Agoda announces Japanese solo travel trends

Digital travel platform Agoda has released the latest search data on "solo travel" among Japanese travelers. According to accommodation search data from Agoda, interest in solo travel among Japanese travelers increased by 11% year on year for international travel and by 17% for domestic travel, revealing that demand for traveling alone is steadily expanding both within Japan and abroad.

The data compares search activity by Japanese solo travelers from January 1 to December 31, 2025, with the same period in the previous year (2024).

For international travel, the cities that attracted the most interest from Japanese solo travelers are as follows:

1. Seoul
2. Bangkok
3. Taipei
4. Hong Kong
5. Honolulu

All of these cities share the advantages of convenient access from Japan, a strong sense of safety, and well-developed transportation infrastructure, making them popular choices as easy and reassuring destinations for first-time solo overseas travelers.

Among them, Seoul stands out as a particularly popular destination for solo travelers, especially for trips focused on beauty and wellness. In addition, the ability to efficiently enjoy a wide range of experiences — such as dining, shopping, and sightseeing — even during short stays is also believed to be a key factor driving its appeal among Japanese solo travelers.

For domestic travel, interest in solo travel increased by 17% year on year, surpassing the growth seen in international travel.

The cities with the highest search volumes among Japanese solo travelers were major urban centers such as Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka, Sapporo, and Yokohama.

Meanwhile, the following regional cities emerged as destinations with particularly high growth in demand for solo travel.

• Chiba (up 67% year on year)
• Takamatsu (up 62% year on year)
• Okayama (up 46% year on year)
• Izumisano (up 41% year on year)
• Saitama (up 40% year on year)

Many of these cities are characterized by convenient access to major airports or the presence of an airport, suggesting that they are being chosen not only for domestic trips but also as gateways for solo travel abroad.

In particular, Takamatsu and Okayama stand out for their strong balance of convenience and tourism resources despite being regional cities and have garnered especially high popularity among Japanese solo travelers.

These findings reflect a growing interest in regional cities that allow travelers to avoid crowds and enjoy trips at their own pace, as well as the needs of solo travelers who place importance on flexible itineraries centered around airports.

Tadashi Ikai, senior country director for Japan at Agoda, said: "In Japan, solo travel is becoming established not as a special travel style, but as an everyday choice. Domestically, interest is growing in regional cities, while internationally, travelers are interested in destinations that are easy to access and offer a sense of safety and comfort during their stay. Agoda will continue to provide accommodation options and travel products that cater to the diverse needs of solo travelers."

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