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Bamboo trees vandalized near Kyoto’s Fushimi Inari shrine, foreign graffiti prevalent
- Casey Baseel
Jan 10, 2026 - Tweet
Shinto shrine in Kyoto has become globally famous for its beauty, but inconsiderate visitors are ruining the view for everyone but themselves.
- Japan
- (bamboo • COK • Fushimi Inari • Fushimi Inari Shrine • Fushimi Inari Taisha • graffiti • Japan travel • Kyoto • nature • overtourism • tourism • travel • vandalism)
Shocking cat graffiti at centuries-old Japanese temple is shockingly uncute【Video】
- Casey Baseel
Aug 6, 2023
Vandalism is already a crime, but it feels like being this bad at drawing should be too.
Anime shop offering 300,000-yen reward to anyone who can help them catch graffiti vandals in video
- Casey Baseel
Nov 12, 2022
“We’re not going to take this lying down and just cry ourselves to sleep.”
Tokyo rapper arrested for tagging Yamanote Line while drunk
- Master Blaster
Apr 28, 2022
Public not all that shocked by the news.
- Japan
- (crime • graffiti • J Columbus • Masahi Sawada • music • Payback Boys • rap • Tokyo • Yamanote line)
Chiba man arrested for writing “Amazon!” on Shinto shrine
- Master Blaster
Feb 16, 2022
Looks like he’s either really happy or really angry about online retail.
- Japan
- (Amazon • Atago Shrine • Chiba • crime • graffiti • Noda • Sakuragi Shrine)
Tokyo theme park closes down, thanks visitors with touching water graffiti message
- Oona McGee
Sep 1, 2020
The only thing better than the message itself is the fascinating water printer machine that “prints” it.
- Japan
- (Amusement Parks • art • COK • cool • graffiti • Harry Potter • movies • Mr. Sato • museums • SNJO • Tokyo • Toshimaen • travel • Warner Bros • Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo Making of Harry Potter • water • Water Printer)
45-year-old man arrested for writing “Pyewwww Poop” on public toilet seat
- Master Blaster
Jul 22, 2020
The streets just got a little safer.
- Japan
- (crime • graffiti • Hiro Yoshida • Nishinomiya • Osaka • public toilet • vandalism)
Wannabe science fiction writer graffitis centuries-old Kyoto temple for extremely weird reason
- Casey Baseel
Nov 27, 2019
Baffling justification still gets him arrested.
Graffiti artist Pikachu plushies coming to brand-new Shibuya Pokémon Center megastore【Photos】
- Casey Baseel
Nov 20, 2019
New shop within walking distance from Scramble Intersection also has giant Mewtwo in research tube greeting guests.
- Japan
- (anime • graffiti • Mew • Mewtwo • Pikachu • Pokemon • Pokemon Center • Pokémon Center Shibuya • Shibuya • video games)
Australian tourist in Japan arrested for graffiti around Kamogawa River in Kyoto
- SoraNews24
May 23, 2019
Tag found in 36 places, foreign tourist claims it was art.
- Japan
- (arrests • Australia • Australians in Japan • crime • graffiti • Kamogawa River • Kyoto • news • police • vandalism)
The most vandalised vending machines in Japan? We check out a grungy duo at America Village
- Oona McGee
May 7, 2019
This pair turns heads on the street, but do they even work?
- Japan
- (America Mura • COK • drinks • graffiti • Mr. Sato • Osaka • Shinsaibashi • SNOJ • vending machines)
One graffiti artist to be honored by Tokyo while another graffiti artist sits in jail
- Master Blaster
Apr 20, 2019
Tokyo governor sends clear message never to vandalize…unless you’re the toast of the art world.
Australian arrested at Narita Airport for graffiti on Japanese train in Tokyo
- Oona McGee
Apr 4, 2019
The suspect claims he’s innocent, despite being in possession of spray cans and bolt cutters.
Arashiyama bamboo forest in Kyoto “crying” as tourists vandalise trees
- Oona McGee
May 23, 2018
Kyoto has a heartbreaking message for visitors who carve graffiti on trees in the famous grove.
- Japan
- (Arashiyama • bamboo • graffiti • Kyoto • nature • news • tourist sites • tourists • travel • trees)
Lame tourists’ lame excuse for spray-painting graffiti in Tokyo still gets them arrested
- Casey Baseel
Feb 9, 2018
Claim they thought graffiti was allowed in one Tokyo neighborhood.
“Graffiti Temple” in Kyoto, where visitors are encouraged to deface the walls
- Master Blaster
Feb 6, 2016
It’s quite normal to hear news of someone graffiting pieces of world heritage and feel a sense of outrage, but Kyoto’s Tandenan Temple actually encourages such scrawl. Our writer Masami grabbed a sharpie and went to check it out.
18 different makeovers for China’s prominent poet
- Michelle Lynn Dinh
Feb 22, 2014
Nothing says fun like defacing one of your country’s beloved historical figures. Queen Elizabeth with a lightning bolt across her face à la glam rock band Kiss, George Washington with a Hilter mustache, and whatever it is that’s going on up in here are just a few examples of the lengths people will go to have a little fun with history.
Even Du Fu, often called the greatest Chinese poet of all time, isn’t immune to the idle hands of creative doodlers. Let’s take a look at 18 different Du Fu makeovers by Chinese artists.
Possibly the greatest textbook doodles of all time
- Michelle Lynn Dinh
Oct 1, 2013
Remember back in high school when you’d opened up your textbook to find George Washington picking his nose and Joseph Stalin with a peg leg and eye patch. It was enough to make you bow down and thank the graffiti gods for giving you a much needed distraction from the incessant ramblings of your instructor.
Textbook doodles seem to transcend national borders and bored students from all over the world appear to have a penchant for defiling educational tools. We’ve already shown you some from Asia, a continent that seems to be home to an abundance of bored students with idle hands. Now let’s take a look at textbook doodles from Twitter user and Japanese high school student, Chanta, who takes it to a whole other level, actually erasing parts of his textbook to create entirely different, albeit twisted, pictures.
Chinese teen defaces ancient relief in Egyptian temple, tracked down by irate netizens
- Andrew Miller
Jun 5, 2013
With photos of people doing unsightly things on public transport and reports of cockroaches floating in smoothies, it’s true that China hasn’t been painted in the best light recently. However, an incident occurring in Egypt has caused outrage both at home and abroad after it was discovered that a Chinese tourist had scrawled a message on a wall in an ancient Egyptian temple.
“Aaaaaaaaa!” or “When Scribble Gets Out of Hand”
- Philip Kendall
Sep 13, 2012
Remember how much fun it was practicing writing the alphabet when you were a kid? Every single letter; upper and lowercase; again and again; page after page after page. Good times, no?
Well, at least one Japanese NicoNico Douga user seems to think that there’s no better way to pass the time than filming herself writing a few Japanese characters on a sheet of paper. Sorry, did I say “a few” characters? How about just one character? 30,000 times… Read More
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Recent Posts
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MOST POPULAR
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Today
12-year-old British girl who went missing in Tokyo found safe after visiting anime sites around Yokohama
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Visiting Japan’s muscular mascot character dog at his free museum near Kansai International Airport
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Study finds hundreds of people in Indonesia legally named after Naruto, Inuyasha, other anime stars
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Teen girl in Japan refuses to be victim, personally escorts train pervert to police for arrest
Google’s first Google Store outside the U.S. is now open in Tokyo
Weekly
Study finds hundreds of people in Indonesia legally named after Naruto, Inuyasha, other anime stars
12-year-old foreign tourist missing in Japan, police asking for help finding her [Video]
Studio Ghibli adds new Jiji’s baby plush toy to its anime merchandise range in Japan
The Japanese city where ordering grilled chicken doesn’t guarantee you’ll actually get chicken
Japan’s new beer glass is designed to force you to drink…water [Video]
Japanese airlines set to cut fuel surcharges for international flights in September and October
Beautiful off-the-beaten-path spot near samurai castle in rural Japan looks like a Monet painting
New Japanese vending machine at Shinkansen station sells cups of ice on platform
Japanese gacha machine in Shibuya now sells tiny capsule terrariums
This beautiful rural Japan river is a great alternative to touristy summer retreats [Photos]
Monthly
Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
Japan now has human refrigerators inspired by Japanese vending machines
New Shinkansen luggage drop-off system begins in Japan, making train travel even easier
Hatsune Miku collaborates with Hokusai’s art in new Vocaloid ukiyo-e illustration series [Pics]
Studio Ghibli releases anime T-shirts that pay homage to one of Hayao Miyazaki’s most personal films
Air-conditioned dress shirts arrive in Japan to save working professionals from sweltering heat
Japanese Shinkansen becomes an overnight hotel for three nights this summer
Pokémon Center Online designates first Pokémon items that will require Japanese ID card to buy
Japanese toilet aims to attract foreign tourists but not everybody is happy about it
99-year-old woman rescued while attempting to climb Mt. Fuji
Yearly
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
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American college student missing in Kyoto, last seen by family one week ago
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