Kyoto to ban tourists from geisha district for bad behaviour

A lack of cultural awareness and subsequently bad behaviour by tourists is leading local officials in Kyoto’s popular geisha district, Gion, to ban them from the alleys and streets of the area.

According to The Independent, the issues of the female artists being harassed by socalled paparazzi tourists has been going on since 2019, when authorities started fining travellers who breached good conduct. The women were chased down streets, photographed without consent and even touched without consent.

Travellers can only photograph a geisha or maiko, a teenage geisha-in-training, with consent and while on public roads, according to local regulations. This hasn’t been the case.

The new ban on tourists will begin in April, as the country celebrates its popular spring cherry blossom season, which many travellers from across the globe seek to experience each year.

The only people allowed into the area following the ban will be the geisha, residents and geisha’s clients.

Isokazu Ota, Gion’s representative secretary of the town’s South Side District Council, told CNN, “… I think the foreign tourists waiting for maiko to come out in the alleys of Gion’s photography-prohibited areas know the rules but are ignoring them. Even if we warn tourists, it is difficult to get through to them at this point.”

Thousands of travellers visit Gion to catch a glimpse of the white-painted, silk-clad geishas, but it seems overtourism — and irresponsible tourism due to a lack of cultural awareness — is bringing an end to this particular attraction for travellers.

Travel experts recommend always asking for consent before photographing anyone while travelling, and researching the local culture and etiquette prior to travelling internationally. Japan is known particularly for having a strong sense of cultural etiquette, and travellers will have a more pleasant time visiting if they are aware of what is acceptable and what is not.