Japan grapples with 'overtourism'

Sep 18, 2023 | News On Japan

TOKYO - Over the three-day weekend, crowds were drawn to various events across Japan, including the "Kishiwada Danjiri Festival" in Osaka Prefecture, the "Imoni Stew Festival" in Yamagata, and the "Asakusa Samba Carnival" in Tokyo, highlighting the emerging problem of overtourism.

At Asakusa Temple, a popular tourist spot in Tokyo, foreign tourists were seen touching the lanterns and washing their faces in the temizuya (a water pavilion for ritual purification), which is a breach of etiquette, according to staff at the temple.

In Kamakura, a popular tourist spot in Kanagawa Prefecture, there was a large crowd at a railroad crossing known as the sacred place of the popular manga "Slam Dunk."

Crowds of tourists were spotted happily taking photos at the railroad crossing, however, as it is located on a roadway, locals fear dangerous behavior could lead to accidents.

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