Post-Pandemic Tourists in Japan Favor Crafts and Jewelry Over Cosmetics

Shift in visitor demographics sees fewer Chinese tourists and more from Europe, impacting retail trends.

Post-pandemic tourists to Japan are increasingly buying folk crafts and jewelry, with average spending on traditional handicrafts per visitor up 80% from the same period in 2019.
Sales of cosmetics have decreased by 30% over the same period, reflecting a shift in the demographics of visitors as more people from Europe visit and fewer from China.
Chinese tourists now make up about 10% of the total number of visitors, compared with 30% in 2019.
Duty-free sales at some stores have increased by about 20% from pre-pandemic levels, with more travelers coming from places such as Mexico, Brazil and Poland.
Despite the growth in consumption by tourists, Japan still lags behind other countries in the region when it comes to total spending per visitor.