It’s one thing when tourists in a foreign country behave badly and bring shame and dishonor down on their fellow countrypeople. It’s another when they put their lives in actual, physical danger.
Unfortunately, the latter seems to be an increasing trend in Japan. In the latest episode, a Hokkaido city is warning visitors that their behavior is putting them on thin ice.
That way lies death
Hokkaido is an obvious winter destination for Japan tourists. Between the beautiful snowy landscapes, good skiing, and events such as the Sapporo Snow Festival, it’s long been a popular seasonal draw.
The city of Abashiri, located on the northern island’s northeast coast, gets visitors who want to see the area’s famous ice flows. Unfortunately, as FNN reports, some people want to do more than just see.
The problem is that, in Abashiri’s most popular viewing spots, it’s not possible to tell where ice on the shore ends and ice on the sea begins. Some tourists who wander out onto the ice go far out enough that they’re standing over water. And with the Sea of Japan bringing in warmer currents this year, parts of the ice are weaker than they might seem.
There are trained guides in Abashiri who can help tourists safely navigate the treacherous land. (You can also sail safely through the ice flows on a boat like the Aurora.) However, tourists one after another are reportedly traipsing out onto the ice on their own, unaware of the dangers. A wrong step could send someone plunging into the sea. After that, rescuers would have anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes to pull them out before the cold sea claimed their lives.
"Noah [at Unseen Japan] put together an itinerary that didn’t lock us in and we could travel at our own pace. In Tokyo, he guided us personally on a walking tour. Overall, he made our Japan trip an experience not to forget." - Kate and Simon S., Australia
To counteract this, the city has set up announcements – in Japanese, English, and Mandarin – warning people not to go out onto the ice without a trained guide. Staff and locals are also trying to warn tourists when they’ve stepped beyond the sand and need to head back.
Keeping tourists safe
This isn’t the only safety issue involving Japanese tourists thanks to the country’s explosion in inbound travel.
A Chinese tourist in the town of Asari was recently struck and killed by a train. She had trespassed onto the tracks at a point where many other tourists also enter – despite signs warning against it – in order to get a view of the ocean.
Other areas are wrestling to clamp down on tourists standing on roads near travel hotspots. The town of Fujikawaguchiko made headlines last year when it draped off a popular viewing spot for Mt. Fuji by a Lawson combini (convenience store). The city of Kamakura has also installed security cameras near a railroad crossing made famous by the manga and anime Slam Dunk to deter street crowding.
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