Record Tourist Numbers Are Clogging Up Kyoto's Public Transport
As more visitors head to Japan’s ancient capital, public anger is rising and presenting its new mayor with a tough challenge.
A tour guide holding a flag leads a group of tourists in Kyoto. Some 32 million overnight guests visited Kyoto prefecture last year.
Photographer: Buddhika Weerasinghe/BloombergIt isn’t uncommon in Kyoto today for residents to have to wait for three or four packed buses to pass before being able to get on themselves. Once on board, they often can’t get a seat, and find themselves jostling for room with not just passengers but also large suitcases.
The problem is worsening as the number of tourists rapidly increases, putting severe strain on the ancient Japanese city’s transportation infrastructure. Public anger is so acute that it helped propel Kyoto’s new mayor, whose campaign pledged to fight against the excesses of tourism, to victory in elections in February.