"I think one of the things this year that we're seeing is that it's not only higher pretty much every day, but also more sustained," she said. "I think this is a very positive sign, and it's on top of a very strong first four months of the year."

Thousands of Japanese take off for trips every year during the last week of April and the first week of May. As Golden Week wraps up Sunday, many in the visitor industry report substantial growth in Japanese customers.

But not everyone in the industry is overjoyed.

Japanese tour wholesalers said visitor numbers fell short of their expectations.

Kuwabara, who has been greeting customers at the airport and monitoring arrivals every day during Golden Week, said the Aichi World Expo in Nagoya kept some travelers home in Japan.

"I'm sure it did, but I would like to find out how much," he said.

A JTB Corp. survey released early last month found Golden Week bookings to Hawai'i from April 27 through May 7 were up 15 percent from a year ago.

Mitsuha Hayashi, left, and her friend, Nozomi Sakai, spent Japan's Golden Week holiday in Hawai'i. While Hawai'i remains a popular destination, Japanese tourists are increasingly looking at other destinations. Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser

On top of the dampening effect of the Aichi Expo, Tamaki said the Japan market has not yet fully recovered from years of economic sluggishness. Also, more workers have flexible schedules allowing them to travel outside of peak holiday periods.

Tammy Maeda, regional communications manager for Starwood Hotels and Resorts Hawaii, said Starwood Hotels in Hawai'i saw about the same number of Japanese tourists as last year. Whenever Golden Week is as long as it is this year, Japanese tend to travel farther to such destinations as Europe and North America, she said.

Mike Kamahana, owner of The Coconut Hut Lei Stand on Kalakaua Avenue, said the past several days have been "just normal day-to-day business." In fact, he didn't even realize it was Golden Week until he saw a sign in an ABC store window across from his stand.

"We had some Japanese tourists who came in for Golden Week and they bought leis and stuff," he said, "but not anything out of the ordinary."

Still, Golden Week this year has meant more business for jewelry manufacturer and retailer Maui Divers of Hawai'i. Sales at Maui Divers stores, which get a substantial amount of Japanese business, are about 10 percent ahead of last year, said president and CEO Bob Taylor.

"It makes me happy because for the last few years Golden Week has been somewhat of a disappointment," he said.

Ron Williams, president and chief executive officer of Atlantis Adventures, said Golden Week business this year has been probably 12 percent to 15 percent better than last year.

At the duty-free shops, Sharon Weiner, DFS Hawai'i group vice president, said it was hard to tell before the week is over how well the duty-free shops have done, but it "looks OK so far."

Hotels saw an uptick in activity as well. Eastbound business is up about 20 percent compared to Golden Week last year, said Stan Brown, Marriott International's vice president for Pacific Islands and Japan.

"This year Waikiki properties were virtually all full during Golden Week so it was a nice rebound to see and hopefully the beginning of a trend that continues for our eastbound business," he said. Brown added that he saw more higher-end visitors who are spending more.

"As we come out of Golden Week now, just in general business terms, the rest of May and the summer looks to be very strong months so that's encouraging as well," Brown said.

Mitsuha Hayashi, a 20-year-old medical student from Tokyo, spent her vacation with her friend buying shoes, bags and dresses from stores in Waikele, Waikiki and Ala Moana Center.

Hayashi has visited Hawai'i more than 10 times, often during Golden Week.

"There are so many countries that are suitable for shopping, but Hawai'i is safe and there are so many Japanese people here," she said.

But tourism officials face increasing challenges as highlighted by Hitomi Okamura, a 25-year-old clerk who was visiting from Japan with her husband.

"He likes swimming and surfing and there are beautiful beaches here. ... I like to stay here because it is relaxing, (there's) shopping and good food," Okamura said.

Yet while her husband wants to return here for Golden Week next year, she'd like to try some place new.

"I want to travel to ... a different country," she said. "I haven't traveled to any other countries (in) Europe or Africa."