KYOTO, Oct 27 (News On Japan) –
Kyoto, lengthy celebrated as Japan’s iconic autumn vacation spot, is now going through a putting shift in its tourism panorama. In town’s most well-known spots, overseas vacationers far outnumber Japanese guests, elevating questions on over-tourism and town’s future stability between hospitality and livability.
Around the bustling Fushimi Inari Taisha shrine, identified for its “thousand torii gates,” native shopkeepers report that roughly 80 to 90 % of their prospects are from abroad. “It’s rare to see Japanese customers these days,” one store proprietor mentioned. At a conventional sweets store close by, one other added, “You hardly hear Japanese anymore. The store menu is almost entirely in English.”
The similar could be mentioned throughout Kyoto’s main points of interest. During the Jidai Festival held on October twenty sixth—one in all Kyoto’s three nice festivals—spectators alongside the parade route had been overwhelmingly overseas guests. From Arashiyama to Higashiyama, the crowds are dominated by abroad vacationers, leaving locals and home vacationers practically invisible.
A spring survey evaluating 2023 and 2024 customer figures confirmed Japanese vacationer numbers falling sharply whereas overseas guests surged. In the Higashiyama space, Japanese vacationers dropped 12 %, whereas foreigners rose 66 %. Arashiyama noticed a 20 % lower in home guests however a 22 % enhance in worldwide ones. At Kyoto Station, Japanese vacationers fell by 9 % whereas overseas guests climbed 72 %.
However, Japanese vacationers haven’t disappeared solely—they’re merely shifting away from central areas. The similar survey discovered that visits by Japanese vacationers elevated by 24 % in Kyoto’s northern area, 17 % in Takao, and round 18 % in Fushimi and Yamashina. In different phrases, home vacationers are avoiding central congestion by visiting quieter surrounding areas.
This motion aligns with town’s official “Decentralized Tourism” initiative. The Kyoto City Tourism Association has been selling six advisable peripheral areas—akin to Kita (northern Kyoto), Nishikyo, Ohara, and Fushimi—to disperse guests and alleviate central overcrowding. These areas provide nature and tranquility that distinction with the packed downtown districts. For occasion, the scenic fishing bridge over the higher Katsura River supplies cherry blossoms in spring and vibrant autumn foliage, whereas Yoshimine-dera Temple in Nishikyo provides panoramic metropolis views and seasonal flowers.
Among the advisable autumn spots this 12 months is Jingo-ji Temple in Takao, famed for its breathtaking autumn colours seen from the Kiyotaki River bridge. Around 200 to 300 maple bushes create a spectacular sight every November. Although about 55 minutes by bus from Kyoto Station, its relative remoteness provides a welcome calm amid town’s congestion.
Yet, regardless of these efforts, residents proceed to specific frustration. In a latest Kyoto City survey, the highest grievance amongst residents was the overcrowding of metropolis buses, which locals depend on for commuting and education. “Tourists fill up buses early in the morning, and students can’t get to school on time,” one native mentioned. Other issues included poor vacationer manners, akin to trespassing into non-public property for images, and lengthy queues at bus stops.
To handle these points, Kyoto City will introduce a steep hike in its lodging tax beginning in March 2026. The tax, first carried out a number of years in the past, at the moment ranges from 200 to 1,000 yen relying on room charges. Under the brand new system, friends staying in high-end rooms priced above 100,000 yen per night time pays as a lot as 10,000 yen in tax. The metropolis expects annual income to double from 6.16 billion yen in 2024 to roughly 12.6 billion yen.
Kyoto officers say the elevated income will probably be used to fund over-tourism countermeasures and cultural property preservation. However, resort operators have voiced concern that greater taxes might make Kyoto much less engaging to vacationers. Some have additionally known as for transparency in how the funds are used, and others urged introducing taxes for day-trip vacationers as nicely.
Commentators have identified that Kyoto’s reputation stays its biggest power—and problem. “Kyoto has built an unparalleled global brand,” one panelist famous. “The problem isn’t that people want to visit; it’s how to manage that success sustainably.”
Proposals have included charging greater fares for non-residents utilizing public buses or introducing double-length buses with baggage area, as seen in Europe. “It’s unreasonable that everyone pays the same 230 yen fare,” one native commentator mentioned. “Kyoto residents could pay the standard rate, but visitors should pay double, with the funds reinvested into improving transport services.”
Ultimately, Kyoto goals to realize what metropolis leaders name a “three-way satisfaction” mannequin—vacationers who get pleasure from their keep, residents who can stay comfortably, and companies that thrive sustainably. As Yonezawa concluded, “For Kyoto to remain a world-class destination, it must find a balance where all three sides can coexist harmoniously.”
Source: MBS NEWS