- 14 Mar 2002
- 21,050
- 18,903
Koya Mayor Yoshiya Hirano is considering implementing an entrance tax for visitors to his historic town. The town, home to approximately 2,700 residents, is closely associated with Mount Koyasan, a World Heritage site linked to Kukai (774-835), a Buddhist priest also known as Kobo Daishi, who founded the Shingon school of Buddhism. In 2023, the site attracted around 1.39 million tourists from abroad and Japan. During the peak spring and autumn seasons, the town receives 20,000 to 30,000 visitors daily. A study conducted by the town revealed that 40 percent of those who received rescue assistance from town officials were from out of town.
During the Koya town assembly session on 1 March, Mayor Hirano expressed his intention to explore introducing a special tax for visitors starting in fiscal year 2028. Discussions will involve central government officials and other relevant parties to determine the target audience for the new entrance fee and the collection process. The proposed revenues from the new tax would be allocated to road maintenance, public toilet repairs, rescue operations support, and enhancements to the temple complex's surroundings in Mount Koyasan. Similarly, the Hatsukaichi city government in Hiroshima Prefecture has already initiated a practice of charging visitors to Miyajima, the renowned location of the Itsukushimajinja shrine, another World Heritage site. Visitors are required to pay 100 JPY (approximately 67 cents) starting from October.
During the Koya town assembly session on 1 March, Mayor Hirano expressed his intention to explore introducing a special tax for visitors starting in fiscal year 2028. Discussions will involve central government officials and other relevant parties to determine the target audience for the new entrance fee and the collection process. The proposed revenues from the new tax would be allocated to road maintenance, public toilet repairs, rescue operations support, and enhancements to the temple complex's surroundings in Mount Koyasan. Similarly, the Hatsukaichi city government in Hiroshima Prefecture has already initiated a practice of charging visitors to Miyajima, the renowned location of the Itsukushimajinja shrine, another World Heritage site. Visitors are required to pay 100 JPY (approximately 67 cents) starting from October.
