The TRUTH About OVERTOURISM in Japan | 1 Day Trip in KYOTO

[@InakaAdventure]

Summer in Japan can be brutal, but if you can beat the heat it might be worth it! Check out my 4 day Kyoto Itinerary HERE! kzbin.info/www/bejne/gneUqXpvg6ene9E

[@johnwong1194]

Is it possible to complete your list within a day? I will be going to Kyoto from Osaka, do you have any recommendation how much should I cover within a day? Thanks.

[@InakaAdventure]

If you're talking about the places in this video it was filmed in 1 day, you can see the itinerary at the end of the video

[@middleearthtroll6183]

I was just there two weeks ago, and also there in April of this year, there's a significant difference in the amount of tourist going in the fall vs. early spring for cherry blossom. I enjoyed it much more!

[@InakaAdventure]

Autumn is absolutely underrated!

[@spun_01]

My family and i are just about to head over for our 9th Japan trip since 2008. We have no illusions that this one will see the highest tourist numbers yet. For us, it's the perfect excuse to go further afield and away from the Golden Triangle. Kyushu, Shikoku and Okayama are all on the list this time, with car rentals for the first time now that the JR Pass has been priced out of relevance. In exactly 1 month from today we'll be touching down ready for an exhausting 37 packed days.

[@InakaAdventure]

Thats a massive trip, hope you have a great time!

[@spun_01]

@@InakaAdventure It really is. We come home more tired than when we leave :-). It doesn't help that I sit down and do a full daily trip blog every single day on Travelark. Sleep is overrated. But you have to do these things properly, right?

[@InakaAdventure]

@spun_01 exactly, I'm always exhausted after a holiday

[@purberri]

I’m so glad I was able to visit Kyoto 10 years ago before it got crowded. Tourists can be such jerks at times because they don’t respect the local customs.

[@Reprimandoo]

Nice to see! Media really displays it all as if you'd be waiting for HOURS everywhere. Planning to take my girlfriend on a 3 week trip in April 2026 🙏

[@InakaAdventure]

March / April will be a lot busier honestly because of the spring season, but there are still places you find without crowds, be sure to book your hotels ahead during that season!

[@sergioadame5528]

that depends where and when you go, if you go to gion in april and busy hours you can barely move, also if you go to things like universal studios the waiting is indeed hours, also some viral places likes ichiran ramen also you can wait for hours, but anytime you can find alternatives to those crowded places, except for thing like dinsey and universal, those are full all year

[@CoffeeCupVT]

This was such a pleasure, so different from other travel videos. I really felt as if I were around with a friend sharing his love for a place rather than, say, getting a lecture from a professor of history or sociology. Deep-dive, 'expert' tours are great if you're looking at a place you're already familiar with, but for a person seeking an introduction to a place about which they know little or nothing, you strike entirely the right note. I came to this channel a few weeks ago from your other channel (huge fan here), intrigued by your brief mention of snow monkeys, which I'd never heard of, and so much enjoyed that video that I subscribed to this channel, too. Many thanks for all your very hard work!

[@InakaAdventure]

Glad to hear it, if you ever come over to Japan be sure to let me know!

[@josefwitt9772]

Nice video and informative. I plan on finding places to go in Japan that aren't the biggest tourist attractions in hopes of not being in such dense crowds. Maybe I could pick a couple places in a part of a city, then plan a meandering route with some smaller things connecting them.

[@InakaAdventure]

Honestly most of Japan doesn't have big crowds everywhere, its really just Tokyo & Kyoto and in particular the Tourist spots, which makes sense. There are tonnes of amazing destinations in Japan and I try to cover less known areas on my channel, you should check out my Gifu episodes either the ukai fishing masters or gujo hachiman: kzbin.info/www/bejne/h5bMn3aboJ6hnJI

[@chicomtl]

My absolute reference channel for Trips to Japan. Continue your great work !

[@ryohanis]

Superb video! I always feel somewhat nostalgic seeing Japan even though i never go there, such a strange feeling

[@InakaAdventure]

No reason you can't visit in the future!

[@ryohanis]

@@InakaAdventure Wow, thanks for the spirit! Hopefully before I turn 50 I can visit Japan, fingers crossed

[@MarkusHarooo]

This was so relaxing to watch and I love the polite slight digs (corrections) you made to the japanese media.

[@InakaAdventure]

Cheers!

[@Benkofearth]

making the highest quality and most relevant Japanese travel content... godspeed, sir.

[@InakaAdventure]

Cheers!

[@stuff8575]

I'm currently in Kyoto and despite the hot weather yesterday I did notice a couple of idiots but on the whole didn't have a problem with over tourism at this time. Early start beats the crowds 👍 Love this place.

[@InakaAdventure]

Glad to hear you're having a good trip!

[@alina25lina73]

Thank you so much for your amazing videos ! It helps me a lot for my first trip to Japan 💕

[@InakaAdventure]

Cheers! I have guides for the major cities as well that might be great for you as well

[@miksausitis]

Followed Josh's video guides, had an excellent 2 week vacation in Japan. Experiencing Traditional Japanese cormorant fishing is a life changing event. Highly recommend.

[@InakaAdventure]

Ukai is really one of my favorite things, its finished for the year now in both Uji and Gifu so you really got in just in time!

[@miksausitis]

@@InakaAdventure too late to see sakuras, too early to see the leaves changing color, barely in time to see Ukai.

[@gvroussev]

Thank you for this informative video.

[@InakaAdventure]

You're welcome

[@quammy_sammy]

Interesting video. I went to Japan in July on a family tour trip. Many of tourist hotspots like the Kiyomizu-dera Temple trip is tight-packed, but endurable if you prepared enough sunscreen and tissues. Other places like Yamanakako Hana no Miyako Park is pretty sparse. Funny how that works.

[@InakaAdventure]

I went to Yamanakako a few years ago and it was really underrated, but I totally forgot about it until you mentioned it. At some point I want to go back when I visit the Fuji Five Lakes

[@mikepants3736]

Inaka san, your guides helped me to have the best of times when I had a chance to do a last minute trip to Japan. I’ve been dreaming about this for a long time, but didn’t have much time to prepare and your guides were of fantastic value to me. I even managed to take a picture of the 3 trains in Akihabara! 😀 Thank you very much for these valuable videos. Maybe one day we may break bread, I mean, takoyaki together in Osaka. 🏯

[@InakaAdventure]

That little train spot is great glad you could get the pic, so close to Akihabara central but many people miss it

[@mikepants3736]

@@InakaAdventure ❤️

[@adambencze8409]

I could listen your voice all day long.. Just perfect!

[@InakaAdventure]

Cheers! If there are any topics about Japan youd like to hear covered let me know

[@pianoetudes4755]

I was visiting Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum on Wednesday 16 October 2024 around 4 pm (closing time might be 6 PM). The museum was like a zoo with people everywhere. It was impossible to observe the exhibits due to the crowds. The last time I saw that kind of crowds was at a nightclub.

[@koichan7457]

7isham for bamboo forest was good when I arrived most of the attractions had not opened. When I left a few hours later it was a lot more crowded. mid after for gion was crowded but not terrible. Tori gates before 8am was decent as well again when I left a few hours later a lot more ppl had arrived. Saturday night in Kyoto along the famous market areas was kinda crazy but Sunday - Tuesday has been very mellow.

[@InakaAdventure]

7am or earlier on a weekday is definitely the way to go if you want to take photos solo in the bamboo forest

[@silentninja2754]

Just got back from Kyoto. Went to Fushimi Inari. It was packed. Shoulder to shoulder, wish it wasn't so crowded

[@InakaAdventure]

The front of the shrine is always going to be like that apart from 9pm-7am, you need to go deeper into the mountain to be alone

[@AP-hn8wd]

Japan was definitely overcrowded during the late Cherry Blossom season earlier this year (2024). From Kawaguchiko and the Pagoda nearby, Tokyo area, Yokohama, Kamakura, even as far south as Odawara. Also, during the Snow Festival in Sapporo even earlier in the year. Surprisingly, Dotonbori in Osaka was the most crowded experience this year on the slowest travel time in late February. Other than the major seasonal events, it’s not really bad as it is being reported on.

[@Julia-pv9ho]

I love how people commenting here about their experience of overcrowding (other tourists) don’t realise that they are a tourist!

[@flavorhostage]

I visited this year, by coincidence, in the week between hanami and Golden Week. The lack of Japanese tourists made it surprisingly empty. The roads were more clear and the line for the water at Kiyomizudera was only about a dozen people. I have personal issues with Kyoto so we were only there for part of the day and headed for Osaka. Thanks for the tip to visit Harukas. In Tokyo several of the observation decks were sold out by the time we got there, but Harukas was fairly empty. As the taxi driver said, "It's ¥3000. Nobody in Osaka is paying that much to go up a tower." I miss living in Kansai.

[@InakaAdventure]

Haha that Taxi driver sounds like a riot, the view up there at sunset is amazing to be sure!

[@obelisktothewest8539]

Great vid!

[@InakaAdventure]

Cheers!

[@adfjasjhf]

Your content is top notch. Period

[@InakaAdventure]

Cheers! Filming in summer is rough but I think it came out really well

[@ayaseyukiya4515]

Thank you for the top quality video, Josh. Entertaining, engaging and informative as always. The food looks absolutely delicious, good motivation to visit Japan for me.

[@InakaAdventure]

To be honest its hard to find a bad restaurant in Japan, the basic quality is so high even for low prices

[@nateshf9303]

Kyoto has been our go-to destination for over two decades, with more than 15 trips under our belts. In recent years, we've sought out hidden gems rather than the typical tourist hotspots.

[@InakaAdventure]

Wow! Sounds like you've visited there more than I have

[@nateshf9303]

@@InakaAdventure We've made 4 trips since March 2023, taking advantage of low-cost airline fares and the favorable exchange rate between the US dollar and the Japanese yen.

[@weeklyfascination]

Excellent video! Sharing with friends.

[@InakaAdventure]

Cheers glad to hear you liked it!

[@apacheattackhelicopter8185]

I came back from Japan and Kyoto 2 weeks ago and can generally confirm what you say. Arashiyama and Fushimi Inari had quite a few people but it was ok since the places are so big. Kyomizu Dera was very crowded, I actually left and went back on the next day as I don´t like crowds. Gion actually had very few people. One thing you didn't mention and which was just awful is Kinkaku-ji. The place is quite small and when I was there 3 or 4 full tourist buses came so I was stuck in a people sea. This is the only one I wouldn't recommend.

[@InakaAdventure]

Haha, Kinkakuji for me is a one visit location so I havnt been back there in years, I imagine it would have a lot of people though.

[@NoctLightCloud]

I've been in Kyoto for a few days 10days ago. It's not as bad as people make it out to be. Imo Nara is more overcrowded with tourists.

[@InakaAdventure]

Nara on an early autumn morning is amazing though, hardly any people until around 9am, just photographers trying to get their fall color shots

[@SpammytheHedgehog]

I honestly feel sorry for Japan. 😢

[@antoniomanca6505]

UPDATE: I was in Kyoto on October 21st and 22nd, 2024: The Bamboo forest: by 9.25am there were crowds everywhere, streams of people pouring out of the subway and the buses; by 10.00am it looked like Disney World on Labor day. Fushimi Inari: went even earlier the following day, and by 8.25am it was getting really crowded; even hiking to the top does not give you any peace: there are so many people that a good chunk will end up hiking to the summit, so you'll be stuck in a little herd all the way to the top. Overtourism? Absolutely, and it's ugly!

[@InakaAdventure]

For the Bamboo forest it really needs to be around 7 or earlier (weekday) if you want it to yourself.

[@colinmathie2710]

Hysteria is exactly what this overtourism thing is, and sure some tourists are idiots, but its not a solely Japan phenomenon, you get tourists that are just out to cause trouble, be disrespectful all over the world.

[@InakaAdventure]

Yeah the media really over hypes it as well as just lies, there was trash left on the street recently and the media was saying it was tourists. Turns out it was crows. Japan does have a lot of travelers and some seasons are REALLY busy, but if you explore a bit parts of the country are still totally empty

[@kazuthesamurai7346]

​​@@InakaAdventureThe media does NOT lie when it comes to showing those viral videos, clips, and reels as their agenda and proofs! Like every scientist says, "The data is data whether you like it or not." The real issue is how thoes disruptive gaijin, usually fron the West and China, STICK OUT and go viral by filming themsleves for social media contents and fame. When you are visiting a collective society with a total opposite culture, standards, rules, manners, and etc as a westerner, you STICK OUT because the majority of you, westerns, don't give a F about collectivism or obeying rules and manners of foreign cultures.

[@Youtuber_YusukeFromGermany]

I am going to say what no one dare to say: The worst about Japan right now for me are the tourist. And I say this as a tourist.

[@InakaAdventure]

I don't think that's a particular controversial point of view really, in fact likely many would agree with it, although yes it's a bit ironic. Still plenty of places you can be alone out of the cities if you want your space though at least!

[@jwy414]

are the japanese starting to resent the visitors??? like how the people in barcelona feel about tourists?

[@InakaAdventure]

Of course everyone has there own opinion, but on the whole I would say no, Kyoto actually has funding problems as well so when tourism stopped for lockdowns they really wanted travellers to come back

[@UnimportantAcc]

It's certainly harming our rep. I'm waiting till the yen goes up again and there's less tourists before I go back

[@stra2g]

Similar to what John Stahb has said, Japan doesn't really have an over tourism issue and instead a tourist quality issues. It's still fairly easy to access many of the most popular parts of Japan but the quality of tourists arriving have begun to ruin the experience for everyone. Japanese morals work off of an internal shame system and tourists on vacation are just not going to be perceptive to those things.

[@rndomadam]

Literally never seen Kyoto that empty lol

[@InakaAdventure]

Filmed on a weekday maybe thats why, I debated filming it on a weekend but figure most people on holiday in japan spend the majority of the time over weekdays anyway

[@rndomadam]

@InakaAdventure no I think it's perfect like this you get more of a landscape view and it proves your point

[@gewen168]

hi, I have been following your channel for a while and appreciating your effect to educator internet users to better navigate in Japan. However, my daughter recently (in Oct 2024) booked an expensive Japanese traditional hot spring hotel for JY 174000 for two nights, but the room was disgusting, broken furniture and amenities, vivisable fungal growth in several places. The hotel manager did not want to refund partially and we felt cheated and hopeless. Will you do a video about tourist scam in Japan to help other foreigner tourists to avoid similar disasters as we experienced. Thank you.

[@InakaAdventure]

Sorry to hear you had such an experience, if you documented the conditions you could try to get a refund through your booking service. Ive never had such an experience personally in Japan, I hope the rest of your trip was much better

[@BPCustomCreations]

Blue eyes, white dragon?

[@InakaAdventure]

Rare card?! That sounds vague enough to be..

[@MmArbi]

I went to japan in 2018 and my partner was hit with an umbrella by a nuisance tourist .

[@InakaAdventure]

Intentionally?

[@MmArbi]

@@InakaAdventure We travel a lot and unfortunately some people do not have japanese- style manners or respect for others.

[@Ty-ri7dy]

Forgot about this channel. Who are you again? =P

[@InakaAdventure]

Yeah the editing really got put on a back burner, I didn't realise how long it was since I uploaded, but I have a few episodes already filmed so they shouldn't be too long away

[@NostalgicPiano]

“I recommend coming early in the morning” says literally every travel influencer “to beat the crowds” says every travel influencer- then because of travel influencers the crowds come early in the morning. Just stop… please….

[@InakaAdventure]

Not the case though, because you're underestimating how lazy most people are. If you get up early youll be rewarded for it

[@SkankHuntForty2]

I just got back from Japan. Kyoto was awful. It was overcrowded with tourists. And the tourists are from all over the world, not just from the US. So this isn't a US tourist problem. The Americans were well behaved IMO.

[@bob7641]

Get up earlier or go to less known spots. Bro went to the most popular spots during a popular time of the year and is complaining. This is why you’re unhappy in life.

[@SkankHuntForty2]

@@bob7641 🤣🤣 Citing the overcrowdedness of Kyoto makes me unhappy in life? Yea, ok. Put your big boy pants on and learn that people have opinions in this world.

[@3lgat097]

Honestly you should skip Kyoto its completely overrun and every sightseeing spot stresses you out more than you are able to experience it. Im here right now and honestly its not possible to take 1 picture in the bamboo forest without other people in it. Same with the tori gates and also the kiyomizu dera which was overrun like crazy. It legit feels more like being in a cattle herd than it does feel like visiting a shrine or temple

[@haddynrodriguez4641]

I left Japan two days ago and I couldn’t disagree more. If you’re up early at those touristy spots, you can have the whole place to yourself. 😊

[@nateshf9303]

There's much to discover and enjoy in Kyoto beyond the popular tourist spots.

[@InakaAdventure]

This is the way to do it, get up early for the best experience.

[@dsanzo]

Then take a picture with some people in the background? I feel like if you are that sensitive to crowds you are just setting yourself up for a bad time. We live in a crowd, you are the crowd too, get over it and enjoy! "Cattle herd", my god...