Kyoto vs Sapporo

Kyoto leads Sapporo by 1 points on the CIRA Index, 71 to 70. Kyoto grades better on 10 measures, Sapporo on 7; the same 35 measures from public sources for both.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• CIRA Index: Kyoto 71, Sapporo 70
• OECD: Kyoto 74, Sapporo 69
• UN Tourism: Kyoto 81, Sapporo 80
• UNDRR: Kyoto 73, Sapporo 65

Theme by theme

• Demand and seasonality: Kyoto 75, Sapporo 63
• Economy and jobs: Kyoto 83, Sapporo 69
• Climate and hazards: Kyoto 55, Sapporo 65
• Water and environment: Kyoto 88, Sapporo 100
• Community and housing: Kyoto 75, Sapporo 63
• Access and continuity: Kyoto 83, Sapporo 75

Where Kyoto is stronger

• Nights in the three busiest months: 27.8 % of annual nights (Kyoto City Tourism Association (DMO KYOTO), Kyoto City Tourism Association Monthly Data Reports, Trailing 12 months: August 2025–July 2026). At or below 30: grade 4/4.
• Largest foreign market: 20 % of international arrivals or nights (The Japan News / Kyoto Municipal Government Tourism Survey, 2025). Between 15 and 20: grade 3/4.
• Recovery against 2019: 126 % of 2019 visitor nights reached in the latest full year (Kyoto City Government / Nippon.com, 2025). At or above 110: grade 4/4.
• Hotel bed or room occupancy: 78.5 % average annual occupancy (Kyoto City Tourism Association (DMO KYOTO), 2024). At or above 75: grade 4/4.
• Jobs in tourism industries: 4.1 % of employment in accommodation and food services (country figure) (World Economic Forum, TTDI 2026 (data: Travel & Tourism Economic Impact Research by World Travel & Tourism Council; Travel & Tourism by World Travel & Tourism Council), 2026). At or below 8: grade 4/4.
• Wildfire and storm hazard: medium (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 2/4.
• Rent growth: 3.6 % change in rents over the last 12 months (Global Property Guide / Statistics Bureau of Japan (SBJ), Q3 2025). Between 3 and 6: grade 3/4.
• Resident support for tourism: 70.1 % of residents who say tourism benefits them or the city (City of Kyoto (Industry and Tourism Bureau), 'Reiwa 7 (2025) Survey on Citizen Attitudes Toward Kyoto Tourism', Sep–Oct 2025). At or above 70: grade 4/4.
• Tourism crisis and recovery plan: A plan with named owners, operators and recovery funding (Kyoto City Government, Kyoto Tourism Promotion Plan 2025, 2021–2025). Grade 3/4.
• Dedicated tourism funding: A dedicated source partly ring-fenced for residents, infrastructure or sustainability (Kyoto City Official Guide / LIVE JAPAN, 2024–2026). Grade 3/4.

Where Sapporo is stronger

• Domestic share of nights: 75.8 % of nights by residents of the same country (Hokkaido Government, Department of Economic Affairs, Tourism Bureau (Hokkaido Tourism Entry Survey Report / MLIT Hokkaido District Transport Bureau), FY2023). At or above 45: grade 4/4.
• Extreme heat days: 0 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.
• Tropical nights: 25 nights a year with a minimum at or above 20°C (last 5 full years) (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2021–2025). Between 10 and 30: grade 3/4.
• Water scarcity: very low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 4/4.
• Green space: 54.3 % of the urban area that is green or tree-covered (City of Sapporo (札幌市), Sapporo Greenery Basic Plan Survey (緑被率調査), 2007). At or above 40: grade 4/4.
• Tourism intensity: 8.8 visitor nights per resident per year (Hokkaido Government (Hokkaido Tourism Entry Survey Report) and Sapporo City Statistics, FY2023). Between 5 and 10: grade 3/4.
• Access redundancy: 3 independent ways in: international airport, intercity rail, port, motorway (metro figure) (Japan National Tourism Organization & Hokkaido Airports, 2026). Between 3 and 4: 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

Kyoto in full · Sapporo in full

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