Is Kyoto Really Going Bankrupt

[@TokyoLens]

a MASSIVE thank you to the Tokyo Lens Patreon Crew who made this possible. Took quite a bit to get all the pieces to come together, and ended up a bit delayed, but I hope it brings some value Some help make videos possible! www.Patreon.com/TokyoLens

[@ellen_globetrotter3783]

Thank you for taking the time to make this video. I was wondering what this bankruptcy was all about and your speaker answer all the questions I had. I love that you found someone in economics who could explain this problem, very interesting.

[@justtotestlearn4591]

Thank you for this video! Concise, informative and struck super close to home. I am an ex-tour guide (thanks, Covid!) living in Kyoto. I can confirm firsthand, that: 1. a large amount of businesses were more and more tourist-oriented, but once tourism came to a screeching halt an ugly truth bared its teeth - Kyoto is not much beyond that when it comes to business in general. 2. the real estate market here is indeed ridiculous, new hotels popping up all over the place (actually even during covid) and prices for rent being mostly as high or often higher than e.g. Osaka, despite the minimum wage and average/median income being lower in Kyoto than Osaka if memory serves. 3. with the two points above in mind, there is actually little in terms of job opportunities here and even then the wage tends to be lower than what you would get for pretty much the same job in Osaka. As much as I love the city, looking for a decently paid job here is extremely difficult and unless you have a serious commitment e.g. family here, then commuting to Osaka for work every day is less attractive than just moving to Osaka directly as you will be most likely saving both the commuting time and with a bit of luck your living expenses (area dependent). I was kind of hoping that with the normalization of home office during covid a "work for a company in e.g. Tokyo and live in Kyoto" pattern would become more commonplace, but no dice (which could have at least somewhat mitigated the migration of everyone apart from students and elderly to other cities). Anyway, sorry about the rant and thank you for an excellent video!

[@barrettdent405]

Recognizing and reacting to a problem before it becomes an actual crisis is something I wish more places in the world could do. In essence, Kyoto was rapidly being abandoned to tourism. While that tourism floated the city economically. Underneath, the city was becoming unviable and less livable as an actual functioning city for it’s dwindling residents. The pandemic could be viewed as a peek behind the curtain. Revealing a dangerous path the city had been on. Now they know they need to focus on being a city for residents first and foremost. Whilst not ignoring tourism, they cannot allow tourism to continue to override all decision making, planning or investment.

[@nightchicken283]

Another tourism based city: Amsterdam. Amsterdam currently is seeing the same issues Kyoto has, but where Kyoto's government has realised they have a problem if they continue on that path, Amsterdam has not. Actually they're doing the opposite, to the detriment of the locals. Venice has the same issues too, atleast they're recognized they're abit too touristy.

[@charmich3627]

This was absoutelyly fascinating, and to have a resident and someone who would talk/teach about economics of the city made it a bit more understandable as to how Japan view things...it is a shame that the subway created such a debt and now the hotels. I hope that families and business stay and show resiliency in spite of this ( kind of like what is happening here in rural southern Ont. very frustrating and sad) ... sounds as if they are trying to be proactive about it so it doesn't happen...thank you so much for such an insightful video of such a beautiful part of Japan :)

[@thepeanutgallery1699]

I didn't even stay at the big hotels (For a single part of my trip). I went to Japan for the Japanese experience, so stayed in traditional places or family-run bed & breakfasts, onsen, or (in the case of Kyoto) some sort of boarding house for students/tourists.

[@ravenwraith1017]

...I mean, its not like we have anything like Kyoto's tourism here lol. Of course people are migrating to urban centres like the GTA, where things happen...

[@KogaTM87]

I was not expecting him to mention Detroit, the city whose suburbs I grew up in. His description of it is definitely accurate to how it was a few years back, but it has certainly bounced back and been revitalized in the last few years. The outskirts are still rather sketchy, but downtown is actually super nice now and a lot of people do day trips to do stuff there nowadays which used to be unheard of. Hopefully Kyoto can avoid having to overcome such a dire situation.

[@DieJG]

That's really good to heard. I have read for a long time about Detroit and i hope the situation continuous improving.

[@CRBungalow]

Downtown is Gentrified you go even a block from downtown limits and still a mess, unless you are in one of the few high end neighborhoods.

[@JoeWithTheGlasses]

Howdy fellow Detroit suburbanite lmao. I grew up there in the 2000s and we absolutely never made trips downtown. But now some parts are so nice that my sister is having her wedding near downtown next year.

[@ramzanninety-five3639]

The thing people often ignore in case of Detroit is that it has literally paved its way to failure by ripping up the streetcar network and widening streets to allow wealthier residents to commute from out of town at ease. The same happened in Kyoto. While they were building the overpriced subway, they ripped up the largest (and oldest) tramway network in Asia to ease the traffic congestion. Those widened streets allowed more people to move to the suburbs and commute by car after the bubble bursted in the 1990s. Many residents flocked to southern, easter and northwestern suburbs that exemplify car-dependent suburban sprawl that is rather rare in Japan. The whole of Kansai region is well-know for this kind of sprawl, actually, with Osaka doing something similar in the decades prior. However, Osaka is a robust economic hub, so corporate taxes cover what have been lost in residential taxes there, but not in Kyoto.

[@bitfreakazoid]

How did things change if they replaced the tramway network that was aboveground, to a subway network that is below ground? This sounds like a net positive to me with less congestion from the trams aboveground. but people can still really easily move about, and now have an easier time by having the choice and freedom to move by car.

[@ramzanninety-five3639]

@@bitfreakazoid well, things change a lot, actually. For one, the tram network consisted of about 70 km of track, while the current subway is only 30. Simple math suggests that trams were actually replaced with lower capacity buses, not subway. Secondly, trams benefit their surroundings a lot spreading riders and thus the economic benefits throughout the network in addition to the obvious community benefit (more local shops along the tram lines vs. chains around dense subway stations). Subways make sense only when the possibilities for tram improvements are exhausted, which they were not, given that when they abolished it in 1978, the tram system had not received any meaningful investment in about two decades. Instead of a frugal and sustainable investment into the existing infrastructure, Kyoto decided to build a white elephant that it is still paying for. People always had a choice to use car (and be stuck in traffic), but the Kansai region decided to emulate the worst practises (American ones. of course) and remove choices from people by ripping up a perfectly functioning tram system. The outward growth into affluent car-dependent and lower density suburbs was then subsidized by the increasingly troubled and poor city proper, just like it is the case across the USA. So yes, the few remaining taxpayers of Kyoto (or Detroit, for that matter) sure enjoy subsidizing the 'choice' of wealthier suburbanites commuting into the city.

[@waltersumofan]

@@bitfreakazoid Trams have more nodes, more get off and on points. Subways only connect one major area to another. Even if close to each other trams still have more stops than subways. Thus a sense of local businesses and residential access is much larger and easier. Cars are not a factor as the roads couldn't support 1:1 ratio replacement anyway. So say you're on a tram and you stop and notice out the window a new store or restaurant that you didn't before. This creates many more trips than if you bypassed it unknownly on the subway. By both ripping up trams AND adding a subway it added all kinds of debt at the same time diminishing neighbourhood access. A lose-lose situation.

[@margaretkaraba8161]

@@waltersumofan It's not just that - it's exponentially more expensive to increase a subway network - London just increased it's subway (tube) network by 10 stations (Elizabeth Line) at a cost of £18 Billion. Manchester increased it's tram (metrolink) network by 7 stations (Trafford Park Line) at a cost of £350 million.

[@bitfreakazoid]

@@waltersumofan Subway local stops aren't very far apart. And this isn't even getting into the buses which still operate all over the place.

[@JoeWithTheGlasses]

As a metro-Detroit native, it was interesting, but sad, to hear that may be the fate of Kyoto. It's true that some parts of Detroit are doing much better, but some places are still damaged and the recovering parts are very fragile. Personally I can't imagine Kyoto becoming as bad as Detroit though.

[@36993020]

It sucks for Detroit but honestly the situation is different because Detroit isn't a tourist destination to begin with and doesn't have enough unique history to generate any revenue. Whereas Kyoto still has a fighting chance. Much like many European cities, take Pisa for example, it draws a lot of tourists each year without having much of an industry for the locals. Kyoto will have to do stronger marketing and I think in time will get better.

[@thomasbecker9676]

@@_Zane__ Right, it's that simple. /sarcasm

[@thomasbecker9676]

@@_Zane__ I mean, you didn't cite any of your sources, just some simplistic political regurgitation.

[@damianw5861]

Yea I dont think Kyoto would ends up like Detroit, it is still most popular city to travel in Japan for both local and international tourist, even if it goes bankrupt, the Japanese government would bail it up

[@thomasbecker9676]

@@_Zane__ Correlation does not imply causation.

[@thempstead]

Interesting video. I've been to Kyoto maybe three times, and the last time was probably 2012 and even then it had a feeling different to the other Japanese cities I went to. It felt like a place that catered more to tourists (both internal and international) and wasn't a normal functioning city where people could live in a normal manner. It's interesting to know that the issues predated the pandemic.

[@thepeanutgallery1699]

I felt the same (see my similar comment)

[@thepeanutgallery1699]

I enjoyed my time in Kyoto, but I have to say when compared to parts of Tokyo, Kamakura, Nara and even Hikone (Shiga) I stayed in, it had an undercurrent/feel I can't quite describe that made me feel it wasn't economically healthy. It was clean, everything was in "good nick", but there was a part of me that wondered how much of the economy came from tourism and how sustainable that was from a day-to-day POV. I think part of it (which is also what makes it cool as a tourist destination) is that "old" Kyoto tends to be separated from "new" Kyoto. While I was near the palace and the philosopher's path, etc., it felt separate from the rest of the city. The space needle was far off in the distance it felt like. As a tourist, I loved it, but it didn't feel like a congruous city where the old was a mixture of old and new (like Tokyo, Boston, London, Stockholm, etc.) When I was in Nara, granted I stayed with a friend and her family in a modern flat in a suburb with suburban sprawl, but it felt like it was a viable place to live, have a family, have a job, have history close by but also modern conveniences.

[@DaNymko]

Fascinating. As someone who actually would quite like to live in Kyoto some day, it's a relief that it doesn't seem to be in immediate danger. The video makes me think it's sort of a blown up version of the issues the rest of Japan is facing - aging population, difficulty of raising a family for various reasons, etc. Thanks for the great video!

[@KirstenReusch]

As Kyoto is the Japanese city that holds my heart, this has literally left me breathless. To imagine/foresee Kyoto as a ghost town is terrifying, unimaginable, and leaves me heartbroken. For me, it's always been about the locals, the hidden places along the side streets, the history. To know that to a certain extent it's tourism, the subway (a form of transportation that I've seldom used when visiting) that's played a part in that downturn... but to also know that they have plans in place so that the city does not fail = hope. This is a fantastic look into Japan and it's economics. 100% Thank you. 💜✌🐦

[@x5060]

I have been wondering this for the last 6 months. Thank you for making a video. I am so worried for my trip.

[@TokyoLens]

Plenty to enjoy!!

[@x5060]

@@TokyoLens I see that now, Thank you for putting my mind at ease. =D

[@wonderend8882]

wish you had an unlimited amount of vids for everyone to watch. because i personally cant have enough of them.

[@nanasan3280]

Thanks Norm It’s a lot clearer understanding what was meant by the original news statement I saw. Love your dedication to detail.

[@TokyoLens]

Really happy to hear that Thank you so much

[@masumigartman4262]

You have a great talent for creating beautiful content, even in a video that is more informative like this one, you still manage to make it a peaceful and beautiful video to enjoy. It adds that perfect something :)

[@ExplorewithHAROLD]

As a person who's currently living and studying in Kyoto, I wanna hear kind words of reassurance from you people that we still have hope out there.

[@TokyoLens]

100% why I made the video 😉

[@Neo08CA]

What a great video, as always. Kyoto have a special place in my heart and I really hope it will pass these hard times. 4:08 btw has a great sunset shoot that took my breath away for a sec. Thank you for shooting it and including it in the video. You have no idea how grateful I'm to you, Norm :)

[@kodydog1229]

I cant wait to get back to Japan, but I’m not one who likes to be in tour groups. I cant wait for the restrictions to open up so that I can go to those small shops and spots off the “beaten road”

[@Pein061]

I lived in kyoto for nearly 2 years, near kyoto station. I current lives in Osaka but Kyoto is still one of my fav place in Japan, life in Osaka and Kyoto is very different, one is a mess ( don’t get me wrong, because i really don’t like the chaos of big city like Osaka ), Kyoto is always…calm,ancient, people are much much more nicer than in Osaka. I plan to find a new job so i can move back to Kyoto, really miss it.

[@justtotestlearn4591]

Best of luck! To be honest Osaka is unfortunately much better in terms of job opportunities and wage. I have lived here in Kyoto for 7 years and as much as I like the city, it has quite high rent on average on one hand, but on the other way less job opportunities and lower wages than e.g. Osaka on average for comparably similar jobs (at least my experience from job hunting over these few years).

[@TorIverWilhelmsen]

@@justtotestlearn4591 could the high rest be related to what he's talking about in the video, hotel companies buying up land so that there is less construction of residential properties?

[@justtotestlearn4591]

@@TorIverWilhelmsen I am by no means expert in that field, but it really makes sense. Before the pandemic I worked for a travel company with a branch in Kyoto and I can't even count how many hotel opening and pre-opening (business partners only) events our manager and I have attended for 2018 alone. Not limited to hotels I am afraid, but other forms of businesses. I might get flack for this, but...one dirty little industry "secret" is also the shadow economy that was in place here, with foreign investors from a "very specific country" buying up property near famous spots. They would usually set up cosmetic stores/kimono rentals etc but mainly cater to the travel groups from their country, led by tour guides again from the same country that would goosestep the visitors to those shops as part of the tour so most of the profit would not trickle into Japanese economy but back to theirs. Illegal accomodations, illegal taxi services (shirataku), all by a certain group of people aiming their services primarily toward their countrymen. So yeah, I would definitely say the business aspect and profitability of location is a major factor driving the prices up, but then again as said I am no expert so take it with a pinch of salt.

[@gothakane]

I live in Osaka and I feel that the people in Kyoto are quite stuck up/snobbish. I love Osaka and how warm and welcoming people are here.

[@ozidanni]

The professor really knows his subject well. Good choice for an interviewee on this subject.

[@sarahramos2919]

I am grateful to hear that the outlook is as bad as first reported, but, unfortunately, the very real situation where families are being priced out of the housing market is not limited to Kyoto. It makes me sad on so many levels. Thank you for another amazing video! The care that you take with everything, and especially the hard issues, is evident. Take care!

[@DieJG]

I believe it is really good that they are doing it, they are saying: "it is a problem and we need to deal with it now or it will get worse". Many cities around the world are feeling the housing market problem and are not really dealing with it, only waiting for it to be over.

[@nico5179]

I’m coming back to Japan in a week, chose to study Japanese in Kyoto because I just fell in love with the city. I visited other cities like Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, Kobe and Hiroshima. But Kyoto for some reason remained with me. I will try to contribute to the economic growth whenever I can, that is eating out, buying local produce, etc.. I can’t wait to be there!

[@spun_01]

I've been to Kyoto about 6 times over the last 15 years, the last being in late 2019, and I remarked on the last visit that it felt less like the city I loved, and more like an open world Japanese theme park. The sad reality it Kyoto needs tourism to bring the cash in, but overtourism is also killing this city in a different but no less scary way.

[@jasonfanclub4267]

Absolutely right

[@noremacbeez]

Fantastic Norm.... as an Aussie with a few trips to Japan under my belt and at least six more planned...... this is the sort of brilliant investigative journalism that I love to see about the country that I most love to visit.... last time I was there I definitely got the sense that Kyoto was being loved to death.... keep making these amazing pieces of film art journalism....

[@ellessar5]

As someone who studied Global Development and Economics in the US and is now living in Kyoto (I really hoped I'd see myself riding my bike through Arashiyama in this video haha), this video was absolutely a pleasure to watch! I'm currently a student in Kyoto and 3/5 of my teachers live outside of Kyoto and commute in because it's more affordable and convenient for their current lifestyle. Now, in comparison to the US, Kyoto is loads cheaper and my USD goes much further here especially with the Yen's current downturn, however, it sounds like living costs and other expenses in Kyoto have been on the rise, especially in comparison to other areas in the Kansai are like Shiga and Osaka. Thanks for a great video Norm!

[@TokyoLens]

Thank you so much for the kind comment I’m really glad that you could appreciate this one And it’s too bad that we didn’t run into each other lol My day at arashiyama, I probably ran into 10+ ppl Barely got any filming done hahahaha Thank is again eh

[@ellessar5]

@@TokyoLens Glad to see these Kyoto videos you've been putting out while exploring in your sweet van! I'll sneak through a shot of one of your Kyoto videos along with your other fans next time you swing through! Safe travels!

[@patmisc]

Thank you for covering this, I really got worried when I heard about the news. I do hope the city gets to turn it around before it's too late. I loved Kyoto so much, and I wish to be able to come back. 🙏🏻

[@chibacat1234]

Super informative! I read about it in the Japan Times, but this video pretty much leaves us thinking that Kyoto is going to end up like a ghost town. While everything in the video is true, Kyoto is SUCH an important city for Japan, both in terms of tourism and cultural heritage, that the Japanese government would surely be taking action to preserve the city if it were to declare bankrupcy. Kyoto might see more and more akiya for example, if people keep on leaving, but it's hard to believe the government would let Kyoto become like Detroit. Anyway, it's a big conversation and you still did a fantastic job making this video with so much professional information!

[@racingmaniacgt1]

As someone who moved to Detroit(front Toronto, no less)in 2008, right on the eve of the automotive collapse, living through that period and then seeing the place now its not as bad as it could have been. And thats with a city that probably didn't have a lot to attract people other than automotive job. The bail out kept the car companies running and the suppliers too. Eventually jobs comes back and the place is quite a lot better than I've ever seen it(the first time I've been to Detroit area was 2003 and its night and day compare to then. Kyoto needs figure out a way to attract residents and jobs to prevent that from happening. However seeing how valuable the city itself is to Japan's history, I'm sure they'll find ways to keep it from getting anywhere near as bad as Detroit...

[@MageThief]

Awesome documentary Norm. I'm proud to be a Patreon for you, when you create such awesome things. Much love man ❤️

[@StephenKennington]

I have been to Kyoto twice. First time did all the tourist traps as part of an organised tour and it felt very much like a theme park. Second time I planned the trip my self and did more off the beaten path places. I did notice a lot of closed shops and run down builds once you get away from the main places of interest. I hope they come up with a recovery plan as it’s such a nice city.

[@JoeSchmmo]

I love that you did a video on this subject, it's very interesting and important my dude! Keep it up and once again great video!!

[@Forward.Motion.Social]

These are the types of legit reporter type videos that we NEED man. I loved it and it was good Japanese study for me! 😊

[@yogeshdhiman563]

I was just talking about this with a japanese native and he too didn't knew any of this. Thanks for shedding light on this.

[@TokyoLens]

Took a while to get it out But glad we finally got it up! Thank you!

[@yogeshdhiman563]

@@TokyoLens This was an eye opener. I think doing things like warning the citizens early is a pretty good move by the local government.

[@thecolortwelve3784]

A more in depth look than I have seen anywhere else. Would have expected this to be an NHK long form report. That said if NHK had made this it wouldn't have such good pacing and cutaway/inserts of the city. A fascinating watch.

[@dattmay]

I applaud you for taking the time to give such a complex, nuanced answer to a very complex, nuanced question. Really shines a light on how Kyoto functions and what challenges they currently have to overcome

[@danielroca8854]

Very interesting interview. (To the next video on my Tokyo Lens binge) Saludos desde Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia

[@archie4oz]

It's amusing that Professor Funatsu mentions the influx of hotels from 2014, which is when I started really following real estate prices in Kyoto, and I've seen the prices climb significantly since then. It's also not just big hotels either though, but even smaller properties operating as guest houses. So many homes are just empty, operating as AirBnBs during the 2015-1016 boom and now guest hoses despite the heavy regulatory climate. The other often unspoken aspect is that for a city of 1.4/5 million, its tax base is rather small. The city is heavily zoned for low-rise which constricts vertical density and thus a rich stable "per sq/m" tax base. The other aspect is so much land is taken up by temples, shrine, and heritage sites that pay no taxes, which puts an even tighter pinch on residential real estate.

[@SFSF272]

I'm Shohei FUNATSU. Thank you for your smart and relevant comment.

[@archie4oz]

@@SFSF272 Wow! Thank you for noticing!

[@kalika424]

This was super fascinating. Thank you for putting this out there for us.

[@stellagirard166]

Such a fascinating article. Thank you for creating this about Kyoto. I also appreciate you adding English subtitles with your interviews, to allow us language learners to improve our listening and vocabulary. Your translation is great 👍

[@X666-x1j]

My top favorite japan channel thankyou

[@TokyoLens]

Thanks so much~

[@etherdog]

Norm, I hope you do more videos like this! Great perspective from your guest!

[@grizoh4270]

Also, in general it's so sad to think that this is even a possibility, but I'm glad people like you are bringing the problems to light and showing us the state it's in. Hopefully with the borders opening up and more and more tourists coming in, Kyoto will hopefully thrive and prosper once again !

[@li_tsz_fung]

The crazy part is that Kyoto was already not doing great before COVID, it's just everyone not knowing. How can such a city packed with tourists not able to profit from it. Kyoto will forever be my favourite place to travel, and I believe it will still be extremely popular. They just need to figure out how to capture some of the tourism revenue to their government

[@colleenmurphy7812]

Wow, that’s a lot of interesting information in just 10:47 minutes. I see documentaries in your future!!

[@syndorian1670]

Very insightful and easy to follow, thank you Norm!

[@Danboo21531]

Similar thing has been going on my city for the last decade or so, except for the bubble era infrastructure debt. Overly accommodating tourism without proper planning for the permanent residence is not a good move, and your video on Kyoto highlighted it really well. Nice one.

[@mujinarokko1796]

Kyoto is like a theme park; the workers in the hospitality business live in outside of Kyoto, and commute for the jobs. The government of Kyoto City promotes the trends; they sell or rent out public apace, such as ex-school facility, to developers to build hotels. To improve the budgets, the government may want to prohibit cars from coming into the downtown, so that commuters and visitors would come by the public transportation. It may make Kyoto more popular for tourism. In the end, they serve business, over citizens, because Kyoto is unique in the world, not just in Japan, for which many of Japanese would like to be. How unique? Visit Kyoto. Do not forget being nice and calm. Visitors will be disappointed, if it is too crowded.

[@starterpack3974]

Very cool to have listened to the insight of the associate prof regarding the impacts of bankruptcy towards a city/area

[@springjoy0463]

I hope it will never happen to Kyoto, I lived there for a year and that's enough to make me fall in love with that City. Both of the city and country side have a very special part in my heart and I am still dreaming of living in Kyoto for good. ❤️❤️❤️

[@arielb5317]

Norm I have to say how much I LOVE your content! You’re so informative, fun and at the same time so calming to sit back and watch the beautiful things you share! Japan has always been on my bucket list and what you share just makes me love the country even more! Thanks for doing what you do!!

[@shep4516]

This video was fascinating. I've never had an easy time wrapping my head around the topic of economics on a grander scale but his description of things was perfectly understandable for me. It was great to learn about Kyoto specifically but also how these things happen in general. Thank you for all of the time and effort you put in for this video.

[@NotTheRedComet]

Thanks for putting in the work on this, Norm! I hope that Kyoto is able to find a sustainable solution!

[@InakaAdventure]

Love these little doco's Norm, very informative. Also every time there is a Kansai Episode I try to find myself in the background (自分ウォーリーをさがせ), unfortunately not today.

[@TokyoLens]

Hopefully someday!!

[@BecTries]

This is starting to happen in Tasmania. Hobart in particular seems more geared to making decisions and building infrastructure for tourists rather than residents. Trying to get a rental is difficult and out of the reach of a lot of people, so long time residents are either now without housing and living in tents or have moved 60 - 90 minutes away to where housing is cheaper.

[@nelsonmartins2574]

Wow this was interesting to watch! Here in Lisbon (Portugal) we are facing some of those issues as well, it is one of the most expensive European capitals to live and yet we have one of the lowest salaries. The city is overflowing with Airbnb's and foreign real estate investments, no one really lives in Lisbon and when they do, the house rent represents 60 - 80% of the monthly income. I worked pretty much my entire adult life in Lisbon and yet I was never able to afford living there. Let's hope that the future brings a very needed change to Lisbon, Kyoto and other cities that no longer allow locals to live in there.

[@lx10]

The difference between Lisbon and Kyoto is that the municipal city Hall of Lisbon doesn't spend as much money on tourism as Kyoto does. In Lisbon it is the private sector that fuels the tourism industry. Kyoto doesn't have money, unlike Lisbon. I was born and raised in Lisbon, a true born "alfacinho", but now I live outside, 70km up north, where's cheaper but have a better quality of life. Tourism can make a city more expensive, but Lisbon 30 years ago was a bump, the historical neighborhoods were completely neglected, with most buildings trashed and in ruins. Now you have a more beautiful city.

[@memeranglaut]

A deep video is a nice change of pace here. Thanks for this Norm - will want to return to kyoto again soon, and truly explore it without a guide or linear temple plan

[@Sperbs_9]

This is really interesting. I remember reading about it a while ago and being very confused about how a city like Kyoto could just not have money. You’d assume with the amount of tourism they have (pre plague times) and how famous and historic the place is this wouldn’t be a problem. Hopefully they can find a solution before things get worse over the coming years.

[@awesomeadamfrom2099]

Awesome job bro

[@pierrelewis6819]

I can admit, this was a very nicely presented and educational video..

[@whyisthisathingnow...]

Pretty informative video, I was wondering about how the situation in Kyoto was going.

[@The_Foil]

I really love your videos Norm, been binge watching them for the past week, I love the camping and thrift shop videos :)

[@TokyoLens]

Always leave me a trail of comments when you do a binge so that I can follow along with you and get to know you better!!!

[@pendragnx]

fascinating.. thanks for interviewing him, Norm

[@aristothethrone9032]

it's so wild to me to see modern ghost towns from recently abandoned ones to long-abandoned ones to near abandoned ones. conceptually it's easy to think of dying towns as places where some disaster has hit or something from a retro news article with people who've passed. and some reporter tracking down the descendants who might have lived there long ago.

[@CoversbyPatYam]

Reading the comments and feedback of people about this topic was fascinating

[@kungfool69]

such a fantastic look behind the curtain! We can't wait to revisit Kyoto!

[@Strider_Shinryu]

Man I miss Kyoto so much. It pretty much feels like home to me and it's been awful to not be able to visit there for the last couple of years.

[@virtualtravel2096]

It is said that Kyoto may be bankrupt within 10 years. As a resident of Kyoto, I hope the problem will be solved. Thanks for making this great video!

[@shukei122]

Such a great documentary as always🔥 Thanks for sharing the harsh reality of Kyoto. The bankruptcy risk has been worried about for a while, and it's a very sad situation... I hope more tourists will be back soon, and the situation will get even better.

[@JeremiahBostwick]

Fantastic video!

[@ardiantosony8025]

lovely video =) Thank you for the information!

[@the_trevoir]

Thanks Captain Norm, this was very interesting, and a little scary to think about.

[@Fallaron]

This was super interesting, thank you. On my own trip Kyoto was a bit disappointing as there were just too many tourists around (me obviously being one of them), it seemed like the city wasn‘t „ready“ for the amount of people.

[@brucetownsend691]

It has got worse over the last couple of decades. When I first visited Kyoto in the early 00s, the number of fellow tourists was OK. However just before the pandemic it was crazy how crowded places like the Golden Pavillon had become. There were reports of Kyoto locals being very upset by the behaviour of some tourists pushing in at bus stops etc. Right now there are no foreign tourists in Japan anywhere in any numbers and crowding is not a problem. I think it will be a long time before foreign tourist numbers get back to that level (if they ever do) because the Chinese government is now discouraging foreign travel by its citizens and for the time being they are not even allowed to leave China for a holiday. China was the biggest source of tourists for Japan.

[@AIaura]

I just got done with the whole playlist of the mini-docs, and i have to say, out of all of them, i think in order for my favs, would be. 1. The abandoned school video (both). 2. The Pet Detective video. 3. The arcade video (Which made me cry a lot at the end) 4. The japan disaster video. 5. The Drunk Driving video. 6. Tokyo's Tiniest Shop. 7. The Hermit video. 8. Learning to fly in japan. 9. The Ramen Video. 10. The town replaced with scarecrows. (And besides my favorites and what not, out of all of them, i still loved them individually the same amount, your video quality and production is so good, and i love every single one of your videos, but this is just a list of the videos i so far really loved.) But overall, can't wait for the next documentary that you come out with, i'm sure it'll be very good and much love and heart and what not will be put into the quality and making of the video. Thank you for making these, very fun and educational to watch.

[@megangoggans1208]

You did a great job with the documentary Normal. You should be proud :)

[@jedduy8144]

Insightful as always, Norm. Thank you for this!

[@CuteAsianPrincess]

Never been this early. I'm planning on going to Kyoto next year. Thank you for the video!

[@TokyoLens]

Thanks for being here!!

[@CuteAsianPrincess]

@@TokyoLens I have heard about this issue for a while and was worried for the city a bit. It's a big conundrum when the tourism that suppose to support the local economy is hurting the locals

[@becks5867]

4:18 is very relatable! This video is a topic I’ve not even thought about, and is interesting to hear about 💜 Hopefully you will keep us up to date in future on Kyoto’s situation. It will be interesting to know if they’ll write off the subway debt at some point if it’s not feasible to pay that amount

[@geddon436]

4:17 "There is no meaning, we are just livinng" I feel it.

[@BSGSV]

I can listen to this professor's sing-song speech inflections indefinitely.

[@TyrannicalMoon]

supporting local is a good way to combat economic unrest...or so I think anyhow. I'm also not an economist tho. We have ghost towns all over the US where the main sources of income died and the town could no longer afford to exist.

[@colorsofserafina5460]

This is a very good and informative video. I learned a lot. Thank you for making such great content Norm. 🙂🙂🙂

[@klausklausi7484]

Great Background Story. Please mor of its kind!

[@indysaur]

Very interesting and informative, also slightly depressing. Thank you for sharing! Also, thank you for making your captions very easy to read, I'm visually impaired and a lot of the time captions are so hard to read for me!

[@triforcerf321]

This video had me absolutely captivated, really fascinating to see the consequences of its closed borders. I went to Kyoto quite recently during the summer and I thought it was quite busy, hard to believe that they are facing bankruptcy. Thanks for your effort on such a great documentary.

[@thetypebeast]

I like how he described Detroit as an example of what happens to cities when they collapse, but also for me, it really highlighted how different the current economies are between Japan and the United States, and how they can be economically sustainable.

[@yvan2218]

Notification squad here now. Never missing another video next time

[@TokyoLens]

Love that!!! Thank you!!

[@megamcee]

Finally watched the video. Good to know that the city is not in any immediate danger of just falling apart. Hope it can bounce back from the bubble consequences.

[@DarthAndre24]

Hoping that the borders ease up soon so I can finally help stimulate Kyoto's (and the Kansai region) economy,. Been there last 2019 and it was a breathtaking experience.

[@tonka_bean12]

What a fascinating and informative video - it would be great if in the future Kyoto does save itself from itself but my pessimistic side has seen it happen too many times (albeit on a smaller scale). Kyoto has always been one of the places on list to visit.

[@inabearsuit2425]

incredible documentary as always

[@audreysantiago5475]

Very good and informative video, thanks a lot Norm!

[@loftythemite5586]

Thank you for the information! I was curious as to what was going on.

[@imtiazbhuyan877]

Informative video norm 👍

[@KirstieLush]

Really interesting and very well explained, great video!

[@rosssmith8087]

Another great, informative video Norm. Nice to get the facts beyond the headlines. Kyoto is a spiritual home for me and I'm sure with some wise planning they will survive. Keep up the great work mate.

[@KillerTacos54]

Very very fascinating video. Thank you for making it

[@michaelhuntley6175]

It's amazing that the issue here is the same as the issue in so many global cities: rampant land speculation hollowing out the city.

[@phillipwithstyle]

I got to visit Kyoto in 2018, saw kinkakuji and hiked up to arashiyama monkey park. It’s a beautiful place and I hope they can revitalize the city before it’s too late!

[@justtotestlearn4591]

One tiny detail I think is neglected with the Kyoto subway is...that it is not all that practical - at least not for the tourists. There is pretty much nothing of interest anywhere along the Karasuma north of Imadegawa or south of Kyoto station. Take a look at Karasuma line. It hardly goes anywhere near a historical site or a point of interest. Going to Fushimi Inari? Ok, hop on the JR Nara line that takes you directly there, faster and cheaper. Or Keihan, if you are staying anywhere city center/northeast. Gion? Keihan. Kiyomizu? Keihan. Nijo-jo? JR Saiin line. Arashiyama? Same line. Kinkakuji? Same line, off at Enmachi and hop on bus. Ryoanji? Off at Hanazono and walk, stop by at Myoshinji on the way. The only time I ever used the subway when guiding tours was when we were going to the likes of Nanzenji and would connect with the Tozai line, or if we were coming back from north of the city/Kawaramachi to Kyoto station and would rather sacrifice a fare but at least not stand around like dimwits in a fully packed and painfully slow bus. But hey, at least I know now why the minimum fare for the subway is more expensive than any other rail operating in Kyoto... Also makes sense why Kyoto city started to offer discounts when connecting city subways and buses.

[@silverian]

Thanks for great document!

[@animatrobin1340]

Something I find interesting is that this could be compared to Southend-on-Sea in the UK, its large enough to be a city and was only just granted that title this year. It relies heavily in tourism from the trainlines c2c and Southend Victoria lines to and from London, as a result all shops often close and half the main highstreet toward the pier have become abandoned, two shopping centers are considering turning empty spaces into flats as there is no one moving in. The Pier used to be a highlight, but lacks hours open and has become a burden due to having no attractions at the end of it. They removed the Airfield for an airport which drove more to leave for holidays abroad and removed the yearly airshows. The University in Southend also struggles to keep people in Southend as most students ride a train into it. I genuinely hope that your City is able to avoid bankruptcy.