Tourism Kyoto to tackle over-tourism

Measures to address congestion at sightseeing spots and with transportation services include: increasing the number of extra "Rakuraku line" city bus services that connect railway stations and sightseeing spots; ending the sale of the "one-day bus pass," which allows unlimited daily rides, and instead promoting the use of the "one-day subway/bus pass" to encourage the use of the subway as well; establishing a temporary luggage storage area at JR Kyoto Station to promote "sightseeing without luggage;" and creating a brochure introducing morning and evening events and congestion forecasts.

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Regarding measures for tourism etiquette, electronic billboards will be installed at Kyoto and Karasuma Oike subway stations to inform visitors of rules in English, Chinese and other languages. The city is also working with the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) to call on overseas travel agencies and others to help improve tourist behaviour through JNTO offices in China, Singapore and Australia.

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Kyoto outlines 'overtourism' measures for autumn, including extra bus services - The Mainichi

KYOTO -- The Kyoto Municipal Government has compiled a list of

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But to implement that idea, there needs to be a change in the national law, and how effective the plan would ease travel congestion for residents is still unclear. [...] While the increase in tourists means more money for the local economy, it also means crowded buses and subway stations, traffic jams, long lines at Kyoto's famous temples and shrines, and street garbage, leading to many residents' complaints and calls for action. Matsui promised to tackle the over-tourism problem in several ways, including calling on the central government for legal revisions that would allow Kyoto buses and the subway system to charge visitors higher fares while charging residents lower fares than they are now. Currently, the fares are the same for everyone. The system's purpose would be to prioritise the transportation needs of residents and discourage overcrowding of buses and subways by tourists.

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New Kyoto mayor aims to tackle over-tourism with higher fares

Koji Matsui faces many hurdles, and he takes over at a time when the demerits of over-tourism have become a particular topic of concern for residents.

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