Nagoya vs Sapporo
Nagoya leads Sapporo by 2 points on the CIRA Index, 72 to 70. Nagoya grades better on 5 measures, Sapporo on 6; the same 35 measures from public sources for both.
Scores by each organisation's criteria
- CIRA Index: Nagoya 72, Sapporo 70
- OECD: Nagoya 69, Sapporo 69
- UN Tourism: Nagoya 76, Sapporo 80
- UNDRR: Nagoya 67, Sapporo 65
Theme by theme
- Demand and seasonality: Nagoya 71, Sapporo 63
- Economy and jobs: Nagoya 69, Sapporo 69
- Climate and hazards: Nagoya 67, Sapporo 65
- Water and environment: Nagoya 83, Sapporo 100
- Community and housing: Nagoya 75, Sapporo 63
- Access and continuity: Nagoya 71, Sapporo 75
Where Nagoya is stronger
- Nights in the three busiest months: 27.3 % of annual nights (country figure) (World Economic Forum, TTDI 2026 (data: UN Tourism by United Nations World Tourism Organization), 2024, 2025 moving average). At or below 30: grade 4/4.
- Recovery against 2019: 135.2 % of 2019 visitor nights reached in the latest full year (City of Nagoya (Tourism, Culture & Exchange Bureau), Survey on Visitors and Hotel Guests in Nagoya City 2024, 2024). At or above 110: grade 4/4.
- Income per head: 52,361 GDP per capita, USD PPP (region figure) (OECD Regional Statistics via Cabinet Office / Statistics Bureau of Japan, 2021). Between 45,000 and 60,000: grade 3/4.
- Rent growth: 4.3 % change in rents over the last 12 months (Global Property Guide / At Home & Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Research Institute, Apartment Rent Index, Q3 2024–Q3 2025). Between 3 and 6: grade 3/4.
- Access redundancy: 4 independent ways in: international airport, intercity rail, port, motorway (Nagoya Convention & Visitors Bureau and Port of Nagoya Terminal Corporation, 2026). At or above 4: grade 4/4.
Where Sapporo is stronger
- Economic diversity: 64.4 % of employment outside accommodation, food, retail and transport (City of Sapporo / Statistics Bureau of Japan, 2021 Economic Census for Business Activity, 2021). Between 64 and 72: grade 2/4.
- 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.
- 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 crisis and recovery plan: Crisis communication only, ad hoc (City of Sapporo, Tourism & Crisis Management Division, Disaster & Risk Information for Tourists (観光客の皆さまへ（防災・災害情報）), 2026). Grade 1/4.
- Dedicated tourism funding: A dedicated source such as a tourist tax or levy (Hokkaido Prefectural Government & City of Sapporo, 2026). Grade 2/4.
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
Nagoya in full · Sapporo in full
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