A $66 fee awaits those who pass through Kyoto, an ancient Japanese city that is a popular tourist destination.
The city has restricted walking through the ‘geisha district’ due to complaints over the misbehaviour of tourists, VisaGuide.World reports.
Isokazu Ota, the local district official, says that tourists are causing havoc in the narrow streets of the Gion area. He told The Associated Press that there will be warnings displayed for tourists walking this way soon enough.
We are going to put up signs in April that tell tourists to stay out of our private streets.
Warning Signs for Tourists to Be Displayed at Popular Tourist Spots
These signs will apply mainly to pedestrians, and, as the signs point out, those who fail to comply with the rules will face a $66 fine.
The ban applies to several blocks of Gion, but the district’s public streets will remain open to tourists.
This increased activity, perceived as ‘over-tourism,’ is not being well-received by the Japanese, especially due to the fact that the country is economically developed on its own and does not rely on revenues from tourists.
Japan is a popular tourist destination, with the number of visitors in 2023 surpassing 22 million. However, in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 31 million people visited the country, indicating that the number of tourists this year is lower than it used to be. This year, more tourists are expected to visit Japan to enjoy the local cuisine, nature, and rich culture of the country.
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This is not the first time that Japan has thought about implementing restrictions on tourists as in January, the authorities announced an entry fee for the routes to Mount Fuji.
The destination, which is known for its beauty, often deals with issues related to pollution, littering, and unprepared visitors. Starting from July 1, there will be a daily visitor limit, which is expected to tackle overtourism in this destination.
Around 4,000 hikers will be allowed to visit the Yoshida trail, but climbers cannot begin their activities between 4 pm and 2 am. The two Mount Fuji and Yoshida trails are popular among tourists, with 221,322 people climbing and more than half of those walking the trail alone in 2023.
In an effort to support the preservation of the site, climbers have been asked to voluntarily contribute a sum of ¥1,000 ($6.60) per person in the last decade.