For centuries, tourists have visited Kyoto to see the city’s geishas in their bright kimonos, white-painted faces and elaborate hairdos.
But from next month, visitors to the historic Gion district will be banned from certain streets after a surge in harassment.
The situation is “out of control”, experts say, with reports of sightseers stubbing out cigarettes on the performers, pestering them for selfies and chasing them down the street.
The plan to limit access comes after a Gion district council made up of local residents urged Kyoto City in December to tackle the issue of over-tourism, highlighting that the area was “not a theme park”.
Many of the district’s atmospheric narrow lanes, lined with traditional wooden architecture, will be out of bounds for tourists from next month.
‘We don’t want to do this but we are desperate’
The ban will be marked with new signage, although the area’s main thoroughfare, Hanamikoji Street, will remain open, according to Isokazu Ota, an executive member of the council.
“We will ask tourists to refrain from entering narrow private streets in or after April,” he told AFP. “We don’t want to do this, but we’re desperate.”
The picturesque Gion area, one of the busiest spots in Kyoto, has long seduced crowds of tourists with its time-capsule architecture, rich cultural heritage, and legendary status as home to geisha.