The amount of tourists in Japan since covid is insane, they constantly block up small paths to get photos.
Few rotten apples spoils the whole barrel. As a tourist wannabe to Kyoto, fukk them.
>they will put up signs.
Honestly, I doubt this will deter tourists who often overlook/ignore signs. The previous “no photography” signs mentioned in the artcile didn’t work either. Nor did the “don’t eat and walk” signs they had around Sannenzaka.
They probably need to plant a koban there with policemen actively chasing away the tourists.
Honestly I am not surprised. I visited Kyoto about 10 years ago. At some point I saw a geisha walking down the street, she was basically surrounded by a crowd of tourists snapping pictures. I can’t imagine how much worse it is now.
Not a bad idea, really. I was there in October 23 and watching these burly, aggressive male tourists literally stalk the poor Geishas for photos was really quite disgusting and borderline frightening. I felt sorry for them.
I went to Japan April 2023, you had to get to these tourist places at 5-6am to see them otherwise it is just a sea of tourists and not very nice.
If you want to go to Japan I would recommend going to places that aren’t your typical tourist place. We went to Sendai up north and Kumamoto down south and both were excellent and not very busy.
Unpopular opinion: if foreigners want Japan to stop profiling them, maybe they should act according to their laws and respect others.
I disliked all the tourists in Kyoto. It was so crowded.
Japan’s the new Bali for Aussies. Having said that I’m going for my third time in May.
we walked one of these alleys at night time, just randomly strolling around, looking at the houses. Suddenly, we saw a Maiko coming out of a house and we brought up the courage to ask her, if she’d be okay for us to take one picture. Smilingly she said ‘ichimai.’ and that was that. Such a graceful, elegant lady and still a very much cherished memory to me.
I totally understand, why they’d ban tourists though, when they flock in literal herds there to see them and take pictures. Difficult situation
There were signs already in place last year, don’t recall the specific’s but close to stay out/stay quiet /no cameras
I’ll give it a week or two before this is reversed; Those “private” alleys are jam packed with hundreds and hundreds of small businesses. Not to mention those in the surrounding areas which would suffer if the main reason for visiting the area has gone.
That’s not to say asshole tourists should have carte blanche to do whatever they want but I can’t see how it benefits anybody by banning everyone (but locals) like they’re kids: “I don’t care who did it, nobody gets [x] now”.
I was in Gion for a few days in Oct. It wasn’t that bad, but I can see it getting bad. Honestly the tourists from China were pretty bad.
Mess with the money find out it ain’t always sunny.
If only there was a way to label and ban just rude people.
I go to kyoto april 22nd. Its my dream trip. This is bumming me out.
Them Broccoli Tiktokers gotta be devastated now.
Amusing to read all these posts of tourists appalled at what other tourists do
I was just in kyoto last month, I didn’t see any crowding of geisha. Although I just stared as they walked down the alleys because it was my first time witnessing them.
I went last October and Kyoto was the least enjoyable this time around (2nd Japan trip). Way too overcrowded and streets were jam-packed. Kanazawa is a better alternative with a similar aesthetic.
On the one hand they are tourist attractions promoted by the city. On the other hand they are people and deserve privacy. But I doubt this will work.
Those fines are laughably low.
Speaking as a Tokyo tour guide I’m bloody glad I’m up here and not down Kyoto way. Just as many tourists in a city a fraction of the size. I was down there on a Wednesday in early January and was shocked at how busy it was. If it was that bad then it’s going to be absolute carnage in late March and early April.
I don’t know how to feel about this as a resident of a mountain community constantly overrun by clueless tourists…sure I’d like to tell them to go home too, but?
Geisha are extremely elusive so tourists are like moths to this flame emblematic of Japanese culture. Kyoto isn’t capacious nor are its streets wide enough to accommodate overzealous tourists.
Part of the allure of a geisha is her elusiveness. They’re to dignified and decorous not to tolerate intrusive tourists but you’re supposed to pay for the privilege of their art and presence.
I saw tourist surround a traditional wedding in Japan, and they had to get security to tell them stop taking pictures . It’s insane, as someone from Hawaii I tell people you don’t want to make your economy mainly tourism. It’s a nightmare
Not surprised, don’t blame them at all. As someone who lives in a vacation town, dealing with tourists every summer really really fucking sucks. They’re disrespectful as all hell, rude, and often disgusting people.
Well, there goes the tourism dollars.
Isn’t this how private alleys work in the first place?
The types of people these bans/signs would be for are gonna still be a problem elsewhere in Japan. Too many people treat that country like some kind of Zoo. It’s just not the place for casual rule-breaking. In the 5 times I’ve gone to Japan, I’ve seen a great deal of other tourists who seem to have no voice telling them if the thing they’re doing is maybe not okay.
What? How can we get one now?
Good for thm more places should be more protective of their culture and not just selling it for tourism.
People absolutely suck. Why do tourists feel so entitled to be disrespectful. The fines should be much higher. Bunch of jerks.
33 comments
The amount of tourists in Japan since covid is insane, they constantly block up small paths to get photos.
Few rotten apples spoils the whole barrel. As a tourist wannabe to Kyoto, fukk them.
>they will put up signs.
Honestly, I doubt this will deter tourists who often overlook/ignore signs. The previous “no photography” signs mentioned in the artcile didn’t work either. Nor did the “don’t eat and walk” signs they had around Sannenzaka.
They probably need to plant a koban there with policemen actively chasing away the tourists.
Honestly I am not surprised. I visited Kyoto about 10 years ago. At some point I saw a geisha walking down the street, she was basically surrounded by a crowd of tourists snapping pictures. I can’t imagine how much worse it is now.
Not a bad idea, really. I was there in October 23 and watching these burly, aggressive male tourists literally stalk the poor Geishas for photos was really quite disgusting and borderline frightening. I felt sorry for them.
I went to Japan April 2023, you had to get to these tourist places at 5-6am to see them otherwise it is just a sea of tourists and not very nice.
If you want to go to Japan I would recommend going to places that aren’t your typical tourist place. We went to Sendai up north and Kumamoto down south and both were excellent and not very busy.
Unpopular opinion: if foreigners want Japan to stop profiling them, maybe they should act according to their laws and respect others.
I disliked all the tourists in Kyoto. It was so crowded.
Japan’s the new Bali for Aussies. Having said that I’m going for my third time in May.
we walked one of these alleys at night time, just randomly strolling around, looking at the houses. Suddenly, we saw a Maiko coming out of a house and we brought up the courage to ask her, if she’d be okay for us to take one picture. Smilingly she said ‘ichimai.’ and that was that. Such a graceful, elegant lady and still a very much cherished memory to me.
I totally understand, why they’d ban tourists though, when they flock in literal herds there to see them and take pictures. Difficult situation
There were signs already in place last year, don’t recall the specific’s but close to stay out/stay quiet /no cameras
I’ll give it a week or two before this is reversed; Those “private” alleys are jam packed with hundreds and hundreds of small businesses. Not to mention those in the surrounding areas which would suffer if the main reason for visiting the area has gone.
That’s not to say asshole tourists should have carte blanche to do whatever they want but I can’t see how it benefits anybody by banning everyone (but locals) like they’re kids: “I don’t care who did it, nobody gets [x] now”.
I was in Gion for a few days in Oct. It wasn’t that bad, but I can see it getting bad. Honestly the tourists from China were pretty bad.
Mess with the money find out it ain’t always sunny.
If only there was a way to label and ban just rude people.
I go to kyoto april 22nd. Its my dream trip. This is bumming me out.
Them Broccoli Tiktokers gotta be devastated now.
Amusing to read all these posts of tourists appalled at what other tourists do
I was just in kyoto last month, I didn’t see any crowding of geisha. Although I just stared as they walked down the alleys because it was my first time witnessing them.
I went last October and Kyoto was the least enjoyable this time around (2nd Japan trip). Way too overcrowded and streets were jam-packed. Kanazawa is a better alternative with a similar aesthetic.
On the one hand they are tourist attractions promoted by the city. On the other hand they are people and deserve privacy. But I doubt this will work.
Those fines are laughably low.
Speaking as a Tokyo tour guide I’m bloody glad I’m up here and not down Kyoto way. Just as many tourists in a city a fraction of the size. I was down there on a Wednesday in early January and was shocked at how busy it was. If it was that bad then it’s going to be absolute carnage in late March and early April.
I don’t know how to feel about this as a resident of a mountain community constantly overrun by clueless tourists…sure I’d like to tell them to go home too, but?
Geisha are extremely elusive so tourists are like moths to this flame emblematic of Japanese culture. Kyoto isn’t capacious nor are its streets wide enough to accommodate overzealous tourists.
Part of the allure of a geisha is her elusiveness. They’re to dignified and decorous not to tolerate intrusive tourists but you’re supposed to pay for the privilege of their art and presence.
I saw tourist surround a traditional wedding in Japan, and they had to get security to tell them stop taking pictures . It’s insane, as someone from Hawaii I tell people you don’t want to make your economy mainly tourism. It’s a nightmare
Not surprised, don’t blame them at all. As someone who lives in a vacation town, dealing with tourists every summer really really fucking sucks. They’re disrespectful as all hell, rude, and often disgusting people.
Well, there goes the tourism dollars.
Isn’t this how private alleys work in the first place?
The types of people these bans/signs would be for are gonna still be a problem elsewhere in Japan. Too many people treat that country like some kind of Zoo. It’s just not the place for casual rule-breaking. In the 5 times I’ve gone to Japan, I’ve seen a great deal of other tourists who seem to have no voice telling them if the thing they’re doing is maybe not okay.
What? How can we get one now?
Good for thm more places should be more protective of their culture and not just selling it for tourism.
People absolutely suck. Why do tourists feel so entitled to be disrespectful. The fines should be much higher. Bunch of jerks.