More families in Japan not traveling over the New Year

As expats in Japan, many of us probably know the annual December dilemma. Do you spend a small fortune heading home for New Year's, or stay put, save the money, and keep everyone's sanity intact? A new survey from Ikoyo Family Lab looked at this topic from a domestic POV, and found that many Japanese families are wrestling with the exact same question.

Holiday season travel, or staying put? More people are opting for the latter according to a recent survey. 

According to the data, about 40% of households with children won't be traveling back to their hometowns this winter, and even among those who do go, the most common "homecoming" is for just half a day. It seems like more and more people are leaning into the concept of the quick, wallet-friendly trip, and honestly, it tracks with what a lot of us as expat families are often already doing. Airfares back to many other countries in late December (at least, to mine, in peak summer/holiday season) can be eye-watering, and even if you're staying in Japan, domestic hotels aren't cheap either thanks to inbound tourism and seasonal pricing.

The survey did find that around 30% of families who skip hometown visits still plan to travel, and that's usually to onsen towns, ski resorts, or theme parks. However, the majority plan to stay home, rest, and avoid both crowds and costs. If you've ever chosen Netflix and nabe at home over a mad travel dash, you can consider yourself perfectly in step with local trends.

For expats, I think this offers a bit of reassurance. I think some of us may feel guilty about not flying halfway across the world every New Year, but plenty of families here are making the same cost-driven decisions!