Hi all! This is Emma Ockerman from Nikkei Asia’s audience engagement team.
I know overtourism has been discussed a bit already here, so please let me know if this post is repetitive and should be deleted. I thought I’d share in case anyone is traveling for Golden Week. Here’s an excerpt, though the full article can be read above:
*Major tourist destinations in Japan have been scrambling to prepare for the strain that visitors will put on public transit systems during the upcoming Golden Week holidays, the first since major pandemic restrictions were lifted.*
*Packed city buses have become a constant in Kyoto. So from April 27 to May 6, the city is calling on riders to make free transfers from the buses to the city-run subway system via special tickets. A rider will need only pay the 230 yen ($1.46) bus fare to take advantage of the service.*
*In particular, the free subway program aims to decrease the crowding on buses connecting the Kinkakuji temple to Kyoto Station. The route runs through the center of town, and ridership is high even among Kyoto residents alone.*
*The addition of tourists — many with bulky luggage in tow — has led to a critical overcrowding of buses.*
*For Golden Week, Kyoto is also increasing the frequency of buses connecting Kyoto Station to the Kiyomizudera temple. Buses will make arrivals every three to four minutes. Direct-service buses will launch in June.*
*To further ease crowding, there will be higher frequencies of buses serving other tourist destinations in Kyoto, such as the Heian-jingu Shrine.*
*Kyoto has also put in place monitors at Kyoto Station show live footage of the tourist spots for visitors. The video feeds can be accessed online as well. The idea is to show tourists which areas are less crowded so that they can plan their trips accordingly.*
Isn’t that one of the goals of a weak yen? Tons of tourists?
Really saw the difference in ten years (first time I went to Japan) especially during Sakura.
I was in Japan in November and was astonished by how many people were there, but I also want to add that almost all of them were Japanese themselves. I met a local friend while there and as we strolled around one day even he was surprised by the amount of tourists.
I traveled off season, mid February. Didn’t see a lot of tourists from abroad. Perfect time of year to get best hotel rates.
Lived in Toyama Ken from 2013-2017 and didn’t see too many tourists, which is understandable. Going back to Tokyo this summer for six weeks for a language school and I’m a bit anxious about the mass levels of obnoxious assholes I’m prepping myself to see.
Anyone gone over summer post COVID? How was it?
it’s funny how people never blame the government that controls the borders and issues visas
I never thought I could afford a trip to Japan, but a weak yen combined with me making the most money I’ve ever made, means I’m going!
Hopefully bad tourists don’t ruin it for all of us. I’ve got N4-N5 level 日本語 to bust out when I go.Â
We got married in Kamakura last May/June and travelled around. Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Takayama, Miyajima, etc.
Stunned at the volume of mainly western tourists. A lot of Americans, usually travelling as mother-daughter, father-son. Happy to chat to us English (maybe they thought we were American at first?)
But the number of utterly obnoxious couples was quite noticeable. Boyfriend-girlfriend couples. My wife and I felt like they were looking at other Westerners thinking “this is meant to be OUR trip, why are YOU all here?”
And there were plenty westerners who clearly lived in Japan that we found unbearable. Japanese are very happy to help us choose our food tickets, but the expat westerners were tutting, scowling, and making us feel unwanted. Far cry from the Japanese.
Looking for someone to ship me something from Japan (please dm me in private). Thanks. https://www.reddit.com/r/japan/comments/18z50yl/looking_for_someone_to_ship_me_something_from/
9 comments
Hi all! This is Emma Ockerman from Nikkei Asia’s audience engagement team.
I know overtourism has been discussed a bit already here, so please let me know if this post is repetitive and should be deleted. I thought I’d share in case anyone is traveling for Golden Week. Here’s an excerpt, though the full article can be read above:
*Major tourist destinations in Japan have been scrambling to prepare for the strain that visitors will put on public transit systems during the upcoming Golden Week holidays, the first since major pandemic restrictions were lifted.*
*Packed city buses have become a constant in Kyoto. So from April 27 to May 6, the city is calling on riders to make free transfers from the buses to the city-run subway system via special tickets. A rider will need only pay the 230 yen ($1.46) bus fare to take advantage of the service.*
*In particular, the free subway program aims to decrease the crowding on buses connecting the Kinkakuji temple to Kyoto Station. The route runs through the center of town, and ridership is high even among Kyoto residents alone.*
*The addition of tourists — many with bulky luggage in tow — has led to a critical overcrowding of buses.*
*For Golden Week, Kyoto is also increasing the frequency of buses connecting Kyoto Station to the Kiyomizudera temple. Buses will make arrivals every three to four minutes. Direct-service buses will launch in June.*
*To further ease crowding, there will be higher frequencies of buses serving other tourist destinations in Kyoto, such as the Heian-jingu Shrine.*
*Kyoto has also put in place monitors at Kyoto Station show live footage of the tourist spots for visitors. The video feeds can be accessed online as well. The idea is to show tourists which areas are less crowded so that they can plan their trips accordingly.*
Isn’t that one of the goals of a weak yen? Tons of tourists?
Really saw the difference in ten years (first time I went to Japan) especially during Sakura.
I was in Japan in November and was astonished by how many people were there, but I also want to add that almost all of them were Japanese themselves. I met a local friend while there and as we strolled around one day even he was surprised by the amount of tourists.
I traveled off season, mid February. Didn’t see a lot of tourists from abroad. Perfect time of year to get best hotel rates.
Lived in Toyama Ken from 2013-2017 and didn’t see too many tourists, which is understandable. Going back to Tokyo this summer for six weeks for a language school and I’m a bit anxious about the mass levels of obnoxious assholes I’m prepping myself to see.
Anyone gone over summer post COVID? How was it?
it’s funny how people never blame the government that controls the borders and issues visas
I never thought I could afford a trip to Japan, but a weak yen combined with me making the most money I’ve ever made, means I’m going!
Hopefully bad tourists don’t ruin it for all of us. I’ve got N4-N5 level 日本語 to bust out when I go.Â
We got married in Kamakura last May/June and travelled around. Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Takayama, Miyajima, etc.
Stunned at the volume of mainly western tourists. A lot of Americans, usually travelling as mother-daughter, father-son. Happy to chat to us English (maybe they thought we were American at first?)
But the number of utterly obnoxious couples was quite noticeable. Boyfriend-girlfriend couples. My wife and I felt like they were looking at other Westerners thinking “this is meant to be OUR trip, why are YOU all here?”
And there were plenty westerners who clearly lived in Japan that we found unbearable. Japanese are very happy to help us choose our food tickets, but the expat westerners were tutting, scowling, and making us feel unwanted. Far cry from the Japanese.
But I guess you get horrible people everywhere