Most tourists and foreign residents here are doing their best to respect Japanese culture, but the ones causing trouble sure are pretty loud. What’s going on with the overtourism issue these days? We’ll chat about some recent incidents and initiatives are taking place to combat these problems. 

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Frankie - @franklinthewoman

Cheyenne - @lostwithlow

Words mentioned/useful words

花粉症 kafunsho - hay fever/allergies

お土産 omiyage - souvenir

外国人 gaikokujin - foreigner/foreign person

お守り omamori - protection charm/amulet you can get from shrines and temples

田舎 inaka - countryside

Videos mentioned:

Ski resort confrontation: https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSrpu5JfS/

Tokyo Sims sakura incident: https://x.com/mrjeffu/status/1908759017339695280

Ghost of Tsushima Shrine - https://soranews24.com/2025/03/25/real-life-ghost-of-tsushima-shrine-announces-ban-of-all-tourists-but-theres-some-fine-print/

American tourist arrested for accidentally packing a handgun into his luggage - https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/04/02/japan/crime-legal/us-tourist-gun-japan/

Update - 

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20250404_23/#:~:text=Japan%20prosecutors%20will%20not%20indict%20US%20tourist%20arrested%20for%20possessing%20gun,-Friday%2C%20April%204&text=Japanese%20prosecutors%20have%20decided%20not,Kobe%20Port%20on%20March%2023.

CurrentlyHannah video about overtourism: https://youtu.be/D6t1JSAgyCg?si=_ySKJl0oeCqScrJo

Takashi from Japan Kyoto locals interview: https://youtu.be/jNkb25wGKq4?si=elR-gqBybehVmcxv

Time stamps

00:00 family/friends visiting, thyroid update

18:54 intro to overtourism/disclaimer

29:39 ski resort smoking confrontation

34:16 cherry blossom disrespect 

38:01 shrines banning tourists

43:02 American tourist brings gun in luggage

46:28 what’s up with Johnny Salami 

49:43 other problems with overtourism

53:39 what locals think

1:01:19 how is the gov’t combatting this

1:04:54 working in tourism