Japan’s Overtourism Problem Explained, Kyoto Day-Passes Cut

Japan has a problem, overtourism. I thought we’d talk about this today.
URL: minna-kanko.jp/en/travel/unca...
#japan #overtourism #kyoto

[@colinmathie2710]

I heard about this yesterday, they need to make up their minds, the government either wants folk to come to the country or they don’t.

[@onlyinjapanGO]

They want but they need to also improve their infrastructure to handle EVERYONE who wants to come better. If you come, you won’t have a wonderful time in overly crowded places. Neither do the locals. The idea is to trouble shoot this and find solutions to improve the experience for everyone - they can tax, but what do they do with it to actually help?! It’s no surprise since 2019 Japan had this issue and now it here again. Hope they actually do something to improve.

[@Xeonz1000]

Perhaps tourist attractions away from local area, tourist bus separately from local bus( like sightseeing bus ). And so on. Also s😮ome places in Japan are under touristy

[@gewglesux]

Agreed.

[@johnl2613]

@@Xeonz1000 Yeah but there are self-tour tourists (you can thank the internet, google maps for that) who don't join tour groups / take tour buses. How are you going to prevent them from taking the public transit? I dont see how they can curb this issue unless they introduce some sort of system like issuing tourist visas so to limit the # of tourists visiting Japan in a month. Kinda extreme...

[@Xeonz1000]

@@johnl2613 totally agree, Japan need to find balanced solution

[@cesartolentino2817]

Solution: re-distribute the flow of tourists by promoting prefectures that are not well known to foreign tourists, like Kanagawa, Yamagata, Nigata, Ishikawa and Hiroshima.

[@lisaness59]

Absolutely! There are so many beautiful places in Japan that are not part of the Golden Route. Wakayama prefecture is a prime example, and so underrated. Fukui prefecture is another. You also have places like Kyoto actively advertising, so maybe that needs to be cut back. Provide discounted travel to places that don’t have much tourism, and get active marketing plans in place.

[@_w_w_]

The issue is that if you are a first-time visitor or relatively Japan-inexperienced traveler, you are going to hit the top cities first. The cities you named are nice cities but they are way less exciting than Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka or Kyoto. For first-time visitors, spending money on secondary cities is money not well spent.

[@hannesRSA]

What if you're not interested in nature or temples or walking too much? Are the less popular destinations worthwhile? (Note these preferences are influenced by taking a family with) I find it hard to find opinions on this because most people visit elsewhere to "escape the city".

[@cesartolentino2817]

@@hannesRSA It may require some desk research before choosing destinations other than the top 5 prefecture destinations frequently visited by foreign tourists: Tokyo, Chiba, Osaka, Kyoto and Hokkaido. Nara prefecture in Kansai has its deer park, persimmons, calligraohy on bamboo, and goldfish gardens. Saga prefecture in Kyushu is best known for its porcelain (in Arita, Imari and Karatsu), its history as a trading port with China, balloon festival, and having been the setting for the anime Zombieland Saga (and therefore, hosting many anime pilgrimages for the said anime). Fukuoka prefecture also in Kyushu is best known for its Confucius Shrine, Nagasaki Shinchi Chinatown, Hirado Castle (seat of the Matsura Clan), and sites honoring the prefecture's history with Catholic missionaries. Other prefectures have similar complex and rich histories. And let's not forget: every prefecture has its own Kitkat variety and Starbucks Frapuccino unique flavor. And all prefectures participate in various stamp series: from Furusato hometown postage stamps, to castle stamp rallies, and Eki railway stamp quests. Everywhere in Japan is an adventure and a quest: in food, history, art, pop culture, railways, etc. And just like the Pokemon theme: tourists "Gotta Catch 'Em All!"

[@hannesRSA]

@@cesartolentino2817 thanks, you've put a lot of effort in your response. I'm going to plan a trip based on these "non-city" activities, because there will be enough walking through cities and eating in-between.

[@tsavagejanes]

Kyoto should create a Hop on, Hop Off bus for tourists that drop off/pick up at the sightseeing locations around the city to reduce impact on local buses.

[@onlyinjapanGO]

That would work!

[@lisaness59]

They have one already.

[@EVL-xj5vc]

Good idea! Has to be small but I think it still can’t enter certain areas but still it’s a good idea.

[@iyariximenauribe6797]

Yes! That would be a great idea

[@keithtan7528]

Hi John and OIJ community, 1) Majority of tourists do stick to only the "golden route" (Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto). It is a problem indeed. 2) Doesn't help that majority of influencers / bloggers on social media and KZbin only cover content in these places. Probably 99.5% of tourists only stay in these 3 cities... In June to July, when I went to many areas out of the "golden route", many areas had almost little to no tourists, buses had little to no passengers. 3) I don't expect the crowd of tourists to Japan to die off anytime soon, but I hope that most tourists should be more considerate to minimize the inconvenience to the Japanese locals. Having been to Japan many times at this point, even I get pissed off or irritated by the actions of most tourists (as a tourist myself), doing whatever they want, even in places / areas where there are rules to follow - e.g. temples, shrines) During my 1 month trip, when I stopped by these big cities, I cannot recall the amount of times I feel frustrated, pissed or even angry due to these many foreign tourists not following simple rules (particularly on transport). 4) John's example on shinkansen - a lot of tourist will not prepare to disembark beforehand even though the announcements tell you to do so. Even I have encountered these tourists blocking my way when alighting at the busier stations. Can't say I enjoy these situations...

[@onlyinjapanGO]

I hope by talking about it, it becomes more of a conversation with our communities and changes can happen but it’s a good start for challenges Japan faces now that will get more challenging.

[@keithtan7528]

@@onlyinjapanGO Agree. I do hope that more foreign tourists at least know basic etiquette before coming to Japan / visiting popular places so that many issues can be alleviated. Many posts or reels on social platforms only highlight places to visit, food to eat, things to do - people just follow and do the same actions, but almost little to none of them highlight any basic etiquette / rules to follow when visiting many of these places. As a young adult like many of them, it is very saddening to see how social media plays a big role in this problem Japan is facing.

[@DeGoosey]

And because 99.5% do the golden route, it leaves other places relatively quiet and hassle free for me to enjoy at a slower pace! However, it also means businesses in the other cities are unable to profit from the boom.

[@keithtan7528]

@@DeGoosey Yup, exactly. I do hope that these places get their share of the boom. But as I mentioned, it will be very dependent on social influencers especially. Another thing is many foreigners' proficiency in Japanese as well.

[@Boomdizzle99]

​@@keithtan7528I ran into some russian girls in a karuta shop in Kyoto recently. Didnt speak english. Spoke 0 japanese...theres also alot of europeans who just go to japan and have no idea about much of anything other than going because its popular on instagram. I doubt most ever bother learning more than a couple words

[@ChuckSuey]

I was in Kyoto on April 1st of this year, and it was a terrible experience due to the quantity and quality (ie: behaviour) of foreign tourists. I witnessed the impact on locals first hand: I saw some young lady in the middle of the street taking pictures with a local motorist behind her honking for her to get out of the way, and she completely ignored him. Most people going to Japan seem to not care about local habits. I have no idea how they're going to resolve this issue, but I look forward to seeing how they'll try.

[@onlyinjapanGO]

I think it’s a smaller minority that that are poor quality tourists, but with more people, more awful tourists also come. I’ve seen that too, dangerous photographer in streets very often 😳 just last week in Akihabara! So scary.

[@rsvpevents6780]

This must be a universal problem! I live in New York City and tourists here can be very oblivious as well to the norms. A glaring example is stopping in the middle of a busy sidewalk to check your map or eat icecream, or have a chat with your family. A sidewalk in New York City is like a street with cars. Step out of the flow of pedestrians if you want to stop. It only takes a moment and everyone around you appreciates your spacial awareness.

[@megankingwell4169]

Watching his videos on subjects like this has actually really helped me plan my trip for next year. I was going to visit Osaka and Kyoto and his insight made me rethink what I really wanted out of my trip and I started looking into other fantastic places to visit in Japan. Now I’m going to spend most of my visit in Kyushu and I’m so happy with that decision-I wouldn’t have known anything about it it I hadn’t started looking at other options. I want to have a great experience on my trip and not contribute to overtourism issues-I can do both and not feel like I’m missing out on anything. Japan is full of beautiful places to visit outside of what it’s largely known for. 😊

[@lzalab2286]

For me Kyoto is less chaotic than Tokyo or Osaka . I just love everything about Kyoto I need to come back and explore 😊

[@user-bc2vv5km3f]

Stay in your country we have enough tourists already. Find other country to visit. Thank you

[@lzalab2286]

@@user-bc2vv5km3f that’s rude

[@EVL-xj5vc]

Kyushu is certainly nice! Visit atomic museum in Nagasaki and also the abandoned island Hashima.

[@BC33714]

If you actually cared about the problem, you wouldn’t come here in the first place. If you’re hopping onto a plane here with no good reason (I.e. business, visiting family, etc.) other than because you’re taking a vacation, then you’re part of the problem.

[@malcolmmccaskill2311]

In July 2019 I visited Tokyo, Kyoto, Matsumoto, Hakodate and Sapporo and never encountered tourist crowding. EVen though it was high season I hardly encountered any foreigeners outside Kyoto. Japan is a big country, and its excellent rail system that can help disperse visitors, and avoiding the traffic congestion of a car-based tourist industry such as in the USA. Singapore has a much smaller resident population but has typically hosts 30m tourists per year. For Japan 40m per year shouldn't be a problem if managed well.

[@onlyinjapanGO]

Thanks for the feedback - taking advantage of the excellent rail network and public transportation to get tourists away from crowded spots seems to be THE BEST strategy - incentivize NOT the passes but the hotels and food options to encourage people at the end destination in the countryside. Seems like a good plan to place with nearly NO foreign tourists.

[@actblur]

Tourists should really go to other cities. When I went to Japan in March/April this year, I went to places/cities like yanagawa, beppu, okayama. Granted it was before the huge influx recently, but I barely saw any foreigners around, it was almost 95% Japanese and no stress from any huge crowds. The next time I go Japan, I would probably venture to even lesser known cities just to escape the crowds.

[@_Tizoc_]

I got to see a lot of Kyushu earlier this year and never saw one other white person but couldn’t go anywhere without them in Tokyo by comparison.

[@sbring00able]

I live in Kyoto and while I wouldn't say it is my favorite place in Japan, I perhaps feel a bit more positive about the place than John does (though I would avoid the summer). He's not wrong by any means, but I think he might be referering to visiting the more popular places (Kinkakuji, Kiyomizu dera, Kawaramachi etc.) Kyoto does have a lot of quiet, peaceful places, but it will take a bit of research and exploring on your part. I live a bit further north, and can go out during the day while not running into a single tourist. If you're able to, I highly recommend exploring by bicycle and avoiding bus travel whenever possible (or at least during busier hours.....which unfortunately can be most of the day). I've had times where I'm not able to bike to work for whatever reason and have to resort to taking a bus......it can actually be difficult to get off - I've missed my stop more than once. I agree that you should definitely try to visit the lesser-known spots in Japan. My best memories have generally been in the small in-between places when cycle touring throughout the country.

[@MarcoTW11]

Agree. I've also just spent a month in Kyoto and mostly been in local neighborhoods avoiding the most touristy places. It is very easy to find quiet alleys, cafe, restos and being able to enjoy the city if you don't need to visit attractions. I agree that buses are nighmare so better take a bike as you say or just walk :)

[@il_escriber]

I agree as well, Kyoto is definitely much more enjoyable than Osaka. I find it more relaxing staying in Kyoto. My last 2 trips this year I stayed in Kyoto just off Kiyomizu-Gojo... His take on Kyoto leaves much to be desired actually.

[@onlyinjapanGO]

Saying “go to Kyoto” isn’t a message I want to give when there are a hundred places that aren’t crowded and would be super welcoming. Kyoto is a beautiful place, one of MANY around the country but too much has been focused on it and I think it’s best to ask people to consider other areas. Personally, it’s not fun for me to be there at peak times.

[@sbring00able]

@@onlyinjapanGO That is good that you're promoting other areas outside of the handful of places people typically go - and as someone who lives here I wouldn't mind fewer tourists around places like Kyoto Station and Arashiyama. The popular spots are popular for a reason, but unfortunately it's a compromised experience these days, especially during peak times (I am a bit spoiled now having lived here when there were very few tourists due to covid).

[@unebonnevie]

@sbring00able: I love Kyoto. Yes, Kyoto has a lot of peaceful places that are not crowded by tourists. I love the Daigoji Temple. Literally no tourists! All the people I met there are native Japanese. Nara, on the other hand, is full of tourists, mostly from China!

[@RSidd]

I'll be visiting Japan in October, but I do support them in combating this problem of overtourism. I'm okay with paying a few extra bucks and taking fewer trips if it helps. Vandalising public property of a country you are visting is just insane! Yout first responsibility as a tourist is to respect your country of visit and it's people.

[@TheCyberMantis]

It goes to show you how certain other countries have a trash culture. You can't have a 1st-world country with 3rd-world people. Imagine if Japan took 20-million immigrants from one of those trash countries. Japan would be ruined in less than a week.

[@celiamaurer9604]

We also will be in Japan in October 😜

[@MrHiroschi]

​@@celiamaurer9604going October 27th my first time 😂

[@fadedndrunk]

@@MrHiroschi youre gonna love it

[@0550112233]

Well damn it, am visiting 30 sep tell 15 of oct, lets go to the izikaya together 🤣

[@tbznuna]

Currently planning a trip next spring... appreciate all of the input and coverage!

[@TheKerokitty]

I am not sure that 'combatting over tourism' and still reaching that long term goal of 60 million tourists by 2030 can coincide. It sends a very mixed message to people as well. We loved returning to Japan this past April, but a LOT of the ease of traveling with 5 kids under 15 was the ease of using JR passes, Suica cards, and even how walkable a lot of destinations are. We would probably have to pass on the JR pass the next time around and I cannot imagine train hopping without a Suica card! We hope things return to normal and a sense of common courtesy for Japan's way of life becomes more honored by visitors.

[@onlyinjapanGO]

I think over tourism doesn’t just mean too many tourists. I think it means having the infrastructure and planning to deal with 60M tourists. JAPAN IS NOT READY! That is what I take away from this. But they could be … by 2030?! Maybe a stretch.

[@BC33714]

I think the government has realized that goal is NOT sustainable. We’re at half of that and basically all of us who live here have had ENOUGH of it. That would be 1 tourist entering for every 2 Japanese people!!!! And before someone goes there, yes it does benefit the economy. At what cost, though? Are we supposed to sit back and be happy with the country being run into the ground? It’s weird how we seemed to be doing perfectly fine when it was only 5-10 million annual tourists. Around 2015 is when things started spiraling out of control and it’s only been downhill from there (barring the 2020-2022 closure).

[@rodrigopalma2727]

Here in Lisbon, my hometown, we've been dealing with overtourism too. It's kinda annoying, because the food in almost every restaurant is overpriced and the public transportations are full of uncivilized tourists. There are so many tourist traps all over the city, but most people are unaware of it. It's just sad.

[@onlyinjapanGO]

Thanks for the feedback on Lisbon, I think it’s an issue that will be resolved with countries experimenting and finding the best answer, sharing the feedback and results. Over-tourism impacts locals AND TOURISTS alike.

[@MageBlackstone]

I assume that you are also a tourist when you decide to go away from Lisbon. Are you also uncivilized? If not, let's not call out random people, shall we?

[@ayaye1918]

its been a long time, loving this story.. Responsible tourism is the need of the hour, thanks for sharing this.. Its so hard.. same problems in Barcelona and elsewhere like this

[@robhulings1520]

John, you are spot on about awareness being a double-edged sword. You recently produced a video about a restaurant in Hiroshima that is off the beaten path and serves amazing Okonomiyaki. I was taken to this restaurant back in June by friends who live in Hiroshima. My friend told me that when she made the reservation that she told them a "foreigner" would be among the guests. She said they panicked because no one in the restaurant speaks English. She explained that she speaks English and would act as a translator. It was explained to me that they had never had a foreigner in the restaurant before, and the chef wanted to take a picture with me. Your channel is very informative, and I used it as a resource for my trip, as I'm sure many of your viewers do as well. But I can absolutely see where the influx of foreigners visiting a local place that's not equipt to handle foreign customers can be frustrating for the staff, and the locals that frequent it. You've seen for yourself that it's not a big place. The staff was wonderful and the food was amazing but I can see some difficulties for them going forward now that you've given them international notoriety. I love your channel thanks for keeping us informed. Oh, you might want to touch on the times of year that students take field trips. When I came in May-June, I couldn't move in Kyoto because of bus loads of students at every shrine and temple.

[@onlyinjapanGO]

Well, that restaurant is ready now! 😂 the menu has pictures and the chef has a great sense of humor. They gave me a T-shirt when I left like the other staff! Maybe I’ll work there and help the tourists :) it was one of the best okonomiyaki places in the city I thought. The challenge will balanced out to be normal but to overcome it, they need a plan and I think they finally know it.

[@henrychew235]

I go to Kyoto but usually don't go to the key crowded sights. There are a lot of temple/garden that one can go in kyoto! Moreover, one can go to Shiga prefecture, or kobe (akashi) and enjoy tourist free sites. The issue as i see it is most tourist follow the standard guide book and don't do enough research prior. A lot of them will say they want local experience but then do the most touristy sites...

[@docvern7]

Appreciate the thoughtful discussion on a growing problem. I was forced to go to Kyoto this past February to guide family that haven’t been there. Attractions were crowded (less than in the spring though). Didn’t even attempt to use bus because of long lines. Family of 4 fit into a into 1 cab which was much faster. Extra cost was worth it and the speed enabled us to fit more into our itinerary. You referenced a couple of my less crowded, secret favorite cities, Fukuoka and Kanazawa. During spring, I went off the beaten path and viewed the most beautiful Sakura in Hagi in Yamaguchi prefecture. Should encourage more folks to go off the beaten path as you said. Btw. Awesome drone shot! Mahalo !

[@lilenggoh7863]

Love your video John!! Thank you for covering this side of tourism in Japan. Just my own opinion, I think there are 2 folds: 1) revenge travel, 2) tourists going to more commonly known prefectures I loved the experience I had at Nikko & Chiba back in May 2023, but was overwhelmed once I entered Tokyo. There are so many beautiful places in Japan to explore, don’t just crowd around Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto.

[@onlyinjapanGO]

Thanks for the feedback on this! I think you’ve got it right there.

[@GilAsakawa]

Another great, thought-provoking livestream. Thanks, John. You're spot-on r.e. over-tourism. Such a vexing problem. I'm not planning to return to Kyoto, even though I love it, because it's so crowded. You should go someplace like that sometime and report on which languages you overhear. I'm currently starting to plan a trip that would avoid the "Golden Route" except for Tokyo, which has plenty of under0visited and lesser-known areas, and include destinations like Toyama, Kanazawa, Fukui and Takayama. I always urge folks to visit the lesser-known parts of Hokkaido outside of just Sapporo, and a trip through all of Kyushu would be great too. Plus, I really, really want to go to Shikoku, the only main island I haven't visited or lived in--partly because of your videos from Kochi, but also for Tokushima! (Did you just ruin Tsukishima by showing it off? Will Monjayaki become a thing like okonomiyaki has?)

[@onlyinjapanGO]

I may have - so close to Ginza and Tokyo Station, Tsukiji 😂 and almost empty compared to the other places. This stream discussion has people divided, it’s fascinating! I’m not always right but the headline on PM Kishida saying he’s going to battle over tourism makes this an issue, NOT ME 😂 so things will change, but the point is over tourism makes the experience for tourists SO BAD and for locals. They have ti find a solution because people aren’t going to stop coming.

[@GilAsakawa]

@@onlyinjapanGO Damn, John, you're up at 5am? That's typically when I get out of bed in Denver!

[@maximemed]

Going to Japan for the first time in 2 weeks. Love your video’s John, hope that this doesn’t impact our trip too much.

[@onlyinjapanGO]

It’ll be fine :) the discussion today was fun and interesting! Changes are coming worldwide I think but not until 2024.

[@louisnguyen4343]

I was in Rome and Paris in May. Both were overflowing with tourists. I was lucky in that I was warned ahead of time. I made online reservations to all the major tourist places and used the taxi apps like Freenow and G8 to avoid the crazy traffic. (In Paris the taxis can take the HOV lanes but Uber cannot). If the Japanese government wants to help they should create a single website with instructions and links so tourists can plan their trip. No one wants to stand in hours long lines under the sun without air conditioning. (Even the Louvre museum which supposedly has AC, I was dripping buckets because it was just so crowded with people). In Rome, at least there is a water filling station or spigot at every tourist site. In Paris, a water fountain is a rare site.

[@onlyinjapanGO]

Thank you for the feedback on this. My point in making this video is to let people know what’s going on - those who plan accordingly from this info will have much smoother experiences. The website is a great idea. I’ll ask JNTO (the govt arm for tourism) about it. They already have a good website.

[@ylvisfan390]

I went to utoro and abashiri in eastern hokkaido in february to see drift ice and there was almost zero tourist this year as it had just only reopened then . It was simply wonderful and stunning. I went because john went to abashiri and his video was so inspirational, i immediately wanted to visit hokkaido east in winter. So i did. It was unforgettable

[@user-hy8mz8ts4f]

Thank you for addressing this issue. Some of us Japanese who live overseas no longer care to spend time in Tokyo when we go home, as it is so crowded. I appreciate your channel because, in my opinion, you are not a cookie-cutter Gaijin in Japan. I also like the fact that you lived in my hometown, Hiroshima for a while😊 I appreciate you for bringing up travel industry news and sharing your honest opinion.

[@michaelsasano8622]

Aloha my friend. Just missed this livestream but caught the replay. I guess it was expected that over tourism would happen with the weak yen right now. Hopefully the yen will stabilize soon so there won't be as many foreign visitors flocking to Japan and causing such crowding in places like Kyoto. I can only imagine how annoying it could be for residents who have to fight for a seat on a train or for a spot in restaurants.

[@onlyinjapanGO]

Indeed! It’s good to discuss it, the feedback here has been incredible!

[@damonchancellor2670]

If you don't want tourists to overtake a city like Kyoto then make the alternative more enticing. Focus on promoting places like Sendai, Tottori, Fukuoka and more but alos make those places alluring enough to make tourists decide to visit there instead of the Golden Route. You can make the best chuck roast this side of the Mississippi but no one is going to eat it if you have only promote your spectacular ribeye

[@onlyinjapanGO]

Couldn’t agree more - poor use of resources to promote other areas effectively to compete. Kyoto’s draw is strong but the city is strained with local tourism too - school trips etc. I’ll try my best to shine a light on alternatives.

[@tomservo9254]

How do you sell a place like Sendai or Tottori to the lowest-common-denominator social media crowd, though? I get used as a free Japanese travel agent all the time, but even when I try to pitch the Hokuriku Arch as an alternative route between the cities they're going to visit anyway it makes people's eyes glaze over. 'I can't find Kanazawa or Nagano on a map, and it takes days away I could be spending in Tokyo and Kyoto, and more stops equals more complicated so I'm not going to bother.' I've even encountered people who while trip-planning have insisted that somehow Osaka Castle is THE castle to visit and Himeji is too far out of the way for them. If you can't even get people on board with those kinds of options, trying to get them on board with travelling in the complete opposite direction to a place like Sendai that even I struggle to think of noteworthy sights for isn't ever going to take off. I don't think any of those places are going to legitimately redirect tourists unless they somehow become associated with a colossal pop culture hit, like what Game of Thrones did to Dubrovnik. But do you even WANT to redirect tourists in that circumstance? All you'll do is create an additional overwhelmed Kyoto situation somewhere else.

[@damonchancellor2670]

@@tomservo9254 You're not wrong at all, my comment wasn't directed at John but moreso at Japan's tourism boards after all they are the ones that spent decades pushing the idea of Tokyo-Kyoto-Osaka. Essentially buffing the other cities in a way to make them seem like viable alternatives to the most common tourist isn't a fast solution. Those cities would also want to have larger amounts of tourists visiting that could potentially just clog them up as well.

[@camuikenshin]

I am coming back to Japan in October, finally being able to visit with my partner who has never been! We are going to Tokyo and Osaka but I already told him we're most likely not going to Kyoto. The last time I went to Kyoto was 2019 and it was already terrible compared to the first time I visited it in 2009... We also like exploring nature more so we're also going into Nagano to hike the mountains, Wakayama, and Izu (which is surprisingly not more popular due to its proximity to Tokyo). I went to Izu in 2020 and really enjoyed my time there, so I can recommend! Aside from the obvious problems overtourism CAUSES (Like crowds, pressure on public transport systems, stores and sites) the core of the problem in my humble opinion are 2 things: - People seem like they stop caring about social norms when they're on holiday, or don't even bother learning about their destination before going. - Japan needs to promote other places, and spread people out. The first one is one of the biggest; it would already be less of a problem if people would be considerate of Japan's social norms and culture, whether you agree with those or not. You are a VISITOR. Respect it, please! Don't be so loud and obnoxious, don't think you are above everyone else by taking pictures in the middle of traffic or people on the street, or filming in the middle of a crossroad of sidewalk annoying everyone else. Learn a few Japanese words. Learn about a few little things such as not shoving your money into a cashier's hands and making them uncomfortable. Don't leave trash, ANYWHERE. Not just Japan, just anywhere. I don't understand this at all :( I once had to watch some poor girl getting screamed at by an Indian guy because he kept asking when he could buy the ticket for something that day even though it already clearly stated it was SOLD OUT. The girl's english already wasn't very good but the guy kept asking more aggressively to the point where someone from another line had to step in. Plus, Japan, PLEASE: instead of just hiking the prices of everything, promote other places. Your country is so big and has so much to offer. There's so many gorgeous sights in Nagano, Gifu, wakayama... There's an area between Osaka and Hiroshima as well that has plenty of nice gorges and seaside towns to explore. Niigata is also full of old temples, waterfalls and spectacular views. I'm always so sad everyone is always doing the basic Tokyo->Osaka->Kyoto trip with the standard sides such as Hiroshima and Nara. I get it, but there's so many similar places that might be even nicer to visit DUE to tourism. The influencers still really pushing these places constantly also doesn't help, I still see non-stop reels and posts boasting these places. We don't have control over influencers, but if you're going to Japan and visit an lesser known place, post about it! It might help spreading out the crowds a bit more if more people start to see Japan is more than its 'big 3' :)

[@onlyinjapanGO]

I think you’ve really hit in something with the lax social norms. I see it more now than before and with more people, it definitely is more noticeable. Still a small number but an increasing one. Let’s see how they do this, I’m optimistic they’ll try to find a way to keep tourist numbers high since the goals are 40M for 2024. Hiking up prices, I think only the Golden Route. I hope there’s a stronger push for other areas and I’ll do my part because I really love this country and the people I meet around it.

[@EVL-xj5vc]

I also share your observations. Social media is the driving force behind what tourists choose to do so Japan tourism board really should incentivise the influencers to promote lesser known places and hype them up. As for the behaviour I think the profiles of tourists are changing. Travelling is more accessible now when it used to be more “exclusive” to certain people.

[@TeiuExploreJapan]

I can't belieave I've missed the live! I'll rewind the tape when I got time. I didn't watch it yet but, what a dreamy "empty" Kyoto! I'm curious why, Wish you the very best!

[@soggymoggytravels]

I guess tourism in Japan is a victim of its own success. Since Covid restrictions were lifted, I’ve noticed that at least 50% of KZbin travel bloggers that I follow have been to Japan. They make the country look so amazing, that it’s easy to see why so many others want to follow and visit, too. I think the main problem of overtourism elsewhere (Venice and the Game of Thrones filming locations are the first that come to my mind) is when the local population feel so uncomfortable and out priced by the number of visitors. The local people need to be heard when planning for tourism developments.

[@ALEXI778]

Whatever Japan decides to do, I hope with all my heart they do not lose the Japanese essense, culture, traditions and culture. I also, hope the "influencers" make a strong point in their post to respect, respect did I mentioned respect? the Japanese culture and do not expect things to be like they are at home.

[@bonwatcher]

I think the currency rates are driving more tourism in Japan. When currency rates are favorable people will come, if it's not they will stay away. Japan went from a multi-year lull around $1= ¥100-¥110 to ¥130-¥145+ today, so of course more people will be able to afford to visit and take advantage when it's basically a 25%+ discount to visit Japan now.

[@ElBrandenBrazil]

I completely get how bad the pandemic was for the tourism industry, but as a long term resident in Japan, I must admit that I relished Kyoto during that time. It was a once in a lifetime chance to explore the city without any tourist hustle and bustle. I went four times last year, and will never forget it.

[@jarvalheru]

i agree... live in tokyo, went to kyoto during that time... it was ... just... beautiful

[@Roxanewolfie]

i lived in kyoto during that time and i 100% agree. it was some of the most serene, tranquil way to experience the usually overcrowded kyoto. i will never forget it and i'll always miss it.

[@hellothere-us7iw]

It is not like Japan's economy needs the boost from income from tourism right? No need for them.

[@BC33714]

⁠@@hellothere-us7iwTourism accounts for less than 2% of the country’s GDP. Let’s put this nonsense argument to bed that the Japanese public should be happy with the country being run into the ground because of the economy. Yes, some tourism is needed - and a complete border closure is not entirely sustainable for the businesses in those tourist destinations. However, it’s strange how they were doing just fine when the country was pulling in 5-10 million tourists annually up until the mid-2010s. The out-of-control 30+ million (and skyrocketing) it became in just a few years is NOT necessary, however.

[@alexsy408]

A few ideas I have on issues discussed - re: garbage/ waste - using tax dollars to fund installation/ collection of surge garbage cans during “peak season” seems to make plenty of sense encourage recycling and diversion at the same time; overcrowding of certain places eg Tsukiji market, I think turning them into pedestrian only zones for a few hours of day makes sense; helps manages expectations for vehicle traffic and balances safety; Kyoto “overcrowded bus issue” don’t cancel the tourist only bus passes it could be used more effectively to help “divert riders” eg during morning rush hour on the most popular bus routes, have surge buses that run a “tourist only” rapid routes which makes very few stops at tourist only spots that locals have no real reason to go to - “day pass riders” only get the ride for free on these routes during rush hour and tourists will have to pay out of pocket on the normal route; locals will ride on the normal route. To fund these kinds of special routes, increase the day pass prices during “peak season” keep the prices low during low season to attract tourism.

[@onlyinjapanGO]

Thank you for the great suggestions!

[@andyjames]

Thanks for the video John! I'll be in Japan for 2 weeks in November & hope this won't affect my trip 😅

[@CC-tz3cp]

Thanks for the great updated info John as always! Have always loved Japan and excited to visit soon, but feel bad about the situation for locals right now as some of my friends are living in Japan too. Will spend more time in the Hokkaido. In your experience, may I ask your advice on if its better to pay for japanese hotels when booking online now or paying at the hotel site due to currency exchange? Thank you! :)

[@onlyinjapanGO]

It all balances out and it’s good politicians are on the heater now. I want to see Kyoto balance this out and improve the experience for tourists and locals which is so possible. It’s such a tough city and job to balance out an older population that doesn’t want change with an economy of younger people that needs it!

[@henryc5387]

Hi John! Several years ago, you mentioned that you had been to each prefecture at least five times. That inspired me to visit other parts of Japan (Nagano/Akita/Sendai) on my last trip. I was fortunate to be in Sendai for the Aoba Matsuri. My first festival! This October/November, I'm going to Shikoku and the Sanin Coast. Sort of off the beaten path. 🙂I'm planning to go to the first Tori no Ichi. A friend flew Zipair in June and recommended it. I'm flying from SFO. Pretty significant savings ($875 vs. $1350).

[@davidsobel3303]

I live in SF and prices from here typically are double what you pay leaving from LA for instance. I have yet to fly on ZipAir as I booked my flight with JAL 6 months ago and got a good rate. I have been to Japan 5 times now and I won't go back to Kyoto anytime soon. I believe in picking a good hub city and taking day trips. I'm staying in Nagoya this Oct. again and going to Seki and Tokoname.

[@onlyinjapanGO]

4 times now :) but just a few prefectures and it’ll be five! Then I stop counting 😂 Oh, you’ll love Sanin!! Matsue and Daisen are some of my favorite towns, Mihonoseki too! Maybe See you at Torinoichi!

[@henryc5387]

Tottori, Matsue, Izumo Taisha and Sakaiminato are on the itinerary. Unfortunately, I only use the train when I'm in Japan. I prefer not to drive when I'm on 'vacation'. That's just me. Looking forward to supporting the local communities. @@onlyinjapanGO

[@zion9860]

My friends and I visited Japan last month. I had a great time but we were overcharged at several restaurants just because we asked for English menus. The restaurant did not even mention that there will be an extra surcharge to use English menus and eventually overcharging English speakers. We complained about why there were price differences but were met with aggression from management. One manager told us to either pay it or he'll call the police on us. Some of the restaurant's pricing policies are very deceptive and not transparent for tourists. It is horrible that the government is allowing this to happen.

[@onlyinjapanGO]

Wow, I’m sorry to hear that. What is the name of the restaurant?

[@Big12rocks]

I love your video! I lived in Japan for 3 years 40 years ago and am planning my first trip back to Japan in the late fall of 2024. Really excited but unsure as to where we should go. I’m thinking about going to Kyoto and then down to the bottom of Honshu, so Osaka, Nara, Koyasan, Himeji, Hiroshima, Itsukushima, and some smaller cities in Yamaguchi ken. Any recommendations as to out-of-the-way places to see in this part of Japan would be appreciated!

[@Live4This]

Just got back from Japan 🇯🇵 Aug 9 - 23. It was so much fun :) definitely going back next year March!

[@onlyinjapanGO]

Awesome!

[@PizzaCome]

I blame "influencers" they keep pushing those locations and cause those areas to be overcrowded. I did my best to avoid those areas like the plague when I was in Japan. But I still wanted some pictures in some of those areas too. I dreaded going to hachiko, I dreaded going to the running man in Osaka. There were more places I wanted to visit as well but I knew... I knew it was not going to be fun at those places.

[@tirosc]

It's not that bad. I dislike massively crowded places but travel is more than taking pictures imo. I find Hachiko more interesting with people around the shot rather than just the statue, same logic applies to Dotonbori. Besides, you might find alternative places and treasures in crowded places. For example I really wanted to try kushikatsu in Dotonbori but the shops were packed and I just went to a shop in Tsutenkaku instead that had no queue and had a very rustic charm. I think that's travel. It's not just checking boxes but experiencing different things yourself. If you give up going to places because it's going to be "not fun", that's just an experience lost. Different people, different strokes not telling you how to enjoy your travel. Just sharing my view.

[@onlyinjapanGO]

It’s a good debate, people like me are partly to blame, and also the boom in tourism can also be attributed to people like me. I think there should be some big picture thought into it if that’s even possible.

[@micmor517]

Will bring doggy bag in my luggage

[@tomservo9254]

You'd think the social media crowd would have flocked over to Korea by now considering how massively fashionable their pop culture has become.

[@tomservo9254]

My parents are planning on visiting sometime in the spring, hoping the situation is a little more settled by then since they're inevitably going to be visiting a lot of the obvious spots. I'm flying in and out through Haneda for my trip in October but aside from that I'm keeping well away from all the big 3 spots, I had a feeling it was going to be like this for a good long while after tourism restarted.

[@MrMole2012]

Thanks for your video John. I agree that Japan is filled with beautiful places and people should visit but if people want to go to Kyoto they will. I was there is 2019 during the cherry blossom season and on my goodness was it busy. We went to fushimi inari at 06:00 am and it was wonderful. We willbe back in Kyoto for five nights in October and we plan to cycle to Uji (weather permitting otherwise we will take public transport). There are plenty of hikes around Kyoto that we will also do. I don't know, I really felt like your video was an attack on tourism and tourists. The government shoudl do more to promote other areas instead of the golden temple and tokyo skytree, two places I have little interest in going. I know that this wil probably be our last time doing to golden route as we want to focus more on other areas of Japan like Aomori to name but one. Anyway, keep up the good work!

[@johnbailey2933]

This is not a Japan-unique problem. Major tourist attractions around the world are dealing with the post-Covid surge in travel. NyTimes highlighted European dissatisfaction with tourists wearing shorts/tanktops and wanting iced drinks, despite record heat, which goes against cultural norms. Raising prices cannot be the only response, else only 'elites' will have the ability to see treasures in other locales. Japan's cultural norm of thinking 'trash' miraculously 'disappears' despite no trash cans needs to be rethought. (I am making my sixth (non-business) trip to Japan this Fall, and locations in the Golden Route will be avoided.) But first timers with only a week to spare, expecting them to go to Fukuoka (one of my favorites) instead of Kyoto is naive. I, too, am saddened by tourists who destroy property when they visit.

[@onlyinjapanGO]

You’re right this is a global issue. I think with some adjustments, 2024 will be better. It’s not just the locals, I saw the photos and videos from Rome. It looked miserable for tourists too! I’m an advocate of the Japanese countryside and the point I also tried to make here is SPREAD IT OUT! Visit other areas which have new things not on social media that is even more beautiful. That will be the simplest solution to improving satisfaction for everyone. Japan and local Municipalities needs to work with local businesses to help them improve international tourism prospects and maybe we’d see a small renaissance in the countryside again!

[@johnbailey2933]

"new things not on social media' - What percentage of visitors are first (or second) time visitors (and usually have a week at best)? People look to social media for relevant up to date info. They are pointed to the Golden Route. Plus off the beaten path means greater challenges with transportation and language barrier and local residents. But I believe you're on the right track. I still look forward to my return visit in November (Hokkaido and then Kyushu)@@onlyinjapanGO

[@Sacrypheyes]

overtourism has certainly been an issue for years in kyoto but for all the times i've been there, i'm not sure i've seen much improvements to accommodate the huge flux of tourists there. sadly the easiest way to incentivize people will probably have to do with cost, or quotats at this point. i have to say i was so glad to come back in november soon after they reopened the borders for it was such a blast to visit japan without having to deal with absurdly large crowds of people. it was so obvious overtourism was going to come back full force once all the covid mandates would be removed.

[@REVIEWSONTHERUN]

Thanks for sharing it. ✌️

[@cakeswithfaces]

I think the answer to overtourism is to promote less-known places more to foreign tourists. Outside Japan, many people visiting for the first time only hear about Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, so that's where they go. There are so many other amazing places, which I'm sure people would want to visit if only they knew about them. (And you do a great job here on this channel of showing places outside the Golden Route!) 🙂

[@lisaness59]

100%

[@Omni0404]

We need somebody to write a tour book showing us some locations off the beaten path. Wait a second.

[@azzseu3540]

Agreed I just came back from Japan and I went to day trips like mt takao and Nikko from Tokyo and was nice because not so busy

[@cakeswithfaces]

@@Omni0404 😝😝😝

[@BC33714]

Why? So those “hidden gems” can get ruined by tourists as well? Is that what we want?

[@pinaytravelsinuk5852]

I think it’s important to do insighting amongst the tourists - what made them choose the places, the season, the budget, etc. I think the answers will be useful in crafting policies. We went to Crete 2 months ago and flights were arriving every 8mins! For British tourists, as an example, families can only take their kids out on a short window which I think is part of the problem. Lots of families going at the same time. So the problem of overtourism really involves a lot of other aspects and it gets more complicated.

[@onlyinjapanGO]

It sure is a pickle! There are a lot of sides, elements to consider but for the tourists with a short amount of time, I am sure they don’t want to do it being shoulder to shoulder with other tourists in 40C humidity! Need to do a better job getting people to consider other places to see Japan. A lot of work to do, 2024 will be interesting!

[@pinaytravelsinuk5852]

@@onlyinjapanGO the funny thing was the locals were telling us it’s almost empty in Oct and the weather is still good - but then we cant take the kids out as they are back in school.. ! So I guess, there will be overtourism in a short period of time and then it goes quiet. But the local govt and locals should be well prepared during the peak season.

[@TacticalDimples]

100% the governments fault. They should have known this would happen since it’s basically their job to do so but, like always, can’t think beyond profits.

[@onlyinjapanGO]

It’s not the tourists fault, they go where they want to go - their money, their time 😉 but it’s up to the govt to find ways to get people to spread out, give options. You’re quite right.

[@whm_w8833]

Wait, since when the government served the foreigners and tourist over the local residents?

[@ciello___8307]

@@whm_w8833not even. They cant even do either.

[@KariHaruka]

@@whm_w8833 The Japanese government have spent the past decade making statements about how they want to reach a target of 30+ million overseas tourists per year (decade ago, 13 million tourists were coming to Japan per year). This is 100% on the government.

[@nigsbalchin226]

​@@whm_w8833 Can they not serve the locals by serving the tourists? If they organise things better for the tourists, wouldn't that make things better for the locals? Don't forget that Japan is still recovering from the loss of tourism during the COVID debacle. If the local authorities can't begin to get their act together in 2023, just think how much worse it'll be in 2024, when there'll be even more tourists, or 2025, etc. The government, especially local governments, want the revenue from tourism; Kyoto in particular. This means that they need to attract tourists, but it also means that they need to manage tourism in their area so that it doesn't unduly hamper the everyday life of Kyoto, Tokyo, Niigata, Hiroshima, etc; everyday day life that includes industry, commerce, education, among others.

[@asimler45]

I was in Japan this past May. My trip coincided with the latter part of Golden Week and the crowds in Tokyo were mainly locals. Kanazawa was busy but not overly so. Osaka and Hiroshima were packed. It was Kyoto however where I found immense crowds of foreign tourists. The golden route will always be the busiest and it’s understandable. I’m returning to Japan next Spring, but this time I’ve deliberately chosen places off the beaten path and am avoiding southern Kyushu and Tokyo.

[@onlyinjapanGO]

Thanks for this feedback, love Kanazawa!

[@asimler45]

@@onlyinjapanGO An unplanned stop on my trip that was one of many highlights. I got to experience my first earthquake upon my arrival! Needless to say it was memorable in every way. I absolutely fell in love with Japan.

[@MegaJugganot]

1) My suitcases primarily arrive empty...they're for taking stuff back home in. 2) Actually, most services i checked out is 1-day airport->hotel, but 2-day delivery hotel->hotel...which means if you're only staying a place for 2 nights and are flying out the next day...

[@82easyrider]

Thank you for this highly informative video! We're a couple planning a trip in October, who certainly don't want to become a trouble for locals. We'll try to modify our trip in the best we make it easy for everyone. I am debating whether to stay in Arashiyama or Nara - when in Kyoto - would be great to have your advice (or of anyone else living in Japan). We're spending most of our time off Kyoto/Tokyo.

[@EVL-xj5vc]

Arashiyama is definitely quieter than the main city in Kyoto.

[@erchlvrsn5858]

I'm here now in Shinjuku and yes it's very crowded but I like most know that Japan is the cheapest it has been in years - the 1990s, the Yen 0.0068 to the Dollar is an amazing exchange. So if it's that cheap for America's, it's even cheaper for the Euro or Pound. Also the digital Suica card thru the iPhone is great, it really helps getting around. Sadly, it is only going to get worse as the Yen continues to drop in value.

[@stuff8575]

In addition to my last comment my son and I are making an effort to learn some Japanese though it will be limited I feel it is important for tourists to make the effort as I'm my experiences it has made a difference when visiting other countries and local people are more willing to help you.

[@j.b.3076]

Great perspective on the issues. Btw, what live streaming app are you using??

[@caffeinejunkie7682]

Just got back from Japan. Only spent 2 out of 9 days in Tokyo. I stayed in Kawaguchiko, Gotemba and up Mt Fuji via Subashiri Trail.

[@phungluong2368]

I was in Japan in the summer of 2019 and I just went July 2023. There is a lot less people than 2019. I don’t think it’s over tourism. I went to the same cities as last time. People are less accepting than before. You have almost 4 years of no tourism and them a large amount that came. Japan is just not ready.

[@buffaloalice8413]

This is so tastefully done, so that tourists can understand. While it is the duty of a host to offer the best hospitality they can provide, it is the duty of the guest to respect the efforts of the host. As guests in a foreign land, we need to do our best to be aware that at the end of our stay, there are people who will still lead their daily lives in the environment we leave. It is a two way street, and I hope we can find a balance so that the privilege of visiting isn't threatened.

[@robertnagel6189]

I'm coming in October and thought that it might be less crowded but thinking it might be as crowded. I watched a video of someone renting a bike in kyoto and got around to most of the things I plan on visiting. The only downside I saw with that is, I believe you need to have it back by 5 or 6 in the evening

[@vasilikonstan]

43:00 I have goosebumps all over my body!! What an incredible shot! I will add this spot to my travel list ❤

[@ronaldguadamuzz7678]

Thank you so much for the information. I came to Japan on the cherry blossom this year, thanks to your advice on this channel. Its sad that Japan cant find a way to balance tourism. It shouldn't be an issue. Got to fix it soon with a good solution.

[@jimroundsound]

The Japanese government and the international airlines need to work on this, too. Right now, I think Tokyo and Osaka are the only cities with direct flights from North America. You can't fly directly to Sapporo or Nagoya even though they are international airports.

[@onlyinjapanGO]

It’s going to explode in 2024 with ANA and JAL new low cost carriers (Air Japan and Zip Air). More routes! You’re right. IMO Japan is not ready for 40M tourists esp since the weak yen is keeping Japanese in Japan to travel too.

[@cams6586]

Same here in Western Australia - it's Tokyo or Osaka. We are fine with getting out and about via shinkansen, but it would be cool to fly in at the other end of the country!

[@kameakai366]

I'm going to Kyoto in December/January. I was last there in 2019 and the buses were insane! I've learnt my lesson and other than planned trips to Arashiyama, Nara and Uji which I will use the train, I will be exclusively using taxis this time!!

[@onlyinjapanGO]

Yes, during the peak holiday times, it’s the worst! I remember queueing up for Kinkakuji 30 min before it opened. I was no.3 in line. When the door opened, I looked behind me and the line snaked back 400 meters long! I ran and got a photo and within 60 seconds, the whole areas was flooded 😂 until closing. Ah, Kyoto.

[@stelioshz]

Hi John! I don't think that it's specifically Japan's fault, but tourists'. Yes, the huge number of tourists should be handled somehow from the goverment, but littering or keeping your manners in general is just a logical thing. My opinion is that if tourists were thinking more of their actions, the problem would be that big. Without wanting to put the blame on tourists. Also, about the JRPass prices. I see lots of people complaining about the prices, but, still, if you think of it, it's still really cheap. You get to ride any times you want, without paying multiple tickets, but just one. Just the people who would get the JRPass even to ride for one time, will have to search a bit more, to find something more "affordable". Like you said in a live in the past, there are local lines that are also around the same price. Thank you for showing us amazing places like the one in yesterday's live! Hope you, Kanae and Leo are great!

[@GarryL]

I'm moving to Kyoto in 1 month.. i'm looking forward to it very much, i've been twice before including during no travel covid times and this spring, both were amazing in different ways. I'm going to be there for a year now, and i can't wait for many reasons - i'm not unaware or unobservant to the reality of things, but i don't live by this type of thinking, just flow like water.

[@iyariximenauribe6797]

I went to Japan in November to do the Shimanami Kaido Cycling Route. A lot of people told us that we would regret not going to Kyoto, so we did and we didnt like Kyoto AT ALL! Onomichi and the Shimanami Kaido were amazing, Tokio was cool, too, but Kyoto, oh my! At the end we stayed at our guest house because going out was absolutely stressful; the buses were full, there were tourist everywhere, traffic was awful, prices were outrageous. The only place we went in Kyoto and actually liked it was Ohara, up in the mountains, so. Anyways, I recommend going to Onomichi.

[@WahidFayumzadah]

I am currently in Japan, on my 3rd week. Yes, of course it is crowded in the famous hotspot places. But I've also had many private moments. I didn't seem to mind the crowds that much. It's not like you don't have this in other famous countries / cities. The heat of the summer is crazy though.

[@MrGundawindy]

When I was there in May 2023, Tsukiji markets was pretty hectic, but not too bad. But the mochi pounding place in Nara was crazy. The poor people that work there probably spent more time getting the tourists out of the road so cars could pass than they did actually making the mochi. I don't know what the solution should be, but I suppose most tourist towns have a situation where they must put up with large numbers of tourists that are ignorant to how things work there, and that is part of being a tourist destination. Maybe better signage, in multiple languages. Maybe it needs a higher level of change for the locals, for example closing some roads to vehicles instead of trying to control the tourists to get out of the way of the traffic. That balance will need to be decided by the locals to regulate how much tourism they are willing to accept and cater too.

[@EbbFlowe]

I've been to Japan 4 times (5th soon in December) and have been in the country for about 1.5 years total, including living in Shimane for 3 months. I used the JR Pass to get around on the cheap to Osaka and Kyoto for sure, but also have been out to Hiroshima, Fukuoka, and Matsuyama in Ehime as well. There are so many beautiful places ALL OVER Japan! Why are places like Izumo Taisha and Matsue castle not being promoted more? Why is Hakata not being propped up as "The Osaka of the South" or something? Lol As an economics major as well, I agree with raising prices to discourage overtourism in some areas, but that's only half the solution - they should be discounting tourism to "hidden gem" areas more as well. Don't just discourage Kyoto travel- make people WANT to go to other parts of Japan! While not directly tourism related, I feel Japan should be doing this with their residents as well. Incentivize big companies ro set up more major headquarters all around the country to liven up (and youth-en up) local economies and atmospheres. A lot of other places in Japan have their "big attraction" and nothing else but an aged and easily annoyed population. Make the young people of Japan want to be there too, and I think at least some tourists will follow. Lastly, I think Japan should open up more working holiday or volunteer programs around the country- attract people to different parts of the country with unique, long term experiences while simultaneously getting them to make a contribution to Japanese society. My 3 months in Shimane as a volunteer in 2011 was a life changing experience for me, and I believe the people I worked with also got a lot out of it, too. Not many foreigners in Japan can say they were entrusted with carrying a portable shrine around town during a festival, or participating in interprefectural renovation projects. Help people appreciate "real Japan" more.

[@user-qi4fm6ps4l]

I am a Japanese living in Tokyo who traveled all over Japan when I was young. I too think Matsue is a wonderful city, but I am curious how you came to know about it. Sapporo and Hiroshima are generally considered the most beautiful cities in Japan and are very popular among Japanese, but they seem a bit too modern to me. In many places, I feel the same taste as Tokyo, but I think that is what satisfies many people. Cities of a certain size, like Matsue, Aizu-Wakamatsu, Otsu, and Kofu, are some of the most charming and wonderful places in Japan, but for some reason, they are not popular among Japanese people either. However, even I have no doubt that Kyoto is a special city. Kyoto is a spiritual pillar and the identity of a people is there.

[@tomservo9254]

I'm taking a trip that zigzags across Chugoku and Shikoku in October, I did end up cutting out all of my planned time in Tokyo and added a few days in Matsue as my starting point but admittedly even I had some reservations about doing it. Not because it doesn't interest me but because it's so isolated. 3.5-4h by train each way to/from Hiroshima or Osaka is going to really be a hard sell for most, if I wasn't arriving by plane I'm not sure I'd be able to justify that kind of a time sink.

[@EbbFlowe]

@@user-qi4fm6ps4l As I mentioned, I had a 3 month stint volunteering in Oda-shi, Shimane that involved doing some beautification/cultural exchanges with the Ohmori Eementary School, among other various projects. On some of our off days, some of my...co-workers? took me to Izumo and Matsue a couple of times. I would not know a thing about Matsue, Iwami Ginzan, or Shimane in general had I not decided to take on a volunteer project in such a remote region of Japan! I agree with you on everything else as well - Many Japanese cities can feel so interchangeable (too Tokyo-like). Even a lot of Tokyo's own charms are slowly being homogenized or lost, like the new modern Harajuku Station, or shutting down of game centers even in Akihabara. And Kyoto is definitely special! I think the best aspect of Kyoto is that you can get a concentrated taste of some of the best of Japan's cultural and urban aspects all in one place. But in the interest of spreading tourists out amongst the rest of Japan's beautiful cities more, I feel more work could be done (both in promotion of those sites, but also the creation of new ones and revitalizing the towns themselves to attract more residents) to get tourists to *choose* to go to other places as well.

[@lisaness59]

Absolutely agree re incentivising travel to “hidden gems”. And what has JR done? Upped the prices on less travelled routes as well🤦‍♀️

[@EVL-xj5vc]

@@lisaness59haha yah they should have kept regional passes prices the same

[@zeroibis]

It goes back to the issue of trams in eastern kyoto and how the worry about tourists using the trams killed it when the reality is the expanded capacity would have benefited everyone.

[@styrpak1]

This past spring a friend and I spent just over two months in Japan. Because we spent more time in the places visited, the JR Pass really didn't work for us. We had to bring large suitcases, because we were traveling for so long. So, when we traveled out of Tokyo, we bought small roller bags and left our large bags at places that would hold them--usually for a price. I love to walk, and really enjoyed walking from one area to another on the Tokyo greenways. I admit, I still have my Suica card, because I hope to return to Japan. I would like to study Shodo in Kyoto. If you know of a different, less crowded area where I can seriously study Shodo, I would love to know where that is. I've visited Japan several times.

[@noralockspeed]

I’m planning to visit in October and I am a little concerned about the way locals might feel towards foreign visitors. 😢

[@iskatten]

Making things more expensive doesn't solve their overtourism issue.. if they advertise other cities and their possible activities/spots with some cheap tourist-specific bus rides, people will gladly take day trips or stay in different cities. The more expensive things are, the more stuck people get at the golden route cities.

[@onlyinjapanGO]

The point is the money is to be used to hold the infrastructure to handle more tourists, encourage them to spread out and get info out better. Cities are running deficits at the moment. The taxes (are supposed to) help with this.

[@ForestTekkenVideos]

So interesting! 👍

[@julierafael2864]

We went to Ryusendo Cave in Iwate Ken last week, and it was packed with people inside, so a 40-minute tour inside turned into almost two hours because we had to walk slowly and safely.

[@meat_loves_wasabi]

Have to see in the next few years if there is still overcrowding.. this year is the first summer after travel restrictions have all been lifted globally…millions have miss international travelling since 2020

[@carolineindacityphx]

Japan is so popular. My husband and I look forward to visiting one year, but we will definitely go off the beaten path, and get away from the crowds. ❤ PS: The hike for the clip you shared, how strenuous is that hike?

[@xheyderek3356]

Running more evening/night Shinkansen departures at a discount would be an immediate solution to overcrowded trains. I'm sure maintenance schedules dictate this however. To use an analogy, if you want to move product out the door, you have to reduce prices or create a deal. It's the only way to meaningfully change consumer behavior on a large scale. I understand the reasoning for raising the prices recently which is fine, but if they really want to control the flow in any sort of meaningful way, deals at certain time periods would be one solution.

[@ruchan242]

I don't understand why people stay for weeks in Kyoto. Back in 2019, I chose to stay in Osaka because the hotel prices were 2x lower, and would just take a commuter train to Kyoto, which was very convenient. Another thing that I didn't understand was the amount of taxis in the Gion district. They kind of ruined the experience for me.

[@madamfirefly1]

With my family, we were in Tokyo for a week in end April 2023. From my observation overcrowded are only seen on major tourist areas: Shibuya, Shinjuku, Asakusa, and several others. Definitely not crowded on other places. Even Akihabara was empty. Most group tourists flooded those places. But individual tourists, or small group like my family, didn’t feel overcrowded. I have to agree on a comment above: it’s more a matter of lack of Resource.

[@onlyinjapanGO]

I did this live stream in this place for a reason today - it is not overcrowded. But it’s not a desirable place for most tourists. It should be :) you’re right, the popular places are overrun. They will have to soil search and trouble shoot, find long term solutions.

[@bravosierra2447]

I’m hoping that things will have quietened down by winter time.

[@TARS..]

I honestly think the best way to explore Japan is to not follow any guides. Pick a city then just walk or ask around for recommendations, taking public transport only during weekday non rush hours.

[@OGMichaelC]

Damn, I'm planned to go to Fukuoka next week with my GF. Now I'm nervous it's gonna be too tourist crazy

[@autumngogogoat]

Ahh don't worry, Kyushu is still pretty quiet on the tourism front!

[@Boomdizzle99]

Most tourists never visit fukuoka. Thats not on golden route so youll be fine

[@neubro1448]

Growing problem in Kamakura which always been a daytime travel destination. The specific area near Kamakura Kokomae Station where there's an Enoden crossing gets filled with tourists due to being a location of Slam Dunk seen in the intro. Traffic guards are hired to keep people off the street and have to amp up security in the nearby high school. Bad enough that these places have to put up multilingual signage. Starting to get the Yogi Berra mantra. Nobody goes there anymore, it's too crowded.

[@onlyinjapanGO]

That train intersection is in the news daily. Locals aren’t happy - and I can’t blame them. But the city needs to find a way to quickly get creative with protecting tourists, help their economy and take advantage of it. Fingers crossed they do rather than put KEIBIN patrol to turn people away.

[@gourmetsportsman]

Tourist taking back Suica and bus passes issue can be resolved by giving tourist some sort of memento gift for returning cards. Maybe some kind of non chipped souvenir card that looks like a suica pass that says "I traveled in Japan (or Tokyo, Kyoto, etc.) in 202x.

[@shadowdesmond]

I wanted to add that when going to Japan or any country you should be learning as much as the native language as you can to not only help you but help locals that live there communicate whenever the need arises

[@onlyinjapanGO]

A few phrases in any country can go a long way! Learning to count can make the trip more fun with money. I remember learning a little Bulgarian before I arrived and that they nod their head for no and shake their head for yes, opposite to the rest of the world 😂 that was good knowledge back in 1997 when I went.

[@jvittes]

What some other countries have been doing is to increase entrance fees to tourist sites if you don't have citizenship, or a resident visa. For example the country where I was born, it costs $46 to visit Machu Picchu for foreigners, $24 for Peruvians and those of nearby countries. I'm surprised it is only 400 yen $2.74 to enter Kiyomizu-dera, 500 yen for kinkakuji, I'm not saying it has to be uber expensive, but if you're spending $500 to fly to Japan, and $80-$100/nt you can probably afford over $2.74 to visit. It's harder to figure out what to do for places that don't have entrance fees. The problem with overtourism is you either have to add more capacity or raise prices to discourage as many people to visit. Of course that shouldn't just be a plain windfall for government, the government should figure out how to address the other issues. You could also encourage tourists to go to less crowded places.

[@vanderley3]

Went to Tsukiji end of May and it was absolutely crazy, shoulder to shoulder crowd I left after 20 minutes I couldn't even enjoy it.

[@kurtuy5459]

Just a wild thought that came to my mind (although maybe a bit draconian). All tourists are only allowed to enter when they have a JP travel agency (no DIY), then government provides strict regulation on where, when, how the travel agencies manage their tourist groups. So travel becomes a large/complex "guided" tour. similar to the suggestion in the live chat on having the local municipalities coordinating traveller traffic, but my idea it should be more broader and stricter...a case study/sample on the impact of overtourism is the closure of "Boracay" in the Philippines to give the ecology time to rebound from all the pollution/garbage/mess left by indescriminate tourists. More power! I'm a big fan....and haven't visited Japan yet.

[@patriciayeo9172]

Thanks!

[@onlyinjapanGO]

Thank you! ٩(^‿^)۶

[@stefansvensk3378]

There's always going to be tourists, but they don't really make it easy, if they're going to make everything more expensive. There's a lot of other countries to visit. I flew from Sweden in April and it's expensive and takes over 13 hours, so I'm going to think it over, if it's worth the money to return. I want to, but for the amount of money I spend in Japan in 4 weeks, I can visit a lot of other countries.

[@johnbailey2933]

Regarding the Tsukiji "Outer Market'. I have been there several times over the years, including before the 'Inner' wholesale, auction market moved to Toyosu (unfortunately, it does not offer a similar, attractive retail area) - the crowds on the your pictured street have always been a bit problematic, even in the winter. INHO, the loss of the wholesale market aggravated the problems because the available space for retail appears to be slowly reduced for alternate development,

[@onlyinjapanGO]

It’s worse from this spring. Started when the mom and pop shops sold out and instagrammable street food moved in. It’s twice as crowded as when the fish market was here - which makes me happy, but the cons have to be addressed. The neighborhood is kind of nice there :) I’d say it’s a good place to stay in Tokyo too.

[@johnbailey2933]

'Instagrammable street food' ! Well said. The place is a magnet for tour buses. I think that portion of the street should be closed for foot traffic only during retail hours. yes, nice neighborhood, surprisingly, evolving with the vacuum left by the Wholesale moving elsewhere. Appreciate your videos and thoughtful analysis. @@onlyinjapanGO

[@tthrl]

And the tourism numbers are still only at 60% of 2019 levels. Huge JR pass price hikes certainly don't encourage people stepping off the beaten path.

[@onlyinjapanGO]

People were NOT going off the beaten path with the JR Pass. That was the problem 😉

[@willseattle8368]

Whenever I travel to Europe I only bring 1 backpack and an empty duffel bag, filling it up for the return trip, will do same in Japan

[@TheGrinchStoleIt]

we just show the bus driver that we have the pass and they nod in kyoto ( for me at least ), but yeah i don't even wanna ride the bus now lol can barely get on or get off sometimes. bikes are great and my choice of travel, except for in winter. if you know where to park you can even park bike for free for some time

[@ariellev9185]

I’m going to be in Kyoto in early January, which is apparently a time that there aren’t a ton of tourists out there. Hopefully it won’t be too bad. I’m sad to hear that many Japanese people are upset about the amount of tourism. I promise I’ve been doing a ton of research and will be as respectful as possible! 💕

[@onlyinjapanGO]

Summer heat and humidity can play havoc on people’s stress levels - not just locals but other tourists. Planning will help immensely but knowing and having other options in mind will help too. I know you’re gonna have a lot of fun! January is the low season so shouldn’t be so crowded.

[@DanSheps]

One of the things I would say Japan should do, is embrace things like Lyft/bird/lime/Uber scooter/bicycle rentals. It would likely redirect some of those tourists from transit to those services.

[@onlyinjapanGO]

Kyoto has tried that. I made a rental cycle episode years ago. Taxi is good but there’s a shortage right now. Not enough drivers, everyone is taking them. Experienced this in Hiroshima. The driver told me the deal, he was working more to help his company. I think we’ll see more non-Japanese taxi drivers in the next few years.

[@jacintatate]

I am traveling to Japan next year September 7-22. Is this a busy time of year in Japan and will tourism ease off?

[@Nelsea7190]

my plan is to go to other cities. less people go to Fukuoka vs Kyoto. Akiba for sure but other areas a bit farther away from central Tokyo

[@itacv8185]

I'm going to Japan from mid December until mid-ish January and I will be first in Toyohashi like 4 days, then I'm going to Osaka 2 days and Kyoto 3 days and then from there I will be staying in Tokyo the rest of the time but my plan is to go to as many places as I can on day trips even if they're not big tourist places bc I actually prefer to avoid the tourist traps and ill have my 21 days JR Pass so I gotta make the best of it. ill even be staying in Sumida so not the usual Shinjuku recommendation and I'm hoping to go to the little restaurants and shops around me as much as I can. It's quite frustrating how some people ruin the experience for everyone else including the people that live there. I used to live in Barcelona for 4 years and I HATED the tourists specially during summer and Christmas because I would barely be able to move around the street and they are so loud and disrespectful so I definitely understand how Japanese people and other locals feel and that's why I try to be as considerate and respectful as I can when I travel but sadly that's not the common experience. I must say though! its also quite frustrating that Japan hasn't really looked for solutions to these issues that they've experienced for so many years, they even had like 3 years without tourist so why wasn't anything done then!? Im hoping that since Im going during a time when even a lot of people recommend not traveling there because of the cold etc that I won't find THAT many people and hopefully have a more enjoyable experience than what people have had during Japanese summer

[@christinec5300]

Just finished my 3.5wk trip to japan and most of the time i was in the countryside. While in the cities like kyoto and hiroshima there are still places that dont have any foreign tourists even during obon. I think people need to do a little more research into the cities they are visiting and not only go to the famous spots. Btw tottori was amazing, people there are so nice and the food is amazing!

[@peko7446]

A Japanese friend who used to be a tour guide made a comment about tourists in Kyoto a few years back. She has observed that some tourists who travel in small groups or with extended family would try to squeeze in an already crowded, small Kyoto buses which oftentimes wouldn't be able to accommodate all of them in one go. She said that rather than trying to get the value of that Kyoto Day Pass, it would've been better if tourists that travel in small groups or with extended family to hire a taxi or two to get to their destination, saving them time, aggravation of being in a packed bus and the possibility of not all being able to get on the same bus. I bought the Kyoto Day Pass once years ago when it was 500 Yen. Much as it was a money saver, I found it time consuming to wait and travel by bus that was almost always full. I prefer to sightsee using a combination of walking, taxi and Kyoto metro.

[@onlyinjapanGO]

Indeed! This is an excellent point and I’ve seen this too. I’m not sure why more don’t rent micro buses but right now, there is a shortage of taxi and rental cars. Hopefully areas can find a way to alleviate this asap to improve the situation for tourists and localsz