Kyoto takes stand against overtourism

The Japanese city of Kyoto continues to combat overtourism and will not be reopening certain areas in key locations to tourists in 2025.

Back in March, Kyoto’s local government barred tourists from entering side-streets in the famed Gion geisha quarter after tourists harassed locals and caused both damage to property and harm to individuals.

Following observations, the ban will remain in place well into next year.

Prior to the ban, Gion’s residents implored the city government to do something about tourists who treated the area like a theme park.

Unpleasant but necessary

Isokazu Ota, a member of the Kyoto City Council, declared at the time the closure was announced: “We will ask tourists to refrain from entering narrow private streets in or after April. We don’t want to do this, but we’re desperate.”

Even before the pandemic, Kyoto residents, particularly those in heritage centres like Gion, complained of the disruptive behaviour of foreign tourists as well as the adverse effects of overtourism on the local economy.

There have been reported incidents of maiko (student geisha) being grabbed by tourists to serve as living props for selfies, their garments torn, and, in one incident, set alight by a dropped cigarette butt.

As of press time, tourists exhibiting inappropriate or disrespectful behaviour stand to pay fines of up to US$70. However, such fines have done little to curb such behaviour on the part of foreigners.