Japan's prefectural attractiveness ranking results for 2026

Every year, I find myself checking Japan's prefectural attractiveness rankings with perhaps more interest than they deserve, and I'm not entirely sure why. I guess there's just something fascinating about seeing how people perceive the different parts of Japan, particularly when those perceptions can be quite different from my own.

The latest rankings from the Brand Research Institute once again put Hokkaido firmly at the top. It has now held the number-one spot for 18 consecutive years, scoring 68.0 points. Kyoto and Okinawa followed in second and third place, with the same top three for seven years running.

Tokyo came fourth, while Osaka climbed to sixth, helped in part by the legacy of the 2025 Osaka Expo. Nagasaki also broke into the top ten, reaching eighth.

The result I was particularly pleased to see was my own home prefecture of Niigata, which climbed six places to 22nd. The rise was partly attributed to interest in the Sado Island Gold Mines, which became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2024.

Having lived in Niigata for years, I think 22nd is pretty cool to see. It can sometimes be overlooked in favor of Japan's better-known destinations, despite having spectacular mountains, rice fields, skiing, coastlines, hot springs and some seriously good food.