What Sweets Do Visitors Buy in Japan? Matcha Tops Both Wish Lists and Past Purchases

A survey by the Consumer Aesthetics and Cultural Tourism Society Japan found that matcha topped both the “most wanted” and “previously purchased” rankings of sweet flavors among travelers visiting Japan.

TOKYO, JAPAN (MERXWIRE) – “I bought a lot of matcha-flavored sweets on this trip because my family really loves matcha and specifically asked me to bring some home,” said Noah Anderson, a visitor from the United States. Even before he left for Japan, his family had put matcha treats on his shopping list. Ms. Chou, a traveler visiting Uji in Kyoto, is herself a matcha enthusiast. “I’ve always loved matcha sweets. That slight bitterness goes perfectly with something sweet,” she said. Whether fulfilling requests from family or choosing gifts for friends, travelers turn to matcha not only for its gently bitter flavor and lingering sweetness, but also because these green-hued treats evoke a sense of Japan.

Matcha Tops Both Rankings, With Half of Respondents Eager to Buy

The Consumer Aesthetics and Cultural Tourism Society Japan surveyed international visitors to Japan about the sweet flavors they most wanted to buy and those they had purchased before. Matcha ranked first in both categories, selected by 50% and 49% of respondents, respectively. Half included matcha among the flavors they most wanted to purchase, while nearly half had already bought matcha-flavored products.

Strawberry and chocolate/cocoa were also popular, placing in the top three in both rankings. Among the flavors respondents most wanted to buy, strawberry came second at 39%, followed by chocolate/cocoa at 35%. In the previously purchased category, chocolate/cocoa ranked second at 42%, while strawberry placed third at 36%. Travelers’ past purchases did not entirely mirror their current wish lists. Matcha, however, held the top spot in both.

Beyond Matcha, What Else Do Travelers Want to Buy?

Outside the top three, chestnut/Mont Blanc ranked fourth among the most-wanted flavors at 28%, ahead of milk/cream/vanilla at 24% and cheese at 23%. Sweet potato/purple sweet potato attracted 19%, while hojicha, or roasted green tea, drew 17%. Both chestnut/Mont Blanc and hojicha recorded higher purchase intentions than past purchase rates, suggesting potential for these flavors to attract more interest among travelers.

Red bean/sweet red bean paste ranked fourth among previously purchased flavors at 29%, but placed ninth on the most-wanted list at 15%. Milk/cream/vanilla and cheese ranked fifth and sixth in past purchases, at 25% and 23%, respectively. The two rankings reveal differences between the sweets travelers have brought home before and those they now most want to put in their shopping bags. Matcha, strawberry and chocolate/cocoa, however, secured the top three positions on both lists.

Official Survey: More Than 70% of Visitors Buy Confectionery

Japan welcomed approximately 42.68 million international visitors in 2025, up 15.8% from the previous year and setting a new record, according to full-year estimates released by the Japan National Tourism Organization. The rise in arrivals was accompanied by record tourism spending. Japan Tourism Agency figures show that international visitors spent 9.4549 trillion yen in 2025, with shopping accounting for 27% of the total. Among general visitors, average shopping expenditure per person per trip was 61,136 yen. From browsing for clothes and luxury goods to choosing souvenirs for family and friends, shopping is often an important part of planning a trip. What to buy—and where to buy it—frequently becomes a focus of travelers’ pre-departure research.

Confectionery is a particularly common purchase. According to the Japan Tourism Agency’s 2025 annual report on international visitor spending, 72.7% of visitors purchased confectionery, including cakes, cookies and candy. That exceeded the shares purchasing clothing, at 47.9%, and other food, beverages and tobacco, at 41.7%. By market, 83.4% of visitors from South Korea purchased confectionery, followed by 79.0% from Taiwan, 76.4% from China and 70.7% from Hong Kong. As inbound tourism remains strong, demand for confectionery continues to be substantial. Tourist attractions, airports and convenience stores offer a wide range of matcha products for travelers to choose from.

From Overseas Cafés to Japanese Souvenirs, Matcha’s Popularity Endures

Matcha’s appeal extends beyond visitors to Japan, with sales also continuing to rise overseas. According to trade statistics from Japan’s Ministry of Finance, Japanese green tea exports reached a record 12,612 metric tons in 2025. Export value totaled approximately 72.1 billion yen, nearly double the previous year’s figure. Powdered green tea, including matcha, was a key contributor to that growth. The Norinchukin Research Institute noted that the growing popularity of matcha lattes overseas has helped drive exports of powdered tea suited to cafés and retail markets.

Matcha’s appeal among overseas consumers reflects both growing interest in health and greater attention to Japanese food culture. Its versatility also broadens its appeal: it can be blended into lattes or incorporated into cakes, cookies and other sweets. Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has identified health-conscious eating trends and growing overseas interest in Japanese cuisine as factors driving demand for powdered green tea, including matcha. For travelers, matcha may already be a familiar flavor. Visiting Japan, however, offers the pleasure of choosing from a wide variety of matcha products in person—and bringing them home to share with family.

Media Contacts:
Consumer Aesthetics and Cultural Tourism Society Japan

PR Agency:
MERXWIRE INC.
Ada Huang
[email protected]

SOURCE: Consumer Aesthetics and Cultural Tourism Society Japan