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Japan cherry blossom festival cancelled over badly behaved tourists
Fujiyoshida canceled the 10-year-old festival due to crowds up to 10,000 daily, causing traffic, litter, and safety issues, impacting residents' dignity and environment.
- On Feb 3, the Fujiyoshida city government announced the cancellation of the Arakurayama Sengen Park cherry blossom festival, citing concerns over nuisance behaviour and local residents' safety.
- Driven by the weak yen and social media popularity, foreign tourists surged to as many as 10,000 visitors per day, exceeding the city's capacity in recent years.
- City officials detailed examples including tourists trespassing, opening private doors to use toilets, littering, defecating in private gardens, and park observation deck queues lasting up to three hours, while local residents and parents say children are pushed off pavements.
- The city plans immediate steps including security guards, portable toilets, and temporary parking, with Mayor Shigeru Horiuchi saying `We have a strong sense of crisis...` on Tuesday.
- Other municipalities have already tried measures such as barriers and entry fees as Japan received about 42.7 million tourists in 2025, prompting towns like Fujikawaguchiko and Kyoto to pursue sustainable tourism.
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Japan's cherry blossom festival cancelled: Is overtourism to blame? Here's what happened
A Japanese town near Mount Fuji has cancelled its iconic cherry blossom festival due to overtourism. Badly behaved visitors caused traffic, litter, and trespassing, leading residents to declare a "crisis." Authorities cited the need to protect the living environment and dignity of citizens after a decade of the popular event.
·India
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Fujiyoshida has 46,000 inhabitants. During the festival, more than 10,000 visitors join that number daily.
·Netherlands
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The Japanese city of Fujiyoshida, famous for its cherry blossoms and stunning views of Mount Fuji, has announced the cancellation of its annual cherry blossom viewing festival due to problems with overcrowding and inappropriate behavior from tourists.
Coverage Details
Total News Sources38
Leaning Left6Leaning Right7Center8Last UpdatedBias Distribution38% Center
Bias Distribution
- 38% of the sources are Center
38% Center
L 29%
C 38%
R 33%
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