Japan’s Post-COVID Tourism Surge Chips at the Patience of Local Communities

Japan’s reputation for omotenashi hospitality – giving the best service while expecting nothing in return – is wearing thin as communities grapple with a surge of “bad mannered” foreign tourists.

Post-pandemic Kyoto is once again overflowing with tourists. The city is home to thousands of temples and shrines. Local residents enjoy a slower pace of life rooted in Japanese tradition, history, and a lingering aura of peace and tranquility. But they say excessive tourism is changing the landscape and dynamic of the city, making it unlivable.

Japan began welcoming back international tourists in October last year. Between January and September 2023, the number of foreign tourists surpassed 17 million, after hovering at roughly 1 million the previous year. The Japan National Tourist Agency says Japan is projected to attract a pre-pandemic level of tourists just 12 months after re-opening.

For Kyoto residents, inbound tourism is both a blessing and a curse. The city is the most popular tourist destination in Japan, attracting a whopping 53 million visitors in 2019. The local economy has become heavily dependent on tourist revenue. When the government sealed its border to non-nationals in 2020 as a measure against COVID-19, public consumption in Kyoto fell 60 percent compared to the previous year.

Kyoto city is facing a dwindling population and struggling with falling tax revenue. A local municipality survey found that only 20 percent of local GDP and 50 percent of annual expenditure came from its 800,000 local residents. Teikoku Data Bank says more than 1,000 companies in Kyoto prefecture closed in 2021 – the largest number in the country, due to the rapid fall in customer demand during the pandemic.

However, the rapid resurgence of tourists and tour groups is putting pressure on local infrastructure. There have been complaints over the return of heavy traffic, bus and train congestion, illegal parking, noise pollution, street littering, trespassing on private property as well as crowding in local supermarkets. In some regions there is a chronic shortage of taxis, which are frequently used by seniors to visit the doctor or hospital. A prolonged labor shortage and staff layoffs as a result of the pandemic means tourist sector services are yet to bounce back and attractions are operating at reduced capacity, resulting in higher congestion.

The issue is spreading beyond tourist hotspots like Kyoto, Osaka, and Tokyo. The small boat town of Ine, roughly 130 kilometers (80 miles) from Kyoto city, is also experiencing an increased burden from tourism. The town of 2,000 people is projected to attract 400,000 tourists by the end of the year. Locals say over the last 10 years the backdrop of canals and boats has spread on social media, making it a popular picture taking spot. But the roads around the town are narrow, causing local cars and tourist buses to bump into one other. Local authorities in Ine say they have taken measures into their own hands, distributing pamphlets on local etiquette and reminding tourists not to obstruct local traffic.

The central government is also becoming increasinging concerned about overtourism. In September the Japan Tourism Agency began compiling a series of countermeasures. It plans to increase bus and taxi operations during peak times in popular tourist areas as well as setting up direct buses between popular destinations to prevent crowding on public transport. The Ministry for Tourism has proposed the raising of public transport fares during peak times to encourage off-peak travel.

There are also ongoing plans to develop a new tourism model that eases congestion in popular hotspots by promoting less-known natural attractions in regional Japan. Prime Minister Kishida Fumio instructed all ministries to work together to create sustainable tourism destinations.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Japan was on a mission to promote international tourism as a serious economic policy. In 2015, then-Prime Minister Abe Shinzo presented foreign inbound tourism as a key strategy to meeting vital economic goals and revitalizing regional Japan. He vowed to foster an international reputation as a “world-class tourist destination” and unveiled plans to double the number of tourists to 40 million by 2020. However, Japan’s hope for a steady post-pandemic tourism revival neglected to factor in faster recovery in global travel in Europe and North America.

Japan needs tourists and many places are eager to welcome them back after a three year pandemic lull. But this time around, they are asking travelers to follow the rules and come with manners.