European and UK visitors to Japan can currently take advantage of free domestic Japanese flights in a new offer conjured up by tourism authorities and Japan’s largest airline to encourage tourists to explore the country’s lesser-known destinations.
Under the latest initiative by the Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO) and All Nippon Airways (ANA), when making an international booking until 31 January 2026, eligible economy passengers from the UK and Europe can book up to two free additional standard tickets for domestic flights, as long as departure dates are any time after 31 January.
ANA domestic flights 🤝 visit to Takamatsu
— All Nippon Airways (@FlyANA_official) November 24, 2025
Like an ANA flight, this city has so much to offer! Here’s what to expect when traveling to this culturally rich gem in Kagawa Prefecture. 🎥#JapanStartsHere #FlyANA #AllNipponAirways pic.twitter.com/TkS6tanaZq
Branded “Stopover & Add-on Free Fare,” the deal is available through travel agents and direct bookings with ANA, both inside and outside of Japan. The scheme allows air passengers flying into major international airports such as Tokyo and Kyoto to add a return trip to another region without paying the extra airfare, only needing to cover the relevant taxes and fees, which still apply.
Overtourism has been a sore subject in Japan since the return of post-COVID-19 travel, when a surge in visitor numbers to the East Asian archipelago began and has not yet relented. A record-breaking 36.9 million tourists visited Japan in 2024, according to Nippon.com, and authorities continue to target growth to 60 million, despite destinations from hiking paths at Mount Fuji to photogenic floating shrines introducing tourist access fees to help them better manage the impact of so many visitors. In Kyoto, signs have had to be erected pleading with visitors to leave geishas in peace, and one town had to block its own view of Mount Fuji to prevent traffic issues as guests tried to capture the perfect shot.
It’s a phenomenon with real-world consequences: over 30% of visitors in 2024 said they experienced congestion and bad behaviour, and over 90% of guests have expressed the wish to get off the tourist trail and visit more regional areas, yet fewer than 10% have done so. It’s not the first time an offer like this has been made by Japanese authorities to make it easier and less expensive for long-haul international visitors to turn their trip to Japan into a longer, multi-stop stay.
With over 40 domestic destinations in its network, ANA says the offer will make countrywide adventures “easier and genuinely affordable,” as well as promote a different type of tourism, as visitors make “deeper, more sustainable engagement with Japan’s culturally diverse regions.”
