Japan Kyoto Tourism: Update Nov. 28, 2023.

 

Kyoto outlines 'over tourism' measures for autumn, including extra bus services

Article Source:  https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20230919/p2a/00m/0na/016000c

Article:

KYOTO -- The Kyoto Municipal Government has compiled a list of "over tourism" countermeasures for the autumn tourist season, such as increasing the number of extra bus services and calling on foreign tourists to behave appropriately.

The autumn foliage season is the peak for crowds in Kyoto every year, and with the relaxation of coronavirus measures expected to bring about a full recovery of visitors this fall, the prevention of over tourism is an urgent issue.

Ideas:

Over tourism might be a issue depending on the area and what tourists actually do. For example maybe for one its just too many tourists for the area. Maybe its too many tourists for the restaurants etc.

Sometimes it might be the culture of the area and the type of tourists, such as foreign tourists who don't respect the culture or its norms.

For example taking pictures where they aren't supposed to take pictures, Throwing trash on the ground etc.

Article:

The number of annual sightseers visiting the ancient Japanese capital reached 53.52 million in 2019. It dropped after the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, falling to 21.02 million in 2021, but recovered to 43.61 million in 2022 due to the easing of border control measures and other factors.

During the tourist season prior to the pandemic, there were problems caused by visitors, such as the impact of excessive crowding on the lives of local residents, illegal dumping of garbage, and hindrances like sightseeing buses waiting on the streets. With the rapid return of tourists, there is concern that these problems may resurface, and the city has compiled a list of measures to deal with the situation.

Ideas:
Overcrowding can be positive and negative. Of course its a positive, to some extent, with more tourists spending more money in the area. But it can be a negative too if the same tourists are not polite and do things that might upset the local population.

The number of sightseeing buses in the area can and should be limited by maybe reservations to visit certain areas, if that is possible. But then Kyoto, and other areas have to be careful as too many rules might hinder tourism and tourists might go some where else.

There has to be some kind of balance in what many tourists can visit and area and the number of rules an area has.

Article:

Measures to address congestion at sightseeing spots and with transportation services include: increasing the number of extra "Rakuraku line" city bus services that connect railway stations and sightseeing spots; ending the sale of the "one-day bus pass," which allows unlimited daily rides, and instead promoting the use of the "one-day subway/bus pass" to encourage the use of the subway as well; establishing a temporary luggage storage area at JR Kyoto Station to promote "sightseeing without luggage;" and creating a brochure introducing morning and evening events and congestion forecasts.

Ideas:

All of these ideas seem good but they need to be communicated in different languages such as Chinese, English, Thai, Vietnamese etc. and there should be more tourists helpers that can communicate with tourists that don't speak Japanese, as much as possible.

What areas such as Kyoto should not do is have culture spotters or police or trash spotters who follow tourists around that don't follow the rules. 

Unfortunately, there are always going to be tourists and others, who are rude and or throw trash on the ground and or don't respect the culture.

What and how the Japanese do things, is course not exactly what other people do. Both the Japanese and foreigners need to see things the way others see things, but at the same time respect the culture they might be in when traveling do different places.

Article:

Regarding measures for tourism etiquette, electronic billboards will be installed at Kyoto and Karasuma Oike subway stations to inform visitors of rules in English, Chinese and other languages. The city is also working with the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) to call on overseas travel agencies and others to help improve tourist behavior through JNTO offices in China, Singapore and Australia.

Ideas:

Tourists today are not the same kind of tourists many years ago. Today, unfortunately, many younger tourists don't have much respect for rules and even less respect for a new culture they are in. Of course older tourists can be the same way too.

Again, maybe more tourists helpers in for example Kyoto that work in crowded tourist area that are there and available to help tourists better understand what the rules of the area are and or provide information about what the local population expects from tourists.

Maybe many restaurants want as many customers as they can get, but at the same time, maybe they see too many rude tourists and maybe sometimes wish there are less tourists.

Article:

An official with the municipal government said, "We would like to promote specific initiatives to achieve sustainable tourism that is in harmony with the daily lives of residents."

Kyoto Mayor Daisaku Kadokawa announced on Sept. 14 a supplementary budget plan for general accounts for fiscal 2023 totaling 6.18 billion yen (about $41.8 million), including 140 million yen (some $948,000) for measures to address tourism issues

Ideas:

Sustainable tourism that is in harmony with the daily lives of residents is a goal but can it be achieved with any kind of balance.

Maybe many local residents before the pandemic thought there were too many tourists, and during the pandemic maybe thought there weren't enough tourists, and now again, maybe they are thinking there are just too many tourists for the area.

There is no easy answer or solution to the overcrowding of tourists and or tourists who are rude and or cause problems for local businesses and residents.

How does an area handle ten bus loads of Chinese tourists who just do what they want with no regard to the rules of the area.

And the same with hordes of young European tourists who just go and do what they want with no regard for the rules of the area.

Kyoto and other areas just have to keep trying and try to find a balanced solution, if possible, to the overcrowding situation.

Have a nice day and be safe!