Japan Instagram Highlights in 2018

Instagram boomed in Japan in 2018. Between October 2017 and September 2018, it grew by 45% to 29 million monthly active users in the country uploading 7 million Stories every day.

It has also become the most used channel for businesses to conduct influencer marketing on.

As we look towards 2019, here’s what happened in Instagram in 2018.

Most Popular Instagrammers

1. Naomi Watanabe | @watanabenaomi703 | 8.4 million followers

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A post shared by 渡辺直美 (@watanabenaomi703) on Jul 13, 2018 at 8:06pm PDT

2. Rola | @rolaofficial | 5.2 million followers

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A post shared by 𝐑𝐎𝐋𝐀🇯🇵🇧🇩🇷🇺 (@rolaofficial) on Dec 14, 2018 at 8:51pm PST

3. Kiko Mizuhara | @i_am_kiko | 5.1 million followers

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A post shared by i_am_kiko (@i_am_kiko) on Oct 22, 2018 at 9:37am PDT

4. Yukina Kinoshita | @yuukiiinaaa | 4.9 million followers

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A post shared by yuuukiiinaaa (@yuuukiiinaaa) on Dec 11, 2018 at 6:07pm PST

5. Nozomi Sasaki | @nozomisasaki_official | 3.5 million followers

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A post shared by 佐々木希 (@nozomisasaki_official) on Dec 12, 2018 at 9:42pm PST

6. Erika Toda | @toda_erika.official | 3.2 million followers

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A post shared by 戸田恵梨香 (@toda_erika.official) on Jun 14, 2019 at 5:07am PDT

7. Takayuki Yamada | @takayukiyamadaphoto | 3 million followers

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A post shared by 山田孝之 (@takayukiyamadaphoto) on Sep 25, 2018 at 3:55am PDT

8. Kento Yamazaki | @kentooyamazaki | 3 million followers

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A post shared by 山﨑賢人 (@kentooyamazaki) on Jul 26, 2018 at 3:25am PDT

9. Kasumi Arimura | @kasumi_arimura.official | 2.9 million followers

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A post shared by kasumi arimura 有村架純&staff (@kasumi_arimura.official) on Jun 15, 2019 at 7:21am PDT

10. Mirei Kiritani | @mirei_kiritani_ | 2.8 million followers

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A post shared by 桐谷美玲 (@mirei_kiritani_) on Oct 4, 2018 at 6:28am PDT

Most Instagrammed Locations

1. Tokyo Disneyland Resort

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A post shared by 中島絢乃 (@nakajima_ayano) on Dec 17, 2018 at 10:28pm PST

2.Universal Studios Japan (USJ)

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A post shared by AIKAWA🦁MK (@ipower.mk) on Dec 17, 2018 at 2:22am PST

3. Asakusa

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A post shared by Takuya Otaki (@takutaki) on Dec 16, 2018 at 1:50am PST

4. Fushimi-Inari Shrine

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A post shared by 豆柴なつ&ふゆ (@mameshiba.natsuinu56) on Dec 15, 2018 at 4:35am PST

5. Tokyo Dome

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A post shared by あくにゃん💙아쿠냥 (@akunyan621) on Dec 16, 2018 at 4:02am PST

6. Dontonbori

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A post shared by All About Pastry (@ibakeibrewilive) on Oct 23, 2017 at 3:29pm PDT

7. Nara Park

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A post shared by 吳士良 (@dcrandy1900) on Dec 15, 2018 at 8:19pm PST

8. Tokyo Skytree

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A post shared by Hiroki Furukawa (@hrk1108) on Dec 15, 2018 at 6:43pm PST

9. Tokyo Tower

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A post shared by 東京の夜景が好きな人 ᴳⁱᶠᵗ ᶠʳᵒᵐ ᴶᵃᵖᵃⁿ (@masashikuramochi) on Dec 14, 2018 at 4:03am PST

10. Tokyo Station

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A post shared by ken5 (@ken5guitar) on Apr 14, 2020 at 7:04am PDT

Most Popular Hashtags

1. #猫 / #ねこ (cat)

2. #可愛い / #かわいい (cute)

3. #写真好きな人と繋がりたい (I want to connect with people who like photos)

4. #プリント倶楽部 / #ぷりんと倶楽部 (photo booth print club)

5. #おしゃれ / #オシャレ／ #お洒落 (stylish)

6. #ファインダー越しの私の世界 (My world through the viewfinder)

7. #ファッション (fashion)

8. #お洒落さんと繋がりたい (I want to connect with a fashionable person)

9. #ハンドメイド (handmade)

10. #ランチ (lunch)