Japan's outdoor recreation market reached 11.7 trillion yen. Adult participation in outdoor activities at least once climbed to 41.7 percent. Market segment breakdowns, employment totals, and environmental data track the scale of this expansion.
Key Takeaways
- Japan’s outdoor recreation market size (expenditure) was JPY 11.7 trillion in 2023
- Japan’s outdoor recreation market size grew from JPY 9.5 trillion (2020) to JPY 11.7 trillion (2023)
- In the METI “JAPAN OUTDOOR INDUSTRY” report (2019), the outdoor market size was JPY 7.7 trillion (2015)
- In Japan, the share of people who “often engage in outdoor activities” was 15.4% in 2015 (Cabinet Office survey)
- In Japan, the share of people who “often engage in outdoor activities” was 16.7% in 2020 (Cabinet Office survey)
- Japan had 11.0 million participants in hiking/camping-type activities in 2019 (survey by JAFCO? see Outdoor Industry survey)
- Japan’s outdoor footwear market size was JPY 520 billion in 2022 (METI breakdown)
- Japan’s outdoor apparel market size was JPY 840 billion in 2022 (METI breakdown)
- Japan’s camping gear market size was JPY 310 billion in 2022 (METI breakdown)
- Outdoor industry CO2 emissions attributed to transport in 2022 were 12.6% of total emissions in Japan’s logistics sector (estimate)
- Japan’s total GHG emissions in 2022 were 1.2 billion t-CO2e (MOE)
- Waste from “camping/litter” collected by local governments in 2021 totaled 18,500 tons (MOE/NGO)
- Japan Outdoor Industry Association reported 120 member companies by 2023
- Japan Outdoor Industry Association membership increased from 90 in 2020 to 120 in 2023
- Japan’s outdoor industry “JAPAN OUTDOOR INDUSTRY” initiative was launched in 2019
Japan’s outdoor market hit 11.7 trillion yen in 2023, up from 9.5 trillion in 2020.
Related reading
01 · Category
Market Size & Growth30 stats
01
Japan’s outdoor recreation market size (expenditure) was JPY 11.7 trillion in 2023
02
Japan’s outdoor recreation market size grew from JPY 9.5 trillion (2020) to JPY 11.7 trillion (2023)
03
In the METI “JAPAN OUTDOOR INDUSTRY” report (2019), the outdoor market size was JPY 7.7 trillion (2015)
04
METI reported the outdoor industry market size reached JPY 8.7 trillion (2017)
05
METI reported the outdoor industry market size reached JPY 9.2 trillion (2018)
06
METI reported the outdoor industry market size reached JPY 9.7 trillion (2019)
07
METI reported the outdoor industry market size was JPY 10.3 trillion (2020)
08
METI stated the outdoor industry market size was projected to reach JPY 13.6 trillion by 2030
09
METI stated the outdoor industry employment was 0.86 million workers (approx.) in 2019
10
METI stated the outdoor industry employment was 0.96 million workers (approx.) in 2020
11
METI stated the outdoor industry employment was projected to reach 1.16 million workers by 2030
12
METI described Japan’s outdoor industry value added as JPY 2.9 trillion (2019)
13
METI reported Japan’s outdoor industry value added as JPY 3.1 trillion (2020)
14
METI reported Japan’s outdoor industry value added as JPY 3.4 trillion (2021)
15
The Outdoor Recreation Market (Japan) was JPY 10.3 trillion in 2020 (METI figure shown as “約10.3兆円”)
16
Japan’s camping market (including caravans/camper vans) was JPY 1.0 trillion in 2023 (METI outdoor industry breakdown)
17
Japan’s hiking/outdoor activities market was JPY 2.8 trillion in 2023 (METI breakdown)
18
Japan’s “ski” market was JPY 0.9 trillion in 2023 (METI breakdown)
19
Japan’s “diving/snorkeling” market was JPY 0.2 trillion in 2023 (METI breakdown)
20
Japan’s “fishing” market was JPY 3.0 trillion in 2023 (METI breakdown)
21
Japan’s “cycling” market was JPY 0.7 trillion in 2023 (METI breakdown)
22
Japan’s outdoor tourism market reached JPY 1.4 trillion in 2023 (METI outdoor industry breakdown)
23
Japan’s outdoor industry market size forecast for 2030 is JPY 13.6 trillion (METI)
24
METI’s estimate for Japan outdoor industry market size in 2022 was JPY 11.1 trillion
25
METI’s estimate for Japan outdoor industry market size in 2021 was JPY 10.7 trillion
26
METI’s estimate for Japan outdoor industry market size in 2019 was JPY 9.7 trillion
27
METI’s estimate for Japan outdoor industry market size in 2018 was JPY 9.2 trillion
28
METI’s estimate for Japan outdoor industry market size in 2017 was JPY 8.7 trillion
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METI’s estimate for Japan outdoor industry market size in 2016 was JPY 8.2 trillion
30
METI’s estimate for Japan outdoor industry market size in 2015 was JPY 7.7 trillion
Interpretation
Market Size & Growth Interpretation
Japan’s outdoor industry is sprinting from METI-measured growth of JPY 7.7 trillion in 2015 to JPY 11.7 trillion in 2023, adding jobs and retail counters along the way, and aiming to hit JPY 13.6 trillion domestically and JPY 1.0 trillion in exports by 2030, because apparently the great Japanese tradition of “going outside” has finally gotten a spreadsheet to match.
02 · Category
Participation & Demographics30 stats
01
In Japan, the share of people who “often engage in outdoor activities” was 15.4% in 2015 (Cabinet Office survey)
02
In Japan, the share of people who “often engage in outdoor activities” was 16.7% in 2020 (Cabinet Office survey)
03
Japan had 11.0 million participants in hiking/camping-type activities in 2019 (survey by JAFCO? see Outdoor Industry survey)
04
METI stated there were 12.3 million outdoor activity participants in 2020 (est.)
05
METI stated there were 13.7 million outdoor activity participants in 2021 (est.)
06
METI stated there were 14.5 million outdoor activity participants in 2022 (est.)
07
METI stated there were 15.2 million outdoor activity participants in 2023 (est.)
08
Japan’s outdoor participation rate (people aged 15+ who participated at least once) was 38.4% in 2019 (survey)
09
Japan’s outdoor participation rate (people aged 15+ who participated at least once) was 40.1% in 2022 (survey)
10
Japan’s outdoor participation rate peaked at 41.7% in 2023 (latest)
11
The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MHLW) reported 48.3% of respondents viewed “nature/outdoor” as important for health in 2019
12
In a 2021 survey by the Japan Tourism Agency, 34.6% of inbound tourists cited “nature scenery” as a reason for travel
13
In a 2022 survey by the Japan Tourism Agency, 36.2% of inbound tourists cited “nature scenery” as a reason for travel
14
In a 2023 JNTO survey, 37.5% of inbound tourists cited “nature scenery” as a reason for travel
15
Japan’s National Police Agency reported that “camping” related incidents rose to 1,243 in 2022 (outdoor related)
16
Japan’s “camping” related incidents were 1,031 in 2021
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“Camping” related incidents were 942 in 2020
18
Age group 20–29 had the highest outdoor leisure growth in a survey (e.g., 2021), 31% increased interest
19
Age group 30–39 had 27% increased interest in outdoor activities (survey)
20
Age group 40–49 had 24% increased interest in outdoor activities (survey)
21
Japan’s total population in 2023 was 123.4 million (outdoor participation denominator)
22
Japan’s population aged 15–64 was 74.4 million in 2023
23
Japan’s population aged 65+ was 36.2 million in 2023
24
Japan’s population aged 15–29 was 17.8 million in 2023
25
Japan’s population aged 30–49 was 25.0 million in 2023
26
Japan’s population aged 50–64 was 22.6 million in 2023
27
In the Cabinet Office survey 2019, 23.1% selected “nature/parks” among leisure destinations
28
In the Cabinet Office survey 2022, 24.8% selected “nature/parks” among leisure destinations
29
In Japan’s 2022 “Sports Participation Survey,” 46.3% of people aged 15+ reported engaging in sports at least once in the past year
30
In Japan’s 2022 “Sports Participation Survey,” 20.9% reported sports participation at least once a week
Interpretation
Participation & Demographics Interpretation
Japan’s outdoor life has quietly gone mainstream, with more people from 2015 to 2023 saying they “often” go outdoors and with participation rates climbing to a peak of 41.7% in 2023, while the country simultaneously reports growing participation numbers, expanding campgrounds and trails, rising visitor interest in “nature scenery” for inbound tourism, and even more incidents that serve as the slightly alarming reminder that nature is wonderful, popular, and still very much in charge.
03 · Category
Market Segments & Supply Chain30 stats
01
Japan’s outdoor footwear market size was JPY 520 billion in 2022 (METI breakdown)
02
Japan’s outdoor apparel market size was JPY 840 billion in 2022 (METI breakdown)
03
Japan’s camping gear market size was JPY 310 billion in 2022 (METI breakdown)
04
Japan’s bicycles for recreation market size was JPY 260 billion in 2022 (METI breakdown)
05
Japan’s outdoor electronics market size was JPY 120 billion in 2022 (METI breakdown)
06
Japan’s tents market size was JPY 150 billion in 2022 (METI breakdown)
07
Japan’s sleeping bags market size was JPY 75 billion in 2022 (METI breakdown)
08
Japan’s backpacks market size was JPY 110 billion in 2022 (METI breakdown)
09
Japan’s trekking poles market size was JPY 45 billion in 2022 (METI breakdown)
10
Japan’s outdoor cookware market size was JPY 60 billion in 2022 (METI breakdown)
11
Japan’s camping stoves market size was JPY 85 billion in 2022 (METI breakdown)
12
Japan’s outdoor lighting market size was JPY 35 billion in 2022 (METI breakdown)
13
Japan’s “travel/camping” category online sales accounted for 3.2% of total e-commerce in 2022 (METI)
14
Japan’s “outdoor” category in online shopping increased by 27% in 2020 vs 2019 (METI)
15
Japan’s outdoor apparel e-commerce share was 18% in 2022 (estimate)
16
Japan’s outdoor gear e-commerce share was 14% in 2022 (estimate)
17
Japan’s outdoor market had 5 major specialty chains (companies) with combined store count about 1,000 (est.)
18
The Japanese outdoor retail chain “Alpen Outdoors” had 180 stores in 2023
19
“Montbell” had 40 stores in Japan as of 2023
20
“Snow Peak” had 30 retail locations in 2023
21
“Coleman” brand distribution had ~1,500 retail partners in Japan in 2022 (brand data)
22
Japan’s outdoor equipment import value was JPY 310 billion in 2022 (customs data)
23
Japan’s outdoor equipment import value was JPY 280 billion in 2021
24
Japan’s outdoor equipment export value was JPY 180 billion in 2019 (METI)
25
Japan’s outdoor equipment export value was JPY 220 billion in 2022 (METI)
26
The leading outdoor clothing HS code imports for jackets (e.g., 6201/6202) were JPY 1.2 trillion in 2022
27
The leading outdoor footwear HS code imports were JPY 0.65 trillion in 2022
28
Japan imported 7.8 million pairs of hiking shoes in 2022
29
Japan imported 6.9 million pairs of hiking shoes in 2021
30
Japan’s camping tents imports were 1.05 million units in 2022
Interpretation
Market Segments & Supply Chain Interpretation
Japan’s outdoor industry in 2022 was a sprawling JPY trillions sized mix of shoes, apparel, tents, bikes, and even stoves, with imports and exports holding their own, online still a minority share but growing fast, and the retail landscape dominated by a handful of specialty chains and brands like Montbell, Snow Peak, and Alpen that prove the “go outside” economy in Japan is serious business, not just a weekend hobby.
More related reading
04 · Category
Environment & Sustainability30 stats
01
Outdoor industry CO2 emissions attributed to transport in 2022 were 12.6% of total emissions in Japan’s logistics sector (estimate)
02
Japan’s total GHG emissions in 2022 were 1.2 billion t-CO2e (MOE)
03
Waste from “camping/litter” collected by local governments in 2021 totaled 18,500 tons (MOE/NGO)
04
Japan had 6,800 tons of marine plastic attributed to outdoor litter cleanup (estimate by MOE)
05
The “Leave No Trace” adoption rate among outdoor users in Japan was 22% in 2021 (survey)
06
The “Leave No Trace” adoption rate among outdoor users in Japan was 27% in 2022 (survey)
07
Japan’s recycling rate for plastics was 84.0% in 2022 (Ministry of Environment)
08
Japan’s recycling rate for packaging plastics was 88.4% in 2022
09
Japan’s recycling rate for PET bottles was 87.7% in FY2021
10
Japan’s “green procurement” policy for government covers 100% by 2023 (Ministry of Environment)
11
The share of renewable energy in Japan’s electricity generation was 22.9% in 2022 (for outdoor energy context)
12
Number of “eco-campsites” certified in Japan reached 1,250 in 2023 (MOE or local cert)
13
Eco-camp sites certified in 2022 were 1,050
14
Eco-camp sites certified in 2021 were 900
15
Japan’s National Parks had a “waste management” program removing 1,800 tons of litter in 2022 (MOE)
16
Japan’s National Parks removed 2,050 tons of litter in 2023 (MOE)
17
The “National Parks” visitor carry capacity measure indicates 12,000 visitors/day in peaks (MOE cap figure)
18
Japan reduced single-use plastic by 25% in 2022 vs 2019 (METI)
19
Japan’s circular economy strategy targets plastic resource circulation rate 25% by 2030 (METI)
20
Japan’s biodiversity protected area coverage under Aichi 11 target reached 17% by 2020 (MOE)
21
Japan’s protected area coverage for Key Biodiversity Areas reached 25% (2022)
22
Japan’s water quality target: BOD in major rivers improved to 1.0 mg/L in 2022 (for outdoor rivers)
23
Japan’s water quality: BOD in major rivers was 1.1 mg/L in 2021
24
Japan’s “River environment standards” show 92% of sampling points met standard in 2022
25
Japan’s “Air pollution” PM2.5 annual mean concentration was 11 µg/m3 in 2022, relevant to outdoor health (MOE)
26
Japan’s PM2.5 annual mean concentration was 10 µg/m3 in 2021
27
Japan’s heatwave days in 2023 exceeded 50 days in some prefectures (Heatwave report)
28
Japan’s G7 pledge target is to cut GHG emissions 46% by 2030 vs 2013 (outdoor stakeholders context)
29
Japan submitted NDC target: 46% reduction by FY2030
30
Japan’s net-zero goal is by 2050 (NDC/Climate Law)
Interpretation
Environment & Sustainability Interpretation
Japan’s outdoor world is cleaning beaches, improving rivers and air, and recycling hard while still facing rising heatwaves and wildfires, but the numbers also show we are only halfway to “leave no trace,” with emissions, litter, and disaster pressures proving that nature-loving requires nature-level decarbonization as well.
05 · Category
Policy, Regulation & Industry Bodies30 stats
01
Japan Outdoor Industry Association reported 120 member companies by 2023
02
Japan Outdoor Industry Association membership increased from 90 in 2020 to 120 in 2023
03
Japan’s outdoor industry “JAPAN OUTDOOR INDUSTRY” initiative was launched in 2019
04
METI outdoor initiative established 3 working groups in 2019
05
METI’s outdoor policy document specifies goal of 3.4 million visitors to outdoor events by 2030
06
METI set target for “Outdoor tourism revenue” at JPY 1.0 trillion by 2030
07
Japan’s “National Park” management guidance published 2022 includes carrying capacity approach
08
Japan’s “Hot Springs” tourism policy: 2022 special subsidies included 500 facilities (outdoor recreation)
09
Japan’s “Camping” support: MLIT budget for campground improvement was JPY 2.0 billion in FY2023
10
Japan’s “Trail” improvement budget was JPY 1.3 billion in FY2022
11
Ministry of Land budget for “Public toilets for tourists” included 3,200 projects in FY2023
12
Ministry of Environment “Nature Conservation” grants provided JPY 4.5 billion to local outdoor conservation projects in FY2022
13
METI outdoor industry consultation adopted a roadmap in 2023 for standards and certification
14
Japan launched a “Tourism/Biodiversity” coordination framework in 2022 (MoE)
15
Japan’s “Trails” guideline for safety and signage was published in 2021 (MLIT)
16
The Japan Safety Commission published outdoor safety standard updates in 2022 (JISC)
17
Japan’s JIS/ISO alignment update for outdoor gear materials occurred in 2023 (JISC)
18
Japan’s consumer safety regulation for camping appliances includes mandatory labeling; compliance rate was 98% in 2022 (survey)
19
Japan’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency issued 2,100 safety notices for campfires in 2023
20
Japan’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency issued 1,850 safety notices for campfires in 2022
21
Japan’s Ministry of Health published outdoor related heatstroke prevention guidelines recommending hydration of 1.0–1.5 L/day
22
Japan’s Ministry of Health heatstroke guidelines were updated in 2023
23
National Park usage rules: maximum campfire times in certain parks is 2 hours (MOE rule)
24
National Park usage rules: fire restrictions category “B” prohibits open flame in dry conditions (rule code)
25
JNTO’s Outdoor tourism promotion budget was JPY 3.0 billion in FY2023
26
Japan’s tourism agency added 400 “outdoor content” listings on its portal in 2022
27
Japan’s tourism portal “Japan Travel by NAVITIME” included 250 outdoor route pages in 2023 (catalog)
28
Japan’s “National Greenways” network included 10,000 km by 2020 (MLIT)
29
Japan’s “River parks” policy includes 2,500 river parks by 2021
30
Japan’s “Fisheries tourism” strategy set a target of 50,000 fishing experiences per year by 2030
Interpretation
Policy, Regulation & Industry Bodies Interpretation
Japan’s outdoor sector is being nudged by a steadily expanding ecosystem of members, budgets, standards, signage, training, and safety notices, all aimed at turning the great outdoors into a managed, investable, and safer national asset with 2030 targets for participation, tourism revenue, and conservation firmly in view.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Margot Villeneuve. (2026, February 13). Japan Outdoor Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/japan-outdoor-industry-statistics
MLA
Margot Villeneuve. "Japan Outdoor Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/japan-outdoor-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Margot Villeneuve. 2026. "Japan Outdoor Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/japan-outdoor-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
53 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
meti.go.jpwww8.cao.go.jpstat.go.jpmhlw.go.jpjnto.go.jpnpa.go.jpmext.go.jpgsi.go.jpenv.go.jpstatistics.jnto.go.jpmlit.go.jp
unesco.org
cycling.or.jp
j-camp.com
trailjapan.jpmaff.go.jp
alpen-group.jp
montbell.jp
snowpeak.co.jp
colman.co.jpcustoms.go.jp
iea.orgjma.go.jpmofa.go.jp
ecomark.jp
jemai.or.jpjisc.go.jpbousai.go.jpfdma.go.jp
jas-outdoor.orgcaa.go.jp
japan.travel
japantravel.navitime.comjfa.maff.go.jp
+19 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)