Bad tourist behavior has drawn a lot of media attention in Japan recently. In particular, some Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples have been enraged over tourists destroying property on their sacred grounds. Now, one shrine in Nagasaki Prefecture has banned any tourism – from inside or outside of Japan – in a bid to protect its grounds.
The Watadzumi Shrine in Tsushima City, Tsushima Island (yes, the same Tsushima Island as the video game) made the announcement on March 23rd on their Instagram account. The statement, signed by Chief Priest Hirayama Shizuki, said that on March 22nd, “a foreign tourist committed a severe and unforgivable act of disrespect.”
The shrine said it’s consulted with police and local tourism officials about issues with tourists multiple times. However, it’s still struggled both with destructive behavior and with people yelling at and becoming violent with staff.
As a result, the shrine announced it would bar any visitors from entering. It would also turn away buses of both domestic and foreign tourists. The only people allowed to visit the shrine will be local parishioners or Shinto worshipers who come to worship. It further forbids taking photographs and livestreaming from the grounds.
“Any inbound tourist that would destroy a place, object, or person important to Japanese people is engaged in the destruction of Japanese culture,” the statement reads.
A history of issues
According to J-Cast News, this isn’t the shrine’s first go-around with a ban. In January 2020, it explicitly banned all “foreigners” from entering shrine grounds. It backed off of this after the news went viral. It made headlines again in 2024 when it accused a small group of Korean tourists of smoking, spitting, and ridiculing staff. In June 2024, it explicitly banned Koreans from entering.
The current pronouncement bans anyone who isn’t connected to the shrine or Shinto from entering, regardless of nationality. As we’ve covered before, targeting people on the basis of nationality or race is illegal under Japanese law.
In a follow-up post, Watazdumi emphasized that anyone coming to worship the gods of Shinto is welcome on the grounds. It’s unclear how it plans to verify this on a case-by-case basis. It only says that “Anyone visitors treat the shrine as a theme park or a photo spot isn’t a worshiper.”
Sadly, with some 40 million tourists expected to visit Japan this year, there are bound to be a few people who misbehave. Social media has driven some of the bad behavior, with influencers from China and the United States both using the country to turn outrage into cash.
Despite the incidents and online criticism, polls show a majority of people in Japan think the country’s tourism boom is positive.
Whenever I write an article like this, people ask us if it’s “safe” to travel to Japan. The answer is, without a doubt, yes. There isn’t an upswell of anti-tourist sentiment here. All of these incidents of people going viral aren’t about some minor violation of “ancient Japanese custom.” They’re people committing blatant acts of disrespect that are frowned upon in any country. Be polite and respectful on your trip, and you’ll find that most Japanese people will welcome you openly.
Want some added peace of mind on your trip? Unseen Japan Tours offers guided tours and interpretation so that you can understand the rules, interact pleasantly with residents, and learn about the country’s rich history and culture.
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