Highlights
- Anime tourism Asia is rapidly expanding, with travel searches rising 195% YoY, driven largely by Gen Z audiences.
- Seichi junrei (anime pilgrimage) continues to boost destinations like Washinomiya Shrine and iconic anime locations across Japan.
- Tourism economy impact includes rising hotel bookings, convention travel demand, and cross-border anime event participation.
In 2026, anime has become one of Asia’s fastest-growing travel drivers, influencing how younger tourists prioritize destinations, hotels, and experiences. Anime tourism, the practice of traveling to destinations linked to anime series, films, or conventions, has now become Asia's most visible travel trend.
According to Trip.com data released this month, searches for anime- and comic-related travel experiences across Asia surged 195% year over year in 2026. The tourists are primarily from neighbouring countries, including South Korea, Taiwan, the Philippines, and Hong Kong.
During Anime Japan 2026 in Tokyo, Trip.com recorded a 697% year-on-year jump in international ticket sales, with buyers spanning 82 countries and regions. More than half of those buyers were between the ages of 25 and 34, highlighting Gen Z as the primary engine of anime-inspired travel demand.
Japan's Anime Pilgrimage Tourism
At the core of anime tourism in Asia is ‘anime pilgrimage tourism,’ known in Japan as seichi junrei, where fans visit real-world locations featured in anime series or films. A 2024 Japan Tourism Agency survey found that 11.8% of tourists in Japan mentioned visiting anime and movie-related sites as primary reasons for their trip.
Destinations such as Washinomiya Shrine, associated with Lucky Star, and anime districts in Tokyo have become recurring stops for international visitors due to the growth in anime tourism. Another example of seichi junrei is the viral staircase near Suga Shrine in Yotsuya, the stairs were featured at the end of the Your Name anime movie.
The Kamakura-Koko-mae railway crossing, made famous by the basketball manga Slam Dunk, has drawn significant overseas crowds alongside its local following. Since 2018, Japan’s Anime Tourism Association has promoted the annual “Anime Spot 88” list to encourage regional travel beyond major cities. The list combines 88 spots across the country, featured in various anime series and films through voting.
Anime Tourism’s Economic Impact
A Japan Tourism Agency survey found that foreign visitors grew from 4.6% in 2019 to 7.5% in 2023, in places associated with movies and anime. Travel companies are also targeting anime fans as part of broader Gen Z travel trends and experiential travel Asia strategies.
Hotels are also seeing a surge in bookings due to anime tourism. Odaiba, which hosts Summer Comiket 2026 in August, is seeing a 78% year-on-year increase in hotel bookings during the event window. Established hubs for otaku culture, Akihabara and Ikebukuro, are also recording an average 10% year-on-year rise in hotel bookings on Trip.com.
Japan welcomed more than 42.5M international visitors in 2025, with cultural tourism and repeat travel among the strongest growth drivers. Tourism spending also reached roughly $60 billion USD, according to Japan travel industry estimates.
Anime tourism Asia extends well past Japan's borders. Hong Kong Comic Con 2026 has attracted overseas ticket buyers from mainland China and Southeast Asia. Anime fandom driving tourism economy reflects how entertainment IP now shapes travel behavior across Asia. For Japan especially, anime tourism has evolved into a part of the country’s soft power and tourism strategy.
