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Outdoor activities in Japan - statistics & facts

Outdoor activities covered here are leisure activities done outdoor that are mostly nature related. Common outdoor activities in Japan include camping or caravanning, as well as mountain climbing or hiking, but a plethora of other land-based and water-based outdoor activities exist. The element of sports is often present, but not a prerequisite to meet the definition of outdoor activity. Japan’s geography provides nature lovers ample possibilities to engage in outdoor activities. With approximately 70 percent of the land consisting of mountains, most of which are densely populated by forests, the stage is set for unique camping experiences and hiking trips. Outdoor activities can be enjoyed privately or in the shape of organized tours or events. Visiting outdoor facilities and scenic spots in one’s vicinity is commonplace among outdoor enthusiasts, and most camping session outings are short. Famous touristic destinations include the seaside resorts in Okinawa Prefecture, hikes around and on Mt. Fuji, as well as the winter sports destinations in Hokkaido Prefecture and other prefectures in northern Japan.
Recently, the outdoor business-related market was on a growing course but contracted in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite this, terms relating to mainstream outdoor activities such as camping were buzzing in Japanese society, as activities outside of confined spaces were deemed safer than indoor leisure activities and hence became more attractive to people.

Who is engaging in outdoor activities?

Urbanization is highly advanced in Japan, as the share of the urban population surpasses 90 percent. The majority of people live in the city and contact with nature is not self-evident. Despite this remoteness to nature, more than half of the adult population in Japan has engaged in hiking or mountain climbing before, and likewise, roughly one in two adult Japanese had experiences with camping. Men tend to manifest a higher desire for most outdoor activities than women. Next to the gender disparity regarding outdoor practitioners, an age group disparity is on the rise, with outdoor experiencing a revival among younger generations. An increasing number of young people are interested in and intend to engage in representative outdoor activities such as camping. The fact that interest in outdoor and outdoor equipment is growing is also shown by the increasing sales revenue at businesses in certain segments of the outdoor market.

New trends: solo camping, glamping, and workcation

Solo camping and glamping are two neologisms that recently came to prominence in the Japanese outdoor scene. As can be inferred by the name, solo camping generally refers to camping done by oneself. Motivations for solo camping are manifold. The desire to spend some quality time alone, away from hectic city life, the sense of freedom it provides, or the feeling of connectivity to nature are a few examples. Glamping is a composite word stemming from glamorous and camping and intends to provide amenities usually absent from standard camping, while at the same time offering all the benefits that camping brings with itself. Glamping has moved into the center of attention as it caters to the needs of people who want to enjoy nature without its hardships, and as a means of stress relief for high-end workers. “Workcation” is another trendy composite term, the amalgam of work and vacation, which goes well with glamping and fits into the current spirit of the times. Another indicator that camping is on an upward trend is the steady growth of the total sales value of camping vehicles in Japan in recent years.
This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date data than referenced in the text.
Published by Alexandru Arba, Dec 19, 2023

Key insights

Size of the outdoor business market
347.56bn JPY
Number of visitors at national parks
207.66m
Outdoor sports activity with the highest participation rate
Cycling
Get more insights

Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

Sales revenue of the outdoor business market in Japan from fiscal year 2019 to 2022 with a forecast until 2025 (in billion Japanese yen)

Parks & Outdoors

Outdoor business market size in Japan FY 2019-2025

Number of mountaineers to climb Mount Fuji in Japan from 2010 to 2023 (in 1,000s)

Land-based Activities

Number of Mount Fuji climbers in Japan 2010-2023

Share of people participating annually in outdoor sports activities in Japan in 2022, by type of activity

Parks & Outdoors

Annual participation rate in outdoor sports activities in Japan 2022, by type

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