Matthias Lim
17 Nov 2022
Love For All Things Japanese Changing Youths’ Travel Choices
Youths have grown an interest in Japanese scenery, anime and food. MATTHIAS LIM finds out more.
When he found out that Japan’s borders were going to reopen, Mr Derek Koh, 24, a DJ who’s been heavily involved in the anime and cosplay community for over 10 years, started to dream of visiting the place that captured his heart.
“My dream one day is to explore Japan,” Mr Koh said. “I want to go to where they filmed the scenes for Kamen Rider and do a photoshoot there while cosplaying as a Kamen Rider character.”
And he isn’t alone in his excitement. According to an article published by MothershipSG on Aug 10, 2022, Japan is the number one holiday destination choice for 68 percent of Singaporean youths aged 18 to 24. According to a recent survey by The Visionary, 55 percent of youths aged 18 to 24 said that anime, Japanese food and the scenery in Japan were the top three reasons that they wished to go there.
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Anime fans queuing up at a booth in an anime convention. (Photo credit: MATTHIAS LIM)
The biggest reason why youths have become obsessed with travelling to Japan is because of anime. In an article published by CBR.com on Dec 17, 2020 and according to a recent survey by The Visionary respectively, there was over a 100 percent increase in the number of people who watched anime on Netflix in 2020 while 53.4 percent of youths aged 18 to 24 in Singapore who watch anime only started doing so in the last year.
Right now, it wouldn’t be uncommon to strike up a conversation about the latest anime of the season. But this didn’t used to be the case before the pandemic.
“Back then, people were making fun of me for liking anime, but (the) joke’s on you. Right now, this thing is cool,” said Ms Kywuns (did not wish to give her full name), 24, who’s been watching anime for over 10 years.
After watching anime, many youths like Mr Koh have become inspired to visit the places depicted in these shows. One such place is Salon de The Rond in Tokyo’s National Art Center, an important place in Kimi no Na wa (Your Name), one of the most popular anime films of all time. According to a blog published by Klook, a travel site, on Jul 20, 2022, such places have seen an increase in popularity after being depicted in anime.
However, anime isn’t the only thing that Japan is known for. Japan is also famous for its food.
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Many Singaporeans enjoying food at a store that specialises in a famous Japanese dish called Ramen. (Photo credit: MATTHIAS LIM)
Tourist hotspots in Japan such as Hokkaido and Osaka are well known for their good food. From golden-brown takoyaki balls to piping-hot ramen, youths are flocking to Japan to fill their stomachs with these local delights.
As world-class food enthusiasts, Singaporeans have loved Japanese cuisine for the longest time. But recently, Japanese food has seen a surge in popularity in Singapore. In an article published by The Business Times on May 25, 2022, Japan Foods Holding, one of the leading Japanese Food and Beverage (F&B) groups in Singapore, experienced a 46.4 percent increase in profits during a six-month period between 2021 and 2022.
Now that Japan’s borders have reopened, many youths have started to crave Japanese food straight from its homeland. According to a recent survey by The Daily Vision, three in four youths aged 18 to 24 want to go to Japan in order to eat the food there.
“I’ve always wanted to go to Japan just for the food. I really wanna try (all the) different foods that can only be (gotten) in Japan,” said Mr Denzyl Kum-Thomas, 18, a foodie.
When people think about Japan, something else that they think about is its beautiful scenery. From its rolling fields to its mountainous regions, Singaporeans flock to Japan to bask in the fantastical atmosphere that surrounds Japan.
“I went to (Mount) Fuji the last time I went to Japan (14 years ago). The amount of fog around it made it feel out of this world. Just seeing this extinct volcano surrounded by fog felt really, really mystical,” said Mr Kum-Thomas.
GaijinPot, a news website, asked their readers to describe Japan in two words. Commenters gave a wide variety of opinions, but the most common responses were ‘beautiful’ and ‘peaceful’.
Singaporeans have imagined Japan as a place where their fantasies can come to life. Whether it be going to Meiji Shrine in Tokyo or climbing up Mount Fuji, youths like Mr Kum-Thomas long to visit this place straight out of their dreams.
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