How Japan replaced France as the country young Americans obsessively romanticize—they’re longing for civility they don’t see at home

Gen Z travelers are flocking to Japan in record numbers, and many say they are chasing something they no longer expect to find at home: everyday civility. American Express travel data show bookings to Japan among Gen Z and millennials have surged 1,300% since 2019, turning the country into an idealized escape where trains are on time, streets are spotless, and strangers are unfailingly polite.

What began as a niche interest in anime, manga, and sushi has hardened into a full-blown obsession for young Americans, especially Gen Z.