Some Japanese Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples have gotten fed up with tourists. It’s not that every tourist who visits is bad, of course. Sadly, it only takes a few miscreants to ruin it for everyone else.
Some locations have gone so far as to ban tourists completely. A popular temple in Fukuoka hasn’t gone to that extreme. However, it is making tourists pay to enter to help clean up the damage.
A small fee
Nanzōin in Sasaguri, Fukuoka Prefecture, is a Shingon Buddhist temple that houses the world’s largest bronze statue. The nehanzō (涅槃像), showing Buddha in repose in the last illness preceding his departure from Samsara, was built in 1995. (The temple itself dates back to 1855.)
With tourism to Japan booming, visits to Nanzōin are also on the rise. However, not everyone’s being respectful. A reporter from NTV pointed to a piece of stone that had broken off a pillar because someone had let their kids climb up on it to take a photo.
As a result, as of the end of May, the temple has started charging overseas visitors a 300 yen ($2) entrance fee. Japanese residents – both Japanese citizens and foreign residents – are exempt.
The fees will fund grounds cleanup and enhanced security. It isn’t clear how Nanzōin asks for proof of residence or how they flag residents vs. non-residents at the gate.
At least one overseas tourist interviewed by NTV disagreed with the two-tier system. “They should charge it equally or not charge it at all,” the person fumed. (It’s two dollars, my friend – let it go.)
Other locations in Fukuoka report similar issues with a subset of inbound tourists. Kushida Shrine in Hakata, a truly historic Shinto shrine dating back to 757 CE, says a small subset of tourists is disturbing the shrine grounds by talking loudly, trashing out the toilets, and taking pictures with other visitors in the frame.
Overtourism is a worldwide issue
Japan continues to post record tourism numbers. According to the Japan National Travel Organization, the country saw 3,378,000 visitors in June. That’s a 7.6% jump over 2024’s numbers. Record visits from the United States and a resurgence of tourism from China are contributing to the success.
However, with more people come more problems. Bad behavior – ranging from property destruction to death threats – has led some historic locations to resort to drastic measures.
In Tsushima (yes, that Tsushima), Watadzumi Shrine announced it would no longer accept any visitors except parishioners. In Kyoto, the head of Buddhist temple Kodaiji simply threw up his hands, declaring co-existence with tourists “impossible.” He called for Japan’s government to do more to educate tourists before they’re allowed to set foot within the country.
The issues have sparked debates about whether Japan can do more to make the country more tourism-friendly. For example, some visitors argue that installing more trash cans would reduce litter. (We looked at these claims in a recent issue of our Insider newsletter.)
However, looking at the news from a mile-high view, it’s clear this isn’t just a Japan problem. The ill effects of tourism are sparking anger across the world. Some protesters in Europe have resorted to assailing out-of-towners with squirt guns. In Mexico, protests against tourists turned violent, with locals incensed at how tourism is driving up the cost of living.
Japanese people haven’t taken to the streets. Yet. However, if economic conditions in the country continue to worsen, we might yet see what’s happening in Barcelona and Mexico City happen in Tokyo and Kyoto.
I’m sure that our regular readers know to mind their manners when coming to Japan. Be sure to pass the word to your friends who are planning to visit and help keep Japan an open and welcoming vacation spot for everyone.
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Sources
【対策】18歳以上の訪日客から拝観料の徴収を始めた南蔵院 割れた石灯籠・ポイ捨て マナー違反に悩む寺社 福岡. NTV
6月の訪日外客数「337.8万人」 2025年は最速で2,000万人超え ほか：インバウンドに関する注目の数字. Honichi Labs
