Fujiyoshida, a town located about 70 miles west of Tokyo, is renowned as a spiritual center for those who worship Mt. Fuji. And for the last 10 years, the city has also hosted the Arakurayama Sengen Park Cherry Blossom Festival in a picturesque park with a five-story pagoda and more than 600 cherry trees. But now officials are reportedly canceling this years’ festival, over concern about overtourism and poor behavior from visitors.
Last year, the city saw upwards of 10,000 visitors per day in conjunction with the cherry blossom festival, and the BBC reports that in addition to chronic traffic congestion, litter, and trespassing onto private land, some residents there have reported tourists defecating in their gardens.
Fujiyoshida’s mayor, Shigeru Horiuchi, said that the city’s popularity with tourists threatens its citizens otherwise quiet lives.
“We have a strong sense of crisis,” Horiuchi said. “To protect the dignity and living environment of our citizens, we have decided to bring the curtain down on the ... festival.”
The weak yen in Japan and social media’s amplification of the festival and the city’s scenic environs have fueled visitors to Fujiyoshida. Overtourism has affected other areas of the world, from Barcelona to Hawaii to Venice, and officials have resorted to everything from added visitor fees to limiting the number of tourists allowed daily.
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