Kyoto vs Nagoya

Nagoya leads Kyoto by 1 points on the TRAIL Index, 72 to 71. Kyoto grades better on 6 measures, Nagoya on 4; the same 37 measures from public sources for both.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• TRAIL Index: Kyoto 71, Nagoya 72
• OECD: Kyoto 74, Nagoya 69
• UN Tourism: Kyoto 81, Nagoya 76
• UNDRR: Kyoto 73, Nagoya 67

Theme by theme

• Demand and seasonality: Kyoto 75, Nagoya 71
• Economy and jobs: Kyoto 83, Nagoya 69
• Climate and hazards: Kyoto 55, Nagoya 67
• Water and environment: Kyoto 88, Nagoya 83
• Community and housing: Kyoto 75, Nagoya 75
• Access and continuity: Kyoto 83, Nagoya 71

Where Kyoto is stronger

• 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.
• 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.
• Green space: 35 % of the urban area that is green or tree-covered (City of Kyoto, 'Kyoto City Basic Green Plan' (京都市緑の基本計画), 2010). Between 30 and 40: grade 3/4.
• 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 Nagoya is stronger

• Domestic share of nights: 73.1 % of nights by residents of the same country (City of Nagoya (Tourism, Culture and Exchange Bureau), '名古屋市観光客・宿泊客動向調査（2024年）', 2024). At or above 45: 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.
• Tourism intensity: 5.9 visitor nights per resident per year (City of Nagoya, '名古屋市観光客・宿泊客動向調査（2024年）' & Aichi Prefecture Population Survey ('あいちの人口 愛知県人口動向調査結果 年報'), 2024). Between 5 and 10: 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.

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 · Nagoya in full

The TRAIL Index ranking · City vs city · How the index works · TRAIL Studio · Put your city in the pilot