No more photos with geishat! This is the message that the Japanese government is trying to pass on to tourists who will visit Kyoto. The targeted neighborhood is called Gion and authorities have also imposed a fine, 10,000 yen, about 82 euros, for anyone harassing geishas in search of the perfect selfie.

Degradation of tourism

This is what the locals complain about: tourists are becoming a problem, they are endangering the calm and refined air that has always characterized the city. According to a study involving 300 businesses in the area, tourists pollute the environment, smoke in the streets and even are able to block traffic on the famous Hanamikoji Road by following a taxis carrying geisha in them, always looking for a photo to publish on social media.

Authorities have tried to put up signs on the roads leading to the neighborhood in question, but the idea seems to be working very little. The local council has even distributed written leaflets in Chinese and English not to take pictures or to demolish the area. In December, every tourist who approaches Gion district and reaches with GPS messages, again in Japanese and English, reminds him of everything that is forbidden to do in that area, especially taking pictures without permission with geisha; it will be a test and it will be understood whether or not it will work.

In reality, the situation is expected to worsen before it gets better: Japan will be occupied because of the Tokyo Olympics in terms of the already stratospherically growing tourism sector. As The Guardian writes, the yen weakening and the increasing availability of low-cost flights have created an influx of visitors equal to 31 million people, 9% more than last year. But the government wants to go further and targets 40 million tourists in 2020 and 60 million in 2030.