KYOTO - Arashiyama has launched a new night event called Moonlit Path on October 1st to tackle overtourism by shifting visitor traffic into the evening and channeling proceeds back into the local community. The illuminated walk runs from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. through October 31st, lighting up Nagatsuji Street and the famed Bamboo Grove, with a paid zone featuring bamboo-themed light installations.
Organized jointly by local shopping street associations, transport operators, and residents, the project is designed not simply to attract more people but to disperse daytime congestion by creating a photogenic experience at night when visitor numbers are typically low. The paid area is intended to generate steady revenue that can be reinvested locally.
Proceeds will prioritize practical measures such as adding trash bins and toilets, preserving the bamboo forest, repairing damaged stalks, and purchasing a community bus reserved for residents. The bus would improve mobility during peak tourist seasons when traffic restrictions are imposed and some neighborhoods face fewer regular bus services than before.
Residents have long participated in discussions with merchants to address overtourism. During last year’s autumn foliage season, Arashiyama operated a trial ride-share taxi for residents affected by traffic controls to secure daily transportation.
Crowding and etiquette remain pressing issues beyond central Kyoto. In Ine, the picturesque waterfront lined with boat houses, an hourly 60-seat route bus has struggled when visitors fill seats, leaving local riders behind, while narrow roads have suffered frequent congestion as more travelers arrive by car. Authorities and local groups are promoting park-and-bus-ride and park-and-cruise schemes that shift cars to free parking areas and move visitors by shuttle bus or boat, along with a sightseeing express bus that stops only at major attractions to reduce pressure on regular routes.
Manners problems such as trespassing into boathouses and littering have become more visible since last year, which local observers partly attribute to the rise of group tours by overseas visitors. Countermeasures include distributing multilingual leaflets on buses to explain rules and cultural norms.
The Moonlit Path organizers stress that dispersing crowds and encouraging better behavior must be paired with a tangible “give-back” to those who live with tourism year-round. By visibly reinvesting admission income in services residents can feel—cleaner streets, maintained scenery, and dedicated transport—the initiative aims to build a model that other destinations can adopt if it proves effective this month.
Source: ABCTVnews
