ADVERTISEMENTA small and picturesque port city in Japan has hired security guards to police selfie-taking tourists.
Known for its pretty canal lined with well-preserved 19th and 20th-century warehouses, Otaru is bracing for excess visitors arriving for the lunar new year. Located on the island of Hokkaido, the city has many steep slopes, offering vantage points for sea views and Instagram-worthy shots.
With tourists expected to gather on the famous Funamizaka slope for the Lunar New Year Spring Festival, Otaru is stepping up efforts against overtourism. Guards will prevent visitors from flocking to take coveted pictures of the sea and the port and clogging up the area.
Funamizaka, one of Otaru's steepest slopes, is famous as a location in several films, including the 1995 Japanese film ‘Love Letter’ and the 2015 Chinese film ‘Cities in Love’, fuelling its popularity.
Locals in Japan are growing increasingly frustrated as the country grapples with overtourism and disruptive tourist behaviour, such as blocking roads for photos and disregarding local customs.
Data from the Japan National Tourism Organisation reveals that 33.38 million people visited Japan between January and November of 2024 alone, outpacing the previous record of 31.88 million set in 2019.
A tourist was killed while taking a photo
Otaru’s security moves come after a 61-year-old tourist reportedly made her way onto the tracks of a local train line to get a photo when she was struck and killed by a train. According to the South China Morning Post, the female tourist stood on the tracks for a photo opportunity and did not notice the oncoming train.
The death prompted locals to express concern over tourists as they attempted to recreate scenes from their favourite movies, with near-death incidents occurring as visitors engaged in risky behaviours to get the best photos.
As reported in the West Australian, a resident told a local TV station that the incident was “an accident waiting to happen”.
“Tourists regularly take photos between the crossing gates. Trains have been stopped multiple times as a result.”
What will the guards do?
In response to the growing pressures of overtourism and poor visitor behaviour in Japan, security guards have been deployed at key spots in Otaru earlier to manage the influx of overseas visitors and prevent further accidents.
Earlier this week, guards stationed at three popular locations held English, Chinese, and Korean signs, urging curious tourists to respect private property and avoid blocking roads while taking selfies. The security measures will stay in place until the end of March, with local police increasing patrols.
The drastic move comes amid concerns about increasing tourist numbers' environmental and social impact, especially during peak seasons like the Lunar New Year.
How Japan is tackling overtourism
This isn’t the first time Japan has taken unusual measures to manage visitors. Kawaguchiko has also seen an influx of tourists, all vying for the perfect shot of Mount Fuji. Now, local officials have cracked down on misbehaving tourists.
Fujikawaguchiko, in the northern foothills of the mountain, has several scenic photo spots popular with visitors and photographers, who flock there for picture-perfect shots.
ADVERTISEMENTFrustrated with the influx of tourists, the town has constructed a large, black screen on a stretch of sidewalk to block the view of the famous mountain and curb crowds, litter, and trespassing.
Japan is also rolling out etiquette guidance for foreign tourists to manage over-tourism and improve visitor behaviour.
Signs in busy areas will remind visitors to observe local customs, not to stop suddenly or block walkways, to stay aware of their surroundings when taking photos, and to avoid queue-jumping.
These measures are part of a broader campaign to address growing concerns over disruptive tourist behaviour, with local authorities also distributing informational leaflets and using digital signage in multiple languages to promote respectful travel practices.
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