The Ogura Hyakunin Isshu (100 Poems by 100 Poets) is the famous poetry collection used in the card game Karuta, compiled here at Mt. Ogura in the 13th Century. In an admirably high-minded endeavor, the poems were carved in stone monuments and placed in groups around Arashiyama in 2007, including one poetry garden right next to the railroad crossing in the bamboo forest.
I was passing that way on a photo assignment early in the morning a few days ago and several Japanese and foreign tourists were gesturing toward a man in the grove, and he was very openly carving the bamboo with a coin. I shouted at him to stop, as I was already upset at seeing another tourist pulling at the reeds on a nearby fence. He gave me a "Buzz off!" look and continued.
(Here I wrote out and deleted the details of the encounter, because I wrote about what I thought and did, but this isn't about me.)
When I confronted him, he said "Other people did it too!", which is true, there has been a lot of graffiti in recent years. I was doing photography so I had my camera powered on and I pulled it out of my bag and got a picture of the culprit hiding his face. He was a grown man, half my age but smaller than me.
After I let him go, his mother or auntie confronted me and said in English, "No one said he couldn't do it. He didn't say anything," she said, pointing to a college aged Japanese guy sweeping the tourist path. I realized talking to the woman be as useless as talking to the culprit, so I told her to take her son and go home and praised the Japanese boy for diligently doing his baito cleaning for tourists who lack of common sense.
by KyotoGaijin
26 comments
Were you able to report him?
Where is he from?
I was onboard until bro decided to rough up someone he probably thought he could take on.
this is giving hella “pick me” vibes
Are you a ninja?
Please leave nature, gardens, buildings as they are. I am from Kanto, and Kyoto people are especially proud and particular about their culture and heritage. We need to respect that when visiting.
Having said that though, it is not right for visitors to be violent towards other visitors, regardless of their behaviour. A simple telling off should have sufficed. We don’t want trouble or confrontation. Please remain civil when you are in Japan.
Disrespectful by both persons. I’m sorry this happened
Don’t put your hands on people. I would’ve called the police on you if I had witnessed it.
I’m not sure its a good idea admit to a battery in an online post. And make sure you’re not infringing the portrait rights of the person, since you’ve appeared to have uploaded a photo of them…
Some Foreigners just shouldn’t be allowed like seriously have some common decency they leave a bad reputation for the good foreigners no wonder the Japanese are sick and tired of overseas people coming abroad
nice one OP! these shameless foreigners make it harder for those of us that live here. A smack on the back of the head wouldn’t have been out of place.
I would have done the same if I were you. I hope to move to Kyoto one day and retire. Being in Kyoto felt like being at home more than Los Angeles and I lived here my whole life. I studied customs and culture to make sure I’m respectful but not everyone is like me and it pisses me off couple of dickheads think they can do whatever they want. If I ever see you in Kyoto this November first round of beers on me man!
What you put up with is what you stand for. Thank you for standing up to this gentleman.
You only have this photo of him? I’m the owner of a Hostel in Kyoto and have some contacts with other Hotel/Hostel owners, I would love to track him to know who he is and report to immigration department.
His “mom or aunt” is the reason why there are such losers like this that walk this earth feeling so entitled.
It’s very disrespectful but bamboo is a grass and it’ll at least go back to nature. Better than graffiti on a building or grave.
What makes someone want to even do this to such a place of serene beauty? People have tortured minds.
Did you say into bamboo ? Like stuff that’s growing ?
These garbage must know they are guests in a foreign country. Seriously, they have no fear of the law.
I do hope Kyoto will start marketing severe consequences like China, Bali, Singapore. Passport bros who think Asia is their playground is unacceptable
This why we can’t have nice things.
Good for you.
Man I’m just trying to enjoy vacation in Japan and other tourist just making us look bad. Don’t worry I’ll report any bad tourists for you
It’s incredible how rude and disrespectful a lot of tourists are.
Saw another video a couple of days ago
Different country but same story. Some US tourists were tagging a historical bridge in Italy. Some locals confronted them. Same response. “Other people are doing it too”
Shameful.
In 2006 I left a piece of cloth in a statue in Tokyo, I did coming from huge ignorance about religion in Japan, was probably wrong, but I was young, so I did it. The thing is, 5 years later the piece of cloth was still there. If you want to leave some kind of “mark” in Japan (which there is absolutely no reason to), there are better ways. Draw something and give it to a restaurant that hangs pictures or drawings, write something in the notebook of a resting area, etc
Bamboo grows almost 3 feet a day. That graffiti will be 21 feet high in a week.
LBH loser back home
We could use you in Gion. I’m kidding, but man those tourists harassing 15 year old maiko really piss me off.