Top most elegant countries in the world 2026 revealed

According to a survey by financial service company Remitly, Japan was identified by more than one-third of the survey participants (35.15%) as a very polite destination for tourists.

This business surveyed 4,600 people from 26 different countries, based on their assessment of their own politeness, as well as experiences in places they have traveled and were politely welcomed by people.

Canada ranked second with a polite score of 13.5%. The United Kingdom ranked third with 6.23%.

China ranked fourth, followed by Germany.

The remaining countries in the top 10 include the Philippines, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and South Africa.

Japan has long been considered one of the most polite countries in the world, shaped by a culture that values respect, social harmony and strict rules of conduct.

This is clearly shown in daily life, such as bowing when meeting, dedicated service style, as well as high community awareness, including maintaining a quiet space and orderly queuing in public places.

A noteworthy point is the difference between objective perception and self-assessment: Japanese people are highly appreciated in the world for their politeness, but they score themselves low, reflecting the element of humility in culture.

Last year, Japan welcomed 42.7 million international visitors, surpassing the record of nearly 37 million visitors in 2024.

Many tourists appreciate this country for its cleanliness, safety and polite culture. Tourists are often impressed with the combination of traditional culture and modern technology, reliable transportation systems and high culinary quality.

Top most friendly countries according to international visitor ratings