Senbon Torii (Thousand Torii Gates)

This Country Was Just Named the Safest Place to Travel in Asia in 2025

"A Kyoto shrine famous for its thousand torii gates, where visitors walk through iconic corridors of red gates (photo credit: Courtesy of Andrew Crosby). The site is in Japan, which Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection named the No. 1 safest destination in Asia and ninth safest country worldwide in its annual report; the team wrote, "The country is the exception to the rule that only sparsely populated countries are safe." The report notes that Japan moved up from 12th place in 2024 and adds, "If anything, Japan has become safer in the last few years. More people speak English, so they can help you if you get lost or need help with navigating." The team also cautioned that "According to the State Department, the Japanese government does not discriminate between medical and recreational marijuana. Having either can result in a long jail sentence and a fine." - Stacey Leasca Stacey Leasca Stacey Leasca is an award-winning journalist and co-founder of Be a Travel Writer, an online course for the next generation of travel journalists. Her photos, videos, and words have appeared in print or online for Travel + Leisure, Time, Los Angeles Times, Glamour, and many more. You'll usually find her in an airport. If you do see her there, please say hello. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines