[Asked 160 International Tourists in Shinjuku] Survey on International Tourists' Winter Sports Experiences in Japan ~ Repeaters are the Main Group. What is Japan's Appeal as a Winter Sports Destination? ~

TST Entertainment Inc. (Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and President: Yoshinori Toko), through its inbound research service 'youknowme' (read: Yunomi), which extracts the "real voices" of international tourists in a dialogue format, collaborated with Alpen TOKYO to conduct a survey of 160 international tourists at Alpen TOKYO and Tokyu Kabukicho Tower (both in Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo). The survey focused on "Winter Sports Experiences of International Tourists Visiting Japan." In winter Shinjuku, many international tourists were seen carrying ski and snowboard equipment. Why did they choose to enjoy winter sports in Japan? Let's take a look at their travel itineraries and actual experiences during their trips. ① Over half of international tourists visiting Japan for winter sports are young repeat visitors. Their stays are typically long, often two weeks or more. ② What are the most popular winter sports, areas, and spending amounts among international tourists? "JAPOW" is the biggest attraction. ③ Travelers often plan surprisingly packed schedules, with some enjoying winter sports for several days. * When citing or reprinting public data, please clearly state 'According to youknowme.' * Company names, product names, and service names mentioned in this release are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. ■ Survey Overview Survey content: Survey on winter sports experiences of international tourists visiting Japan Survey dates: February 18, 2026 (Wednesday) - March 8, 2026 (Sunday) Survey locations: ① Alpen TOKYO (8th floor, winter sports equipment handling floor) 　　　　 ② Tokyu Kabukicho Tower, 2nd and 3rd floors Target audience: International tourists visiting Japan Survey format: Interview-based survey using questionnaires by researchers Number of respondents: 160 (156 cases at ①, 4 cases at ②) * Response rates (%) are rounded to the first decimal place, so the total may not always be 100%. Cooperation: Alpen TOKYO 【Basic Attributes of Respondents】 ① More than half of international tourists visiting Japan for winter sports are young repeat visitors. There is a tendency for long stays of two weeks or more. According to the survey results, among international tourists who came to Shinjuku for winter sports, young people in their 20s (33.8%) and 30s (38.8%) accounted for about 70%. Regarding the number of visits to Japan, "5 times or more (43.8%)" was the most common, followed by "3-4 times (20.6%)" and "2nd time (13.1%)," indicating that about 80% of visitors had visited Japan two or more times, meaning a large number of repeat visitors. When asked about their length of stay, "14 days or more" was the most common at 30.0%, and the total for stays of 7 days or more was approximately 90% of the total, indicating a strong tendency for overall long stays. ② What are the most popular winter sports, areas, and spending amounts among international tourists? "JAPOW" is the biggest attraction. Next, let's look at the popular winter sports among international tourists. In the question asking about winter sports already enjoyed or planned to be enjoyed, "snowboarding (69.4%)" was the most common, followed by "skiing (41.9%)". In addition, although a minority, there were also responses for ice skating, backcountry, and snow trekking. In the question asking about visited or planned areas, "Hakuba area (36.3%)", "Yuzawa/Joetsu Kokusai area (21.3%)", and "Nozawa Onsen/Madarao (19.4%)" ranked high as areas with good Shinkansen access from Tokyo, with "Niseko (22.5%)" in Hokkaido ranking second. About 70% of people moving to winter sports destinations used the Shinkansen. So, what is the appeal of Japanese winter sports that attracts international tourists to Japan? In the question asking the reason for choosing Japan as a winter sports destination, "snow quality" was the most frequent answer at 69.4%, significantly surpassing other reasons. In the question asking about the differences in winter sports with their home country (free answer), many specific comments about snow quality were received, such as "Snow quality (Hong Kong, 30s female)" and "Great snow, food, friendly people. (USA, 30s female)." About 60% of people spent 50,000 yen or more on winter sports. Japan's powder snow is known as "JAPOW" and its appeal is already known worldwide. Niseko in Hokkaido, surpassing areas with good Shinkansen access from Tokyo, ranked second, and about 60% of people spent 50,000 yen or more on winter sports.