HOKKAIDO, Jul 19, 2024 (News On Japan) - As popular tourist spots in Hokkaido face disruptive behavior by foreign visitors, one small town has begun fighting back.
Foreign Tourists Swim in Hokkaido's 'Blue Pond'
A man was seen swimming in the pond, performing a relaxed crawl stroke. The incident took place at the Blue Pond in Biei Town, Hokkaido. The pond, known for its various shades of blue throughout the seasons, has become a highly popular spot on social media in recent years.
Earlier this week, a sudden noise was heard at the Blue Pond.
A witness said, 'I heard a sound like someone diving into the water, and when I looked, I saw a man swimming.'
The man appeared to be enjoying his swim, even flashing a double peace sign, presumably to his companions. He was identified as a foreigner. However, the Blue Pond, with depths reaching 9 meters, is dangerous and swimming is prohibited by the town authorities.
Unauthorized Drone Filming at the Blue Pond?
Upon closer inspection of the footage, a drone can be seen flying around the man. It seems the swimming was being recorded by the drone, which was operated without the town's permission.
A witness noted, 'When he came out of the water, he looked like he felt accomplished.'
The drone was flown without the town's authorization.
Shinji Kawamura, a local filmmaker who has been documenting the Blue Pond for years, expressed his dismay, saying, 'To me, this is a sacred place. Swimming here is shocking. It's a place everyone considers precious.'
Safety Concerns and Local Measures
According to the town, there are additional dangers to swimming in the Blue Pond beyond its depth.
Hironori Naruse, assistant section chief of Biei Town's Commerce and Tourism Exchange Division, explained, 'There is also the risk of infection from Echinococcus, a parasite carried by Hokkaido foxes.'
Kawamura elaborated, 'If the foxes defecate upstream, the parasite can flow into the pond, posing an infection risk to humans who ingest the water.'
On the 17th, the Blue Pond was crowded, partly due to the fact that there is no admission fee. The pond's popularity attracted about 2.38 million visitors last year, over 200 times the town's population.
While cameras have been installed to detect intruders, they can't cover every area. When an intruder is detected, warning messages are broadcast in Japanese, English, and Chinese, and images are sent to the town office. However, in this case, the cameras did not activate.
The town is considering increasing the number of cameras to prevent future incidents.
Source: ANN
