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It is a journey that involves crossing half the planet – and an awful lot of jetlag.

But it seems that Britain has become a magnet for Japanese tourists.
The UK is an increasingly popular travel hotspot for visitors from the Far East thanks to some of its most famous televisual exports – Downton Abbey and Sherlock.

It's elementary: Shows such as Sherlock (with Benedict Cumberbatch) have caught the Japanese imagination

Japanese holidaymakers are keen to see the settings of – and the traditional Britain that is portrayed in – the dramas and films that have been seen around the world, say travel experts.

London calling: Japanese tourists are being encouraged to visit the UK by great British TV shows and films

Sherlock, starring Benedict Cumberbatch, is onto its third series in Japan, and is a massive hit.

So too is Downton Abbey, which was shown in Japan for the first time in May.

Also hugely successful in America, Downton Abbey has led to a surge of interest in the UK's stately homes – with the idea of well-tended lawns, the sights of London and habits such as afternoon tea proving a major attraction, especially among older, female viewers.

The UK is also pulling in visitors thanks to a much-loved Peruvian.

The first film about Paddington bear is set to be released later this year, and could be the biggest draw of all, according to a tourism seminar in London for Japanese travel industry chiefs.

The bear with a penchant for marmalade sandwiches is already a massive hit in Japan.

Just under a quarter of all Japanese people – 24 per cent – say they are fans of the fictional South American animal.

Scotland is also likely to see a rise in visitor numbers, it has been revealed, because of a new soap opera that is set to launch in Japan in September.

Cross-continental classic: Japanese tourists are keen to see locations where Downton Abbey has been filmed

Grin and bear it: The upcoming Paddington movie is also causing a stir of interest in the Far East

Called Massan, it will be a daily drama based around the life of a Japanese whisky founder with a Scottish wife.

Over the last five years, an average 231,800 Japanese tourists a year have visited Britain, spending an average of £1,024 per visit – twice as much as the average spend when all tourists, are taken into account, says VisitBritain.