2026 Obon Travel Trends from Willer Travel

Many of us expats in Japan undoubtedly know the feeling of trying to time a trip around peak travel periods. Aside from Golden Week, Obon is one of the busiest (and often most expensive) times of the year to travel, and a new survey suggests that rising transportation costs are making many people rethink their plans.

A recent survey by Willer Marketing (the folks behind the Willer Travel brand) of 1,829 travelers found that nearly half of respondents (47.1%) have no plans to travel home during the 2026 Obon holiday, with rising transportation costs playing a significant role in that decision.

Among those who do plan to travel, half said the cost of returning home has increased compared to last year. While around 80% of respondents said their ideal round-trip budget is under ¥10,000, about half ultimately expect to spend more than they would like.

The findings highlight a growing trend towards choosing transportation based on both budget and purpose. The Shinkansen and highway buses were tied as the most popular travel options, each selected by 58.7% of respondents. However, express buses stood out as the preferred way to cut costs (I'm sure this has to do with who was conducting the survey!), with many travelers saying they're willing to trade a little extra travel time for substantial savings.

If you're planning a summer getaway or visiting friends and family elsewhere in Japan, booking well in advance and remaining flexible with your travel dates can make a noticeable difference to your budget.