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Kyoto receives more foreign tourists than ever before, but fewer visitors say they’ll return
- Oona McGee
Jul 29, 2026 - Tweet
Official city survey highlights the issues that left some visitors less than satisfied with their Kyoto experience.
- Japan
- (etiquette • foreign tourists • international tourists • Japan travel • Japanese etiquette • Kyoto • Kyoto tourism • manners • news • overcrowding • overtourism • tourism • tourist site • tourist sites • tourists • travel)
Tokyo revises accommodation tax amidst tourism boom, Airbnb rentals now included
- Oona McGee
Jul 7, 2026
Both Japanese and overseas travellers could soon be paying more to stay in Tokyo.
- Japan
- (accommodation • accommodation tax • Airbnb • hotels • Japan travel • news • overtourism • tax • Tokyo • Tokyo accommodation • tokyo hotels • tourism • tourists • travel)
Japan to get new high-speed train connecting Haneda and Narita airports, ease overtourism
- Casey Baseel
Jul 6, 2026
There’s actually a good reason for a train to quickly get people between the Tokyo area’s two airports.
- Japan
- (Haneda • Hanedda Airport • Japan travel • Keisei • Keisei Electric Railway • Narita • Narita Airport • overtourism • tourism • trains • travel)
Japan triples departure tax, foreign tourists and locals now must pay more to leave country
- Casey Baseel
Jul 2, 2026
As of July, it now costs more both to enter and leave Japan.
- Japan
- (COK • departure tax • Japan travel • overtourism • society • tourism • travel)
Two of Kyoto’s famous temples tackle streetside trash with solar-powered trash cans
- Elliot Hale
Jun 13, 2026
Bringing futuristic solutions to historic streets.
- Japan
- (COK • eco-friendly • Japan travel • Kyoto • overtourism • public trash cans • SmaGO • technology • tourism • trash cans • travel)
New littering fine now being enforced in some of Tokyo’s most heavily touristed areas
- Casey Baseel
Jun 3, 2026
Littering in Shibuya will get you a fine that must be paid on the spot.
- Japan
- (Harajuku • Japan travel • laws • littering • overtourism • Shibuya • Shibuya Ward • society • tourism • travel)
Japan enters Golden Week vacation period, survey shows one in three plan to ride it out at home
- Casey Baseel
Apr 30, 2026
Japan’s all-for-fun spring holiday season is a little tarnished these days.
- Japan
- (Golden Week • overtourism • society • survey • tourism • travel)
Famous Tokyo cherry blossom spot installs view-blocking screens to fight overcrowding[Video]
- Casey Baseel
Mar 28, 2026
Once an under-the-radar sakura spot, this neighborhood near Shibuya has become dangerously congested.
- Japan
- (cherry blossoms • hanami • Naka Meguro • Nakameguro • overtourism • sakura • screens • society • video • view-blocking screens)
Japan now has a “for foreign tourists only” Mt. Fuji sightseeing train[Video]
- Casey Baseel
Mar 24, 2026
Hokusai Special Train made its first run this month.
- Japan
- (Central Japan Railway Company • hokusai • Japan Railway Company • Japan travel • JR • JR Central • JTB • Katsushika Hokusai • Mt. Fuji • overtourism • Sunrise Tours • tourism • trains • travel)
Japanese government planning higher ticket prices for foreign tourists at Tokyo National Museum
- Casey Baseel
Mar 6, 2026
Agency for Cultural Affairs wants two-tiered ticket pricing system at 12 National Museums.
- Japan
- (Japan travel • museums • overtourism • Tokyo National Museum • tourism • travel • two-tiered pricing • Ueno • Ueno Park)
Kyoto raises hotel accommodation tax to fight overtourism, travelers could pay up to 10 times more
- Casey Baseel
Mar 3, 2026
Higher rates now in effect, projected to bring in more than 7 billion yen in extra revenue.
- Japan
- (accommodation tax • COK • hotels • Japan travel • Kyoto • overtourism • tourism • travel)
Osaka establishes first designated smoking area in Dotonbori canal district to fight “overtourism”
- Casey Baseel
Feb 23, 2026
Street food hot spot wants to be cleaner, but it might just be pushing the smoke down the street.
- Japan
- (Dotonbori • Japan travel • Osaka • overtourism • smoking • tourism • travel)
Foreigners accounting for over 80 percent of off-course skiers needing rescue in Japan’s Hokkaido
- Casey Baseel
Feb 10, 2026
Japan is pissed off about the off-piste skiing.
- Japan
- (COK • foreign tourists • Hokkaido • outdoors • overtourism • rescue • skiing • snowboarding • society • sports • video)
Japan’s most famous Mt. Fuji view park cancels cherry blossom festival because of overtourism
- Casey Baseel
Feb 5, 2026
In-home trespassing, public urination, and other bad manners bring an end to a local tradition.
- Japan
- (Arakurayama Sengen • cherry blossoms • festival • Fujiyoshida • Mt. Fuji • nature • overtourism • parks • sakura)
Bamboo trees vandalized near Kyoto’s Fushimi Inari shrine, foreign graffiti prevalent
- Casey Baseel
Jan 10, 2026
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)
Disillusionment at Tsukiji’s tourist-target prices led us to a great ramen restaurant in Tokyo
- Casey Baseel
Dec 24, 2025
Mr. Sato bypasses the high-priced sushi that’s become the neighborhood’s new normal and finds a super-cheap, super-tasty bowl of ramen.
- Japan
- (China travel advisory • COK • Japan travel • Mr. Sato • Noodles • overtourism • ramen • restaurants • SNJO • sushi • tourism • travel • Tsukiji • Tsukiji fish market)
Tokyo’s Tsukiji sushi neighborhood asks tour groups to stay away for the rest of the month
- Casey Baseel
Dec 18, 2025
Inbound tourism boom and Japanese New Year’s traditions are too much for the world’s most famous sushi town to handle simultaneously, request says.
- Japan
- (culture • food • Japan travel • Oshogatsu • overtourism • sushi • tourism • travel • Tsukiji • Tsukiji fish market)
Japan considering raising international traveler departure tax even more than previously reported
- Casey Baseel
Dec 4, 2025
Tripling the current tax still isn’t enough for some politicians who want travelers to pay even more when flying out of Japan.
- Japan
- (COK • departure tax • Japan travel • overtourism • society • tourism • travel)
Japanese government considering tripling departure taxes to combat overtourism
- Casey Baseel
Nov 14, 2025
As foreign visitor numbers and overtourism concerns both reach historic highs, policymakers think they may have found a way to use one to address the other.
- Japan
- (COK • departure tax • Japan travel • overtourism • society • tourism • travel)
Tokyo’s Shibuya losing popularity as a place to go drinking, drops out of top 10 in survey
- Casey Baseel
Oct 21, 2025
What’s behind the Shibuya slide as a spot to grab a drink?
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Recent Posts
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- Japanese workers reveal their top five mysterious rules they wish would disappear【Survey】
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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
Japanese workers reveal their top five mysterious rules they wish would disappear【Survey】
Japan’s Rabbit Island in danger of becoming Boar Island, tourists asked to follow feeding rules
Stay at a hotel with a bed for your plushie in Japan
A practical guide to freezing your boss’ hat in a block of ice [Photos]
Heavyweight ramen-style cheese fried chicken bowl appears in Tokyo, but is it genius or madness?
These Japanese contact lenses let you put anime characters on your eyes [Photos]
Japanese gacha machine in Shibuya now sells tiny capsule terrariums
Time-lapse footage shows just how fast rebuilding in Kumamoto can go
Best burger in Tokyo? JB’s serves up a cheap craft burger that not a lot of people know about
Weekly
- 12-year-old British girl who went missing in Tokyo found safe after visiting anime sites around Yokohama
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- Japanese gacha machine in Shibuya now sells tiny capsule terrariums
The Japanese city where ordering grilled chicken doesn’t guarantee you’ll actually get chicken
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
Tokyo sweets store has a “350% Pudding Soft Serve”, and people are going wild for it- Stay at a hotel with a bed for your plushie in Japan
Monthly
Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
New Shinkansen luggage drop-off system begins in Japan, making train travel even easier
Japan now has human refrigerators inspired by Japanese vending machines- 12-year-old British girl who went missing in Tokyo found safe after visiting anime sites around Yokohama
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
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
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
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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RECOMMENDED STORIES
Heavyweight ramen-style cheese fried chicken bowl appears in Tokyo, but is it genius or madness?
These Japanese contact lenses let you put anime characters on your eyes [Photos]
Japanese gacha machine in Shibuya now sells tiny capsule terrariums
Time-lapse footage shows just how fast rebuilding in Kumamoto can go
Best burger in Tokyo? JB’s serves up a cheap craft burger that not a lot of people know about
Visiting Japan’s muscular mascot character dog at his free museum near Kansai International Airport
Japan’s new beer glass is designed to force you to drink…water [Video]
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]
Nissin joins up with Final Fantasy XV for awesome “Cup Noodle XV” promotion【Video】
Teen girl in Japan refuses to be victim, personally escorts train pervert to police for arrest
Japanese airlines set to cut fuel surcharges for international flights in September and October
Hello Kitty x Godzilla Happy Meals are coming to McDonald’s, but not in Japan [Video]
Google’s first Google Store outside the U.S. is now open in Tokyo
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