Like many popular destinations worldwide, Kyoto in Japan is suffering from overtourism. In fact, the city is getting so “desperate” that it is banning visitors from certain streets in the iconic city. This comes after the beautiful city attracts tens of millions of tourists each year.

Kyoto closing some streets to tourists to fight overtourism

Many locations in Europe can sympathize with Kyoto in its fight to shut down overtourism. Meanwhile, recent reports saw views of Mount Fuji blocked with a black screen in the town of Fujikawaguchiko to try and stop unruly visitors. While eventually, local authorities did take the screen down, they warned tourists that they must behave.

Some locations in Europe have added tourist taxes to try to cut down the numbers, but in the case of the iconic Japanese city of Kyoto, certain streets are being blocked from being entered by travelers. Moreover, the famed geisha district of Gion in Kyoto has introduced restrictions on tourists from entering certain alleys. This comes after traditional geishas have become a major tourist attraction in the city, much to the annoyance of the locals living there.

Locals urged Kyoto City to address the problem, saying their beautiful neighborhood “is not a theme park.” After a vote, Gion authorities made the decision to block the major influx of “geisha paparazzi” by closing off several of its side streets and alleys. However, main roads in the district will remain open to the public, including the main Hanamikoji Street. What really brought things to a head is several incidents of tourists behaving badly in the iconic neighborhood.

Kyoto ‘desperate’ to fight the tourism crowds

Isokazu Ota is an executive member of the Gion district council and told AFP that visitors have been blocked from entering certain streets from April 2024 onwards. Ota explained that they don’t want to do this but are “desperate,” adding that tourists have acted “like paparazzi” when taking photos of geishas.

The neighborhood is known for its traditional teahouses, or “ochaya,” and is home to some 70 geishas and 30 maiko (apprentice geishas” who entertain guests in Gion. Meanwhile, this isn’t the first time Gion has had issues with tourists. It has suffered like this for many years according to a 2018 questionnaire from the district council, one resident said a group of tourists had surrounded a taxi carrying a geisha. Another said a misbehaving tourist had damaged a lantern outside their restaurant.

Back in October 2019, the council banned tourists from taking photos of geishas on private roads. Those who did not respect the ban attracted a fine of 10,000 yen (around $72). Moreover, the district added warning signs, telling tourists not to touch the Japanese lanterns in the streets of the neighborhood.

However, those who are keen to learn more about the geisha culture can visit local organizations, including the Gion Kagai Art Museum. The museum opened in 2024 and offers exhibits about geishas, along with daily performances and a chance to take photos of the geishas and maikos.