DELHI, 8 December 2025: For years, Japan has been defined internationally by its iconic cherry blossom season. But a shift in behaviour is emerging among Indian travellers.
According to Cox & Kings, one of India’s trusted travel brands, Japan has become a top winter bucket-list destination, with demand for December–February departures rising 15% year over year.
Cox & Kings’ traveller insights point to several defining shifts behind the winter surge. The winter illumination season is becoming a primary driver of travel. From Tokyo Midtown’s Illumination Walk to the famous Nabana no Sato light gardens, Japan’s winter lighting festivals, among the world’s most elaborate, are now trending among Indian couples, families and young travellers. These attraction-based evenings are becoming a high-FOMO seasonal experience.
Indian travellers are also leaning into Japan’s deep winter culture. Snow-based experiences like skiing, snow villages, wildlife trails, snowy hikes, and open-air onsens (hot springs) are proliferating. The magic is in the contrast: steaming baths against snowy forests, winter street-food stalls, and quiet, white-covered lanes. It’s a season where snow, culture and comfort come together.
“Japan in winter has a completely different soul,” said Cox & Kings Director, Karan Agarwal. “From local food trails to cultural rituals and unhurried neighbourhood days, travellers want depth, and winter is when Japan reveals its most authentic side. Already among the top choices for 2025, Japan’s growing winter appeal now makes it a truly all-season destination”
Travellers are also increasingly exploring culture beyond sakura (spring cherry bloom). Tea ceremonies in Kyoto, winter food tours in Osaka, kimono-dressing workshops, traditional ryokan stays, and “onsen circuits” (hot spring baths) in Hakone are seeing strong traction. Interest in slow-travel experiences such as neighbourhood stays in Kyoto’s Gion district, curated cooking workshops, and local craft has also grown over the last year.
Data from Cox & Kings shows that bookings for next year’s cherry blossom itineraries are already up by 10%, showing that winter demand is not replacing the cherry blossom season; it is expanding the overall Japan travel curve.
(Source: Cox & Kings)
