'Selfie tourism' sees onsen town record 4 million visitors in a single year

Kusatsu Onsen in Gunma Prefecture has announced that a record breaking number of tourists visited during the last 12 months.

According to official figures released by the town authorities, the number of tourists visiting Kusatsu Onsen in the last year (April 1st, 2024 – March 31st, 2025) reached an unprecedented 4,019,418 visitors.

This is the first time that the number of visitors exceeding the four million mark for the first time in the town’s history.

It also marks the second consecutive year that Kusatsu Onsen has set a new record for annual visitor numbers, signaling a sustained period of growth and increasing popularity.

The Yubatake hot spring is located in the center of the town

The town attributes this remarkable success to its catering to the preferences of younger generations of travelers.

The town’s proactive initiatives to cultivate a “photogenic” environment are considered a key factor in attracting the younger demographic.

These efforts include the illumination of the iconic Yubatake, the central hot spring field and a major symbol of Kusatsu Onsen, which has resulted in visually appealing night-time scenery that is highly shareable on social media platforms.

The Yubatake hot spring is now lit up during evenings

Additionally, the town has developed a new tourist area known as “Urakusatsu,” featuring trendy cafes, restaurants, and other establishments designed to appeal to contemporary tastes.

The “Onsenmon” gate, a relatively new landmark serving as a symbolic entrance to the hot spring town, also contributes to the overall aesthetic appeal and provides a popular spot for photographs.

Recognizing the power of social media in reaching younger audiences, the Kusatsu Onsen Tourism Association has been actively collaborating with social media influencers, inviting them to experience and share the attractions of Kusatsu Onsen with their followers.

The local tourist association have also been trying new and unique ways to promote the town such as recreating it as a playable area in the Fortnite video game.

A screenshot of the game Fortnite showing a virtual recreation of a Japanese town — Players can virtually visit Kusatsu Onsen while playing Fortnite

This use of digital marketing has increased awareness and interest among younger demographics, leading to an influx of young people visiting the town.

This forward-thinking approach appears to be yielding results, as evidenced by the substantial increase in visitor numbers.

A closer examination of the tourism trends reveals a consistent upward trajectory.

The 2024-25 figure represents an 8.6% increase compared to the 3,701,300 visitors recorded in fiscal year 2011, demonstrating a long-term pattern of growth.

Many visitors arrive in Kusatsu Onsen via the towns bus terminal

March 2025 coincided with the spring break period in Japan and witnessed an exceptionally high number of visitors, with 432,887 tourists flocking to Kusatsu Onsen.

This monthly figure stands as the highest ever recorded, and highlights the historic resort town’s growing appeal.

These recent figures also indicate that the local torusim industry is seeing recovery and growth beyond pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels, suggesting that Kusatsu Onsen has successfully navigated the post-COVID challenges faced by the tourism industry in recent years.

Local businesses in Kusatsu Onsen are also experiencing the positive impact of the recent shift in visitor demographics towards younger tourists.

The town has a number of hotels and guest houses centered around the hot springs

At Idei Flower Shop, located near the Yubatake, the traditional customer base of older couples celebrating anniversaries has been increasingly supplemented by younger couples.

Between January and March 2025 alone, the flower shop received approximately 30 orders for roses specifically for marriage proposals, indicating a romantic appeal to younger visitors.

A 58-year-old woman working at the flower shop expressed her delight, noting an increase in orders from smaller inns that cater to the growing number of young people staying in Kusatsu.

Looking towards the future, Kusatsu Onsen is continuing to invest in its tourism infrastructure.

Kusatsu Onsen has a long history as a hot spring resort town

Plans are underway for the rebuilding of the nearby ski resort’s rest house, with completion expected by the end of the current year.

The town also has plans to construct a new resort hotel, aiming to further enhance the accommodation options and attract a wider range of visitors.

Continuous investment in infrastructure and tourism initiatives suggests that Kusatsu Onsen is poised to maintain its position as a leading hot spring destination in Japan and continue its trend of attracting record numbers of visitors.

Source: Yomiuri Shimbun