Kyoto bans tourists from geisha district in Japan because of poor conduct
A lack of cultural awareness and subsequent bad behavior by tourists is leading local officials in Kyoto’s popular geisha district, Gion, to ban them from the area.
According to The Independent, the issues of the female artists being harassed by so-called paparazzi tourists has been going on since 2019, when authorities started fining travelers who breached good conduct. The women were chased down streets, photographed without consent and even touched without consent.
Travelers can only photograph a geisha or maiko, a teenage geishain-training, with consent and while on public roads, according to local regulations.
The new ban on tourists began this month as the country celebrates its spring cherry blossom season, which draws travelers from across the globe. The only people allowed into the area following the ban will be geisha, residents and geisha 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.”
Travel experts recommend always asking for consent before photographing anyone while traveling, and researching the local culture and etiquette prior to traveling internationally. Japan is known particularly for having a strong sense of cultural etiquette, and travelers will have a more pleasant time visiting if they are aware of what is acceptable and what is not.