Kobe vs Tokyo

Tokyo leads Kobe by 6 points on the CIRA Index, 81 to 75. Kobe grades better on 3 measures, Tokyo on 8; the same 35 measures from public sources for both.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• CIRA Index: Kobe 75, Tokyo 81
• OECD: Kobe 72, Tokyo 79
• UN Tourism: Kobe 80, Tokyo 87
• UNDRR: Kobe 76, Tokyo 74

Theme by theme

• Demand and seasonality: Kobe 58, Tokyo 92
• Economy and jobs: Kobe 69, Tokyo 100
• Climate and hazards: Kobe 67, Tokyo 45
• Water and environment: Kobe 92, Tokyo 81
• Community and housing: Kobe 92, Tokyo 75
• Access and continuity: Kobe 79, Tokyo 92

Where Kobe is stronger

• Extreme heat days: 1.2 days a year at or above 35°C (last 5 full years) (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2021–2025). At or below 5: grade 4/4.
• Green space: 31.4 % of the urban area that is green or tree-covered (Kobe City Construction Bureau, Basic Plan for Greenery (Draft), 2024). Between 30 and 40: grade 3/4.
• Rent growth: 1.4 % change in rents over the last 12 months (Tokyo Kantei, Condominium Rent Monthly Trends, April 2025 – April 2026). At or below 3: grade 4/4.

Where Tokyo is stronger

• Largest foreign market: 20.4 % of international arrivals or nights (region figure) (Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Bureau of Industrial and Labor Affairs, Survey on Behavioral Characteristics of Foreign Tourists by Country/Region (2024), 2024). Between 20 and 30: grade 2/4.
• Recovery against 2019: 140.5 % of 2019 visitor nights reached in the latest full year (region figure) (Japan Tourism Agency (JTA), Overnight Travel Statistics Survey (宿泊旅行統計調査), 2024). At or above 110: grade 4/4.
• Average length of stay: 5.2 nights per visitor (region figure) (Japan Tourism Agency (JTA) International Tourist Survey / Osaka Prefecture analysis, Apr–Dec 2023). At or above 3.5: grade 4/4.
• Hotel bed or room occupancy: 76.3 % average annual occupancy (region figure) (Japan Tourism Agency (JTA), Overnight Travel Statistics Survey (宿泊旅行統計調査), 2024). At or above 75: grade 4/4.
• Income per head: 78,694 GDP per capita, USD PPP (region figure) (OECD Regional Statistics via Cabinet Office / OECD, 2021). At or above 60,000: grade 4/4.
• Tropical nights: 93.6 nights a year with a minimum at or above 20°C (last 5 full years) (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2021–2025). Between 60 and 100: grade 1/4.
• Tourism crisis and recovery plan: A plan with named owners, operators and recovery funding (Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Industrial and Labor Affairs Bureau, 2025–2026). Grade 3/4.
• Dedicated tourism funding: A dedicated source partly ring-fenced for residents, infrastructure or sustainability (Tokyo Metropolitan Government Bureau of Taxation / The Standard, 2026). Grade 3/4.

Country context (World Economic Forum)

• Japan: #1 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026
• Japan: #1 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026

Kobe in full · Tokyo in full

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