[Youth Now! Youth Survey] Gen Z Isn't Going "To See Autumn Leaves." They're Going "To Wear Autumn Clothes." Autumn Outings Are Now "Fashion-Driven." Thorough Verification of New Travel Behavior Using Google Maps

Reaplus Inc. (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Shion Matsumoto) conducted a qualitative survey on "Autumn Outings" targeting Gen Z through its youth insight marketing service "Youth Now!".

The survey revealed that the motivation for autumn outings has shifted from the traditional "seeing autumn leaves" or "visiting tourist spots" to "creating lasting memories by taking photos while wearing favorite autumn outfits."

Furthermore, new decision-making structures for autumn outings have emerged, including:

- Thorough review of reviews on Google Maps

- Distrust of social media advertising

- Strong stress from crowds and waiting times

- Reverse-planning travel centered around events

Survey Overview

Survey Name: Trend Insights on Gen Z Autumn Outings

Organizer: Reaplus Inc.

Survey Method: Group Discussion (Qualitative Survey)

Participants: Gen Z men and women Survey Date: June 17, 2026

*This survey is an exploratory study to clarify the structure of communication behavior and value standards, not statistical quantitative data.

Survey Summary (Excerpts)

1. "Autumn clothes" are the objective, and the "travel destination" becomes the backdrop.

Many participants expressed a desire to "take photos wearing autumn clothes."

For young people, autumn is the season when they can enjoy fashion the most, due to:

- Enjoyment of layering

- Good compatibility with hair color

- Ability to express their unique worldview

Therefore, the observed behavior was to seek out natural spots not to see autumn leaves, but "places where autumn clothes look best."

2. "Learn on social media, trust on Google Maps."

After discovering a spot on TikTok or Instagram, young people invariably move to Google Maps to check:

- Photos from general users

- Reviews

- Crowd status

Official website photos and advertisements are not trusted; real information from third parties serves as the final decision-making material.

*Only a portion of the results are excerpted in this release.

A full report, including results for all questions and detailed data, can be requested by contacting us via the link below.

Youth Now! is also offering free marketing consultations, so please feel free to inquire.

Report Request: https://www.youthnow.jp/report/gen-z-autumn-outing-2026

Download Report

Example Report Content

Spot selection driven by autumn fashion and thorough avoidance of crowds/discomfort risks

Spontaneous local outings and event-driven reverse-planning travel

Implications for Companies and Brands

1 Appeal with "Autumn Fashion Appeal" rather than "Autumn Leaves."

It is important to design not only the scenery but also "how one will appear in photos at that location."

2 Google Maps optimization is as important as social media optimization.

Beyond official photos, the availability of real photos and reviews from general users influences visit rates.

3 Sell "Crowd Avoidance" as a Value.

Young people prioritize comfort over popularity. Visualizing crowd status and suggesting off-peak times can be a significant differentiator.

4 Simplify the reservation and payment process to the extreme.

Minimize the time from social media discovery to reservation completion. Designing for digital stress reduction, such as group reservations and individual payments, is required.

◼️ CEO Comment

"What was impressive in this survey was that the main focus of autumn outings has shifted from 'tourist destinations' to 'oneself.'

Young people are going out not to see the scenery, but to wear their favorite autumn clothes and capture that moment as a photograph.

Furthermore, they rarely trust information solely from social media, and the behavior of checking third-party reviews and photos on Google Maps was common.

In future tourism and leisure marketing, it will be important to design experiences that include not only appealing to the scenery but also 'what kind of self can be expressed at that location.'"

<Profile> CEO, Reaplus Inc.

Shion Matsumoto

Born in 1999.

Analyzes the decision-making of Gen Z and Gen Alpha from three perspectives: "behavioral economics," "social media data," and "practical field experience," across multiple businesses including advertising agency operations, influencer marketing, D2C, and research.

Excels at structurally organizing and implementing solutions for marketing challenges in the social media era, such as "buzzing but not selling" and "not reaching young people," from the viewpoint of whose words are reaching, and in what context.

Strengths include a real management perspective gained from operating multiple businesses and the ability to verbalize an understanding of young people without relying on intuition.

Reaplus's Specialized Support for Solving Youth-Related Issues

It is important to structurally grasp Gen Z's behavior and values, not just observe them as trends, but understand "why they arise and how they spread."

Reaplus provides solutions tailored to corporate challenges through unique research focused on young people using YouthNow!, and marketing design that originates from social media and content.

Services Provided (SERVICES)

1 Questionnaire Surveys

[See the reality of purchasing behavior through numbers]

Quantifies product usage scenarios and purchasing behavior to visualize Gen Z's decision-making patterns. Provides "evidence data" for target audience design and sales promotion strategies.

2 Influencer Interviews

[Explore emerging trends from the perspective of creators]

Interviews with influencers with tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of followers.

Analyzes the factors that generate empathy from the "creators" of trends.

3 Group Interviews

[Capture moments of empathy through words]

Visualizes the emotional tone that cannot be seen in quantitative surveys through group discussions with 4-8 young people.

Extracts "true feelings" and "unconscious needs" from conversations.

4 Gifting Surveys

[Measure how experiences influence purchase intent]

Provides products and services to young people and visualizes changes in purchase intent simultaneously with social media posting.

Discover real voices after receiving the product, which differ from before use.

5 One-Stop Solution Proposal

[As one team, until data is transformed into measures]

Analyzes survey results and translates them into marketing and advertising measures.

Designs actionable plans based on insights.

6 Trend Survey Reports

[Observe the "now" of young people at a fixed point]

Periodically distributes reports summarizing youth trends across industries.

Can be used as input for internal documents and future planning.

Anticipated Use Cases

Development and rebranding support for new products targeting young people

Verification of direction for social media and influencer strategies

Design and effectiveness analysis of campaigns for the youth market

Youth trend reports / custom surveys, etc.

Companies and brands facing challenges in acquiring "young people and Gen Z and wanting to effectively approach the target audience."

"Wanting to create a 'brand experience that resonates' with Gen Z users."

"Wanting to leverage surveys like this for their own product development and marketing."

Companies and brands facing the above challenges are welcome to consult with us for free marketing consultations!

▶︎ Contact Us Here

https://youthnow.jp

Inquiries

Company Overview

Company Name: Reaplus Inc.

Location: 9-8 Sarugaku-cho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Urban Park Daikanyama 0208

Representative: Shion Matsumoto, CEO

Establishment Date: July 20, 2023

Business Activities: Communication Produce Business / Insight Business /

Talent Support Business / Casting Business / Subsidy Support Business / D2C Business

HP: https://reaplus.jp/

note: https://note.com/reaplus_