'Picture perfect' Japanese town deploys guards as tourists overcrowd streets for the view
A "picture perfect" town in Japan has been forced to employ guards after complaints were made against tourists blocking roads and railways for the view.
Otaru, a small city in the northernmost main island of Hokkaido, deployed the security guards this week to prevent people crowding on Funami-za.
The steep street offers incredible views of the port and sea in the distance, and officials say the overcrowding has been "particularly severe" in the last year.
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Otaru is a small city in the northernmost main island of Hokkaido. Getty
Earlier this month a Chinese woman died when she was struck by a train after walking onto railway tracks in Otaru, according to the Guardian.
Her husband reportedly told police his wife had been trying to photograph a location from the 2015 Chinese film Cities in Love and had not noticed the approaching train.
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"This road is lined with houses and has heavy traffic," a city official told local newspaper Mainichi Shimbun.
"Tourists standing on the street or walking side by side often make it impossible for vehicles to pass. The impact on residents has been significant."
The panoramic views are leading to tourists crowding the streets. Getty
The country recorded over 36 million overseas tourists last year, beating the 31.9 million record set by the whole of 2019, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization.
Almost 98,000 foreign tourists spent at least a night in Otaru in the six months from April last year, the publication reported. But many also stay in nearby Sapporo, the biggest city in Hokkaido, and visit for the day.
It's the latest crackdown against overtourism, after Ginzan Onsen, a popular Japanese hot spring town known for its scenic snowy views, recently begun Ginzan Onsen during winter peak season.
Located in the Yamagata region about 420 kilometres north of Tokyo, the onsen is one of the most famous in Japan, drawing around 330,000 visitors each year.
Visitor numbers to Mount Fuji are restricted in the peak season. Bloomberg via Getty Images
But its popularity has also caused problems for residents in the otherwise tranquil town, with reports of altercations over photo spots and parking places.
In May last year, Fujikawaguchiko, a small town at the base of Mount Fuji, had to erect a large black net to block the view of a popular photo spot featuring a convenience store against the famous mountain, after it caused nuisance to residents. The net was removed in August after the craze had subsided.
Other places such as Mount Fuji and Himeji Castle – Japan's largest castle, located in western Hyogo Prefecture – are proposing to raise entry fees for visitors.
