The "Japan Prefectures' Charm Ranking" generates significant controversy every year, and its popularity has been increasing over the years. Some people may eagerly await its release. On October 14th, the latest edition of the "2023 Japan Prefectures' Charm Ranking" was announced. Can Saga Prefecture, which ranked at the bottom last year, improve its position?
This survey is conducted by the ブランド総合研究所 (Brand Comprehensive Research Institute). The ranking is compiled based on a survey of 34,117 consumers across Japan's 47 prefectures and 1,000 cities and towns. This is the 18th edition of the ranking since it began in 2006.
Hokkaido has ranked first for 15 consecutive years
First, let's take a look at the top-ranking prefectures.
In 2023, the most attractive prefecture is Hokkaido, with a score of 72.4. It has held the top position for 15 consecutive years since the survey began in 2009. Although its score has slightly decreased from last year's 73.3, 56.8% of respondents consider Hokkaido "very attractive," and 31.3% find it "somewhat attractive," meaning a total of 88.1% of respondents are interested in Hokkaido.
Next is Kyoto Prefecture, which has ranked second for 15 consecutive years with a score of 56.6. The combined percentage of respondents who find it "very attractive" and "somewhat attractive" is 75.3%.
The third position is held by Okinawa Prefecture (52.7 points), the fourth by Tokyo Metropolis (49.0 points), and the fifth by Osaka Prefecture (43.3 points). The rankings from first to fifth have remained unchanged from the previous year.
Hokkaido is not the only prefecture with a decrease in its attractiveness score. One of the notable aspects of this year's survey is that the average scores for major survey items, including attractiveness, have shown a declining trend compared to the previous year.
According to the Director of the ブランド総合研究所 (Brand Comprehensive Research Institute), Akio Tanaka, the launch of regional revitalization initiatives in 2015 had an impact on this year's survey.
"During the revitalization period (regional revitalization measures, especially those targeting young people), an image was created where an increasing number of young people admired these regions and wanted to live there. Then, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, moving to rural areas and working remotely became popular, leading more people to relocate to rural regions."
"Furthermore, there was a 'regional revitalization' movement, largely driven by the influence of regional revitalization cooperation volunteers. However, by 2023, when the post-COVID-19 era arrived, this trend had faded, and a sense of reality began to spread. These factors might have contributed to the overall decrease in attractiveness." (Director Tanaka)
What are the two factors behind Aichi Prefecture's rise in the rankings?
At the same time, Aichi Prefecture, which was ranked 20th last year, made a significant leap to the 16th position (29.1 points), with the highest growth rate among all 47 prefectures.
Director Tanaka pointed out two main reasons for this rise in the rankings.
"One is the influence of the Ghibli Park, which expresses the world of Studio Ghibli, and the other is the outstanding achievements of the shogi player Fujii Sota. Mr. Fujii hails from Seto City, Aichi Prefecture, and he made significant efforts to bring a shogi hall to Aichi Prefecture, which previously only had such facilities in Tokyo and Osaka Prefecture."
The success of young individuals can have a positive impact on the image of their hometowns. What sets Mr. Fujii apart is that he attracted attention not only for his shogi matches in the region but also for the lunches and sweets he enjoyed there.
12.0% of people responded that Aichi Prefecture is "very attractive," which is 1.5 times higher than the 8.4% from the previous year. This is particularly noticeable among individuals in their 30s and 40s who are raising children.
The prefecture with the largest increase in ranking is Miyagi Prefecture, rising from 15th place last year to 11th place, with a score increasing from 29.6 points to 32.2 points. The prefecture achieved its highest-ever ranking at 11th place, ranking 10th in the "Travel Momentum" category in the Attractiveness/Behavior Index and 4th nationally in "Purchases of local products and specialties" and "Abundant local ingredients." This is a significant improvement from the 8th and 11th positions from the previous year.
Where is the lowest point this year? Saga Prefecture's ranking is drawing attention
So, how do the lower-ranking prefectures fare?
Saga Prefecture, which ranked 47th last year, is now ranked 46th this year with a score of 13.8, moving up from the bottom position.
Additionally, Ibaraki Prefecture, which ranked 46th last year with a score of 13.7, has replaced Saga Prefecture and now holds the last position. Next in line are Saitama Prefecture at 45th place (15.8 points), Gunma Prefecture at 44th place (16.3 points), and Yamaguchi and Tokushima Prefectures tied at 42nd place (16.6 points).
Ibaraki Prefecture has returned to the 47th position, but the percentage of people who responded as "very attractive" is 4.9%, which is a slight increase from last year's 4.4%.
Director Tanaka commented, "The evaluation from Kanto residents is quite positive. In the Kanto region, 15% of people said they 'definitely want to visit Ibaraki Prefecture,' while in Kyushu, it's 5.1%, and in the Chugoku and Shikoku regions, it's 7.2%." "I believe that the attractiveness of Western Japan has not been fully conveyed yet," he said.
The reasons behind the rising rankings of Kumamoto, Yamanashi, and Tochigi Prefecture
Let's take a look at the prefectures with steadily improving rankings.
Kumamoto Prefecture, ranked 18th (26.3 points), was placed 3rd in the 2023 County Happiness Index published in August this year. It can be considered that, in part, the evaluation by residents has improved due to this influence.
Tanaka said, "The reopening of Kumamoto Castle, the designation of Tsununobashi in Kumamoto's Yama-machi as a national treasure, and the increase in the number of visitors have all contributed to the reputation of Kumamoto Castle."
In addition, Yamanashi Prefecture has seen a significant rise in its ranking from 27th place last year to 21st place this year (24.5 points). The increased interest in the national tourism industry and the recovery of inbound tourism have led to an increase in the number of people climbing Mount Fuji. The fifth station of Mount Fuji is crowded with many foreigners.
The concept of the Fuji Subaru Line LRT (Next-Generation Light Rail Transit) has become a hot topic, considered to be one of the reasons for its appeal. Furthermore, Yamanashi Prefecture's image of "abundant nature" has risen from 8th place last year to 5th place.
Tochigi Prefecture has risen one place from 40th to 39th (18.3 points) compared to the previous year. Director Tanaka mentioned, "The impact of the Utsunomiya-Yaita Light Rail Line, which opened in August, has been significant. The opening of the light rail became a hot topic, and the passenger rate far exceeded expectations. However, it is almost unknown outside of the Kanto region. As its popularity increases, the number of visitors will also increase."
In 2023, the tourism industry ratings across Japan are higher than the previous year. How will the post-COVID era affect future evaluations? We will continue to follow the "Japan Prefectures' Charm Ranking."
Related Article:
