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How Japan, the world’s most polite country, lost its patience with tourists
As overtourism worsens, Japan’s efforts to keep the crowds at bay are becoming more extreme than ever
It is perhaps one of Japan’s most iconic scenes: the triangular form of Mount Fuji rising into blue skies, its snow-capped peak reflected with precision onto the still waters of a nearby lake.
This image is captured with measured simplicity in a 19th-century woodblock print by Katsushika Hokusai, the artist responsible for the iconic series “36 Views of Mount Fuji”.
Number 35 depicts Lake Kawaguchi, a setting as scenic as it is timeless. Nearly two centuries on, it is still a magnet for Mount Fuji lovers – and now, an increasing problem for the local communities overrun by tourist numbers.
And last week, one lake town – Fujikawaguchiko – reached boiling point, hitting headlines around the world for starting to erect a huge black barrier to obscure its popular viewing spot. The decision came after a litany of complaints from locals, ranging from tourists littering and parking illegally to reports of visitors climbing onto nearby roofs in search of the perfect shot.
The screen sounds an extreme measure, perhaps – particularly in a country famous for its well-mannered temperance and stoicism – but this isn’t an isolated incident. Open post-pandemic borders combined with an enticingly weak yen are fuelling record highs for inbound tourism, with monthly visitor numbers from overseas surging to 3 million in March for the first time. Japan is heaving with tourists like never before, and for local residents bearing the brunt, patience is wearing thin.
As a result, a raft of initiatives are sweeping Japan in a bid to tackle the growing challenges – and deep-rooted cultural sensitivities – of overtourism.
Local government officials in the Mount Fuji region, for example, recently announced plans to launch a new mandatory fee of 2,000 yen to ascend the peak. Tourists will have to pay the charge from the start of this year’s climbing seasons on July 1, with daily numbers also limited to 4,000.
Another hotbed of overtourism is the former ancient capital Kyoto, which has introduced a number of increasingly desperate measures to limit overtourism in its historic streets in recent months.
Among its most high-profile measures is the recent closure of some parts of Gion, the historic geisha district, because of a growing number of incidents of “badly behaved” tourists who were tugging at geishas’ kimonos and crowding them for photographs.
The overcrowding of Kyoto’s local buses is another key issue – with city officials also announcing plans in March to introduce exclusive buses to tourist attractions, to reduce the pressure on overused local routes.
Sara Aiko, the director and founder of Curated Kyoto, a luxury travel curation company based in Kyoto, explains: “When tourism starts disrupting the daily routines of residents and saturating serene spots like temples and shrines, it’s not comfortable. As global citizens, we’re all for sharing our beautiful cities, but when your peaceful bus ride to the supermarket turns into a struggle, or your favourite bar is overrun by crowds, locals get frustrated, which leads to tension.”
She adds: “Of course, this isn’t fun for tourists either. I want visitors to experience the best of Kyoto without feeling like they’re just part of a mass movement. There are still magical, quiet corners of Kyoto waiting to be explored, but the problem lies in the infrastructure and the lack of regulation on visitor numbers.”
Niseko on Japan’s northernmost island of Hokkaido – an increasingly in-demand winter sports destination thanks to its famous white powder – now booms during the winter months and is struggling to keep up.
As a result, the resort will begin charging visitors up to 2,000 yen a night for accommodation from next November – just in time for the next winter ski and snowboarding season – hoping it will reduce numbers.
Further south in Hiroshima prefecture, Hatsukaichi city recently implemented a 100 yen entrance fee to help protect the iconic shrine Itsukushima on Miyajima island, a Unesco-listed site known for its red torii gate surrounded by sea at high tide.
‘Avoid the algorithm’
The Japanese government is also exploring ways to minimise the impact of overtourism on strained pockets of the country – by launching a project aimed at diverting tourists off the well-beaten tourist trail of the so-called Golden Triangle of Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka.
Instead, Japan is promoting 11 so-called “model” destinations to help tourists explore lesser-known (and emptier) spots across the country – including explorations of samurai culture in Hokuriku; nature activities in Nasu, Tochigi; the Alps of Nagano and Gifu; the volcanoes of Kagoshima and the national parks of eastern Hokkaido.
For tourists keen to visit Japan – but also avoid the crowds and minimise pressure on local communities – Charles Spreckley, the founder of People Make Places, a Japan-based travel design company, has some advice.
“Avoid the algorithm and create your own adventure,” he suggests. “Ignore Google reviews and other tourism portals. The nice thing about Japan is that because it’s so safe, you can literally pick a destination and just start walking and you will make so many discoveries along the way.”
But will Japan’s increasingly extreme measures have the desired effect? The country’s popularity with foreign visitors seems only to be rising, and with locals understandably concerned for the preservation of their beautiful, ancient – and fragile – culture, there may still be trouble ahead.