NARA - Asuka Village in Nara Prefecture is introducing new measures to control rising visitor numbers following the July 2026 World Heritage registration of the 'Asuka-Fujiwara: Archaeological Sites of Japan's Ancient Capitals,' seeking to protect its historic landscapes and residents' daily lives while benefiting from growing international interest.
The UNESCO designation covers 19 archaeological and historical sites spread across several municipalities, including 15 in Asuka Village, making the rural community central to the newly recognized heritage area. With the first autumn sightseeing season since the listing underway, visitor numbers have increased sharply, reviving concerns about overtourism that the village experienced more than half a century ago.
The surrounding region has seen a surge in tourist activity. At the Fujiwara Palace ruins in neighboring Kashihara, approximately 2.4 million cosmos flowers have reached peak bloom, attracting visitors to a landscape closely associated with Japan's early imperial history.
In Asuka Village, tourism businesses report that customer numbers have doubled or tripled in some cases, with organized tour groups bringing large numbers of visitors even on weekdays. Attendance at some attractions during August and September was between two and 3.5 times the average for the previous decade, while sales at stalls during a recent weekend event doubled from the previous year.
Despite the economic benefits, village authorities are determined to avoid another short-lived tourism boom. The village mayor has declared that Asuka does not need a temporary surge in popularity, reflecting concerns that excessive visitor numbers could threaten the very environment that makes the area attractive.
Those concerns are rooted in the village's experience during the 1970s, when the discovery of richly decorated murals at the Takamatsuzuka Tomb triggered a nationwide fascination with ancient Japanese history.
The discovery of the mural known as the Asuka Beauty helped launch what became known as the Asuka Boom, beginning in 1972. At its peak, approximately 1.8 million people visited the village annually, equivalent to an average of nearly 5,000 visitors a day in a community whose population was only about 6,000.
On particularly busy days, visitor numbers reportedly exceeded the village's entire population. The influx brought problems that would now be described as overtourism, including littering, unauthorized entry onto private property and disruption to residents' everyday lives.
The experience helped strengthen efforts to preserve the village's historical environment, culminating in the Asuka Law, which took effect in 1980.
The legislation is unique in Japan in being named after a single municipality. It was designed not only to preserve Asuka's historical landscapes but also to protect residents' living conditions and improve local infrastructure.
The law emerged during a period when rapid residential development was spreading through communities around Nara, raising fears that Asuka's farmland and archaeological sites could be lost to urban expansion.
Its protections have helped maintain the village's distinctive rural landscape, including rice fields beneath which important archaeological remains may still be buried. More than four decades later, the World Heritage designation has added another layer of international recognition to conservation efforts.
To manage the latest increase in visitors, Asuka has introduced several measures aimed at reducing traffic congestion and encouraging alternatives to private cars.
A parking lot near the Ishibutai Tomb, one of the village's major attractions, now operates under an advance reservation system on Saturdays, Sundays and national holidays during the autumn sightseeing season through November 15.
Vehicles without reservations cannot enter the parking lot, even when spaces are available. The policy is intended to encourage visitors to use public transportation or alternative means of travel rather than driving directly to popular heritage sites.
Village officials reported that the system helped prevent major traffic congestion during the September holiday period. However, some visitors have arrived without knowing about the reservation requirement, leaving authorities to direct them to other parking facilities.
Parking charges have also been introduced at previously free facilities. The prefectural Man'yo Culture Museum parking lot near the Sakafuneishi archaeological site began charging 500 yen per vehicle on August 1.
Alongside the restrictions, the village is expanding transportation options designed to make its historic attractions accessible without private cars.
One initiative is a low-speed electric sightseeing vehicle introduced in May under Japan's Green Slow Mobility program, commonly known as Guri-Suro.
Operating on weekends, the open-sided vehicle carries visitors along a roughly 5.8-kilometer route over 70 minutes, with a driver and guide providing explanations of the area's history and archaeological significance.
The route includes two stops where passengers can disembark for guided visits, as well as opportunities to purchase local souvenirs.
Traveling at a leisurely pace allows visitors to experience Asuka's rural surroundings, including landscapes that have remained largely unchanged since the Asuka period about 1,400 years ago.
The village is also introducing three-wheeled electric seated scooters that do not require a driver's license.
The vehicles, launched in October, are designed to provide a stable and comfortable alternative to conventional standing electric scooters. They include seats and facilities for mounting and charging smartphones.
An important feature is their use of GPS technology to enforce restrictions on entry into protected areas. If a vehicle enters a prohibited zone, its electric power automatically cuts off, preventing further travel.
The system is intended to reduce the risk of visitors entering restricted archaeological sites or other protected locations, addressing one of the problems encountered during the original Asuka Boom.
Beyond traffic management, the village is pursuing measures to maintain its agricultural landscape, which forms an essential part of its historical character.
Under conservation efforts associated with the Asuka Law, a rice terrace ownership program encourages participants to support the continued cultivation of farmland, helping prevent agricultural abandonment.
By maintaining working rice fields, the program preserves traditional scenery while supporting local agriculture and creating opportunities for visitors to engage with the village's rural heritage.
The approach reflects a broader effort to ensure that tourism contributes to preserving the community rather than gradually changing it into a conventional sightseeing destination.
Hiroyuki Yakushiji, an associate professor at Nara Prefectural University who specializes in tourism issues, said Asuka differs considerably from other Japanese tourist destinations because its historical environment is protected through a combination of legislation, tourism policies and community awareness.
Yakushiji said the village has been relatively successful in balancing cultural preservation with tourism development, although maintaining that balance will require continued efforts by authorities, businesses and visitors.
He emphasized the importance of preserving Asuka's authenticity, including its natural environment, historical character and traditional way of life.
Rather than concentrating exclusively on conventional sightseeing, the village should encourage visitors to experience local culture directly, including opportunities to stay with farming families and learn about everyday rural life.
Such experiences could help create lasting relationships between visitors and the community, encouraging people to become supporters of Asuka rather than simply visiting its monuments once.
The concept of responsible tourism is central to this strategy. Yakushiji stressed that visitors and tourism operators share responsibility for protecting the places they enjoy, making consideration for residents and respect for cultural properties essential elements of tourism development.
Asuka's geographical accessibility adds to both its opportunities and challenges. The village is approximately an hour's drive from Osaka, while railway connections and local transportation services make it possible to explore the area without a car.
For local authorities, encouraging visitors to use public transportation is becoming an increasingly important part of managing tourism sustainably.
The challenge facing Asuka is particularly unusual because its World Heritage sites are not isolated monuments separated from surrounding communities. Archaeological remains, agricultural fields and residential properties exist alongside one another, meaning tourism activity directly affects places where people continue to live and work.
The village's response therefore extends beyond simply limiting visitor numbers. By combining traffic restrictions, alternative transportation, agricultural conservation and heritage protection, authorities are seeking a model in which tourism supports the preservation of the community's identity.
With visitor numbers continuing to rise following the World Heritage registration, Asuka's efforts could provide lessons for other destinations facing similar pressures, particularly historic communities where protecting cultural heritage must be balanced with maintaining the quality of life of local residents.
Source: MBS
