Gravity（Attraction） of Kyoto 30 The cause of overtourism is overconcentration II ～ Distributed tourism, such as Kiyomizu-dera Temple, Arashiyama, and Fushimi Inari, is effective when promoting their attractions～
 Higashi Honganji Temple, photographed on 30th Dec. 2025 |
 Arashiyama, upstream of Togetsukyo Bridge, 4th May 2022 |
Yoshie Doi
On a sunny day in January, I went to Arashiyama, Higashiyama, and the area around Kyoto Station. As expected, I was surprised by the number of tourists. However, I’m not the only one who feels that there are a lot of Western tourists this year. Many of the people I see on the subway, Hankyu train, Keihan train, and city buses are from the Middle East, and it’s clear that Kyoto is welcoming tourists from all over the world.
Meanwhile, there are many Japanese tourists, and I read an article about an event called “Kyoto Yoichi : Kyoto Night Market” that will be held at “Ohigashi-san Square” of Higashi Hon-Hongan-ji Temple. Kyoto is a city with many large shrines, temples, and universities.
It would be good if there were some way to make it easier for people to participate in events rather than just paying an admission fee. Kyoto offers hundreds of free courses every year from universities, organizations, etc.
The Kyoto Food Culture Suguki Citizens Forum, held on Saturday, 17th Jan. 2026, was a huge success, with a capacity of 400 people and standing room only. The event was held in the large hall of the Kyoto Prefectural Kyoto Gaku and Rekisaikan Museum. Participation was free, but the content was very in-depth, and we were able to hear fascinating talks from professors from Kyoto University and suguki farmers.
People who visit Kyoto multiple times enjoy the city at different times of the day and seasons. The “Love Letters to Kyoto” campaign, run by the Kyo-Suzume Culture and Tourism, receives love letters from Kyoto fans who truly love the city. This campaign is held about once every three years, and this is the sixth time we’ve had the opportunity to accept submissions, so we’ve once again made some new discoveries. Details will be announced after the selection process. We learned why people visit Kyoto, why they love Kyoto, what memories they have of Kyoto, and why they cherish Kyoto. Perhaps these love letters will provide new clues for combating overtourism. It seems that people’s admiration for Kyoto is changing with the times.
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Translated by Masami Otani
