Over the past few years, the advertising industry has rapidly shifted toward digital channels, a trend accelerated by changes in consumer behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic. At that time, many brands questioned whether physical advertising—particularly Out-of-Home (OOH)—would retain its value in a world dominated by online interactions.
Today, the landscape is markedly different.
As urban mobility rebounds, major train stations, airports, and commercial hubs across Japan have not only recovered but, in some cases, exceeded pre-pandemic foot traffic. At the same time, OOH and digital out-of-home (DOOH) media have broadened the possibilities of what physical advertising can achieve.
Rather than simply competing with digital, OOH is increasingly integrated into the wider digital ecosystem, offering reach, contextual relevance, and measurable impact that were difficult to achieve just a few years ago.
Looking ahead, the question is no longer, “Is physical advertising still effective?” Instead, it has evolved into: “How can OOH work in tandem with digital to deliver smarter, more seamless experiences?”
According to Dentsu Inc., Japan’s advertising expenditures in 2024 have set a new record for the third consecutive year.
Outdoor advertising, while showing a modest growth of 100.8% compared to the previous year, is expected to play an increasingly important role in the future.
Outdoor advertising – Year-on-year growth: 100.8% Networked digital out-of-home (DOOH) media have become well-established as platforms that enable planning and ad delivery using location and other data, and their adoption has expanded across a wide range of industries.
Dentsu Inc.
Meanwhile, transit advertising continues to perform steadily, reaching 108.5% year-over-year growth.
In particular, train interior ads—which for a period showed empty inventory or in-house placements—have noticeably recovered. Screens above the doors, hanging posters, and large digital displays inside stations now appear fully utilized and consistently active.
● Railway: In-car media such as car vision screens, hanging posters, and stickers exceeded the previous year. Station media also performed well, supported by new large-scale installations and strong demand for jack-type media such as large-scale signage and boards.
● Airports: Driven by a rebound in inbound demand, digital signage installations exceeded the previous year.
● Taxis: While revenue increased due to some media price increases and new media options, it fell below the previous year due to budget reductions by B2B companies.
While the demand for internet advertising continues to grow year by year, and it is clear that this growth currently exceeds that of OOH and transit media. However, the expansion of Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) installations—particularly in major urban areas—combined with advancements in audience measurement technology, is driving renewed attention toward OOH media. Today, OOH campaigns can be integrated with digital advertising data, enabling advertisers to analyze audience movement and engagement with far greater accuracy than before.
● Tokyo Metro has introduced new digital screens at ticket gates, “Metro Gate Vision”, targeting high-value audiences such as business commuters.
● Tokyu Agency has implemented MilCount™, a measurement system that tracks how many people actually see the screens—helping advertisers better understand campaign impact.
●Additionally, media and real estate companies have launched new large-format digital signage, including the Ōtemachi Tower Vision in one of Tokyo's major business districts.
For our 2022 installmen, we spoke with Mr. Kataura, a member of our outbound sales team. He shared first-hand insights on OOH and DOOH advertising trends in Japan, highlighting practical takeaways for international brands targeting B2B audiences.
We've updated this article as follows:
Physical Communication Still Matters
Business in Japan is still largely built on physical interactions. People—especially those in their 40s and older—tend to prefer face-to-face communication, both within their companies and with partners and clients.
Kataura, Bigbeat Inc.
Integrating OOH with Digital Channels
Physical media alone is no longer enough. Integrating OOH with digital touchpoints, such as campaign-specific websites, social media, and QR codes, can help brands increase awareness, engagement, and measurable results.
Prime Locations for OOH in Tokyo
One common question is: “Where should we place OOH ads in Tokyo?”
According to Mr. Kataura, Tokyo, Shinagawa, and Shibuya stations offer high exposure to business audiences.
Shibuya: B2C vs. B2B Targeting
The Shibuya Scramble Crossing is ideal for B2C targeting, especially younger audiences. For B2B, consider Shibuya South, where tech companies like Google have offices. Redevelopment in this area has increased the number and creativity of OOH placements.
Key takeaway:
• Shibuya Crossing → B2C, younger demographics
• Shibuya South → B2B, business professionals
Transit Advertising: Repeated Exposure
Digital and poster ads inside trains and stations are highly effective for reaching professionals during their commute. Tokyo commuters spend an average of 40–50 minutes per ride, providing repeated brand impressions.
Ads inside stations or on trains often reach more business professionals than signage outside the stations.
Kataura, Bigbeat Inc.
Additionally, train riders are frequently engaged with smartphones—over 50% search for products or services during transit—making OOH and mobile a strong complementary strategy.
Taxi Advertising: Reaching Decision Makers
Taxis in Tokyo now feature screens playing short video ads visible to passengers. While trains are widely used, taxis are often preferred by executives and senior managers, making this an effective channel for B2B campaigns.
Slots for taxi ads are highly sought after and usually booked 3–6 months in advance.
Strategic Takeaways
B2B campaigns in Japan often follow a bottom-up decision-making process: middle managers gather information and make proposals to executibottves. Exposure to OOH can make executives more familiar with your brand, smoothing the approval process.
• Define your audience
• Select media that matches their behavior
• Combine OOH and digital for maximum impact
OOH advertising in Japan remains highly effective, especially when strategically integrated with digital campaigns.
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