the Sanin region after seeing Japan’s major tourist attractions in other areas, according to the organization. The organization sells a sightseeing pass called “Discover Another Japan” to encourage visitors to tour around the region.

On the other hand, there are also challenges.

The official of the organization also commented: “We have failed to fully meet the demands of inbound foreign tourists due to a lack of staff and preparation. We would like to help related facilities build a foundation to accept foreign tourists such as by providing basic information in foreign languages on Google Maps, which tourists can use to find stores.”