With New Fares in Public Transport, Japan Seeks to Replicate Venice’s Strategy to Curb Mass Tourism. Now, Tourists Will Pay More

Recently, Venice’s decision to curb mass tourism sparked debate. It was an update of a measure taken months earlier: A tourist entrance fee that the city would double due to its positive impact on public coffers. Japan had already experimented with a dual menu pricing system. Now, Kyoto wants to extend the concept to public transportation.

First, it was the menus. Last summer, with a massive influx of tourists, the hospitality industry saw an opportunity. Restaurants in Japan’s most tourist-heavy spots introduced a two-tier pricing system. The reasoning was clear: Restaurants aimed to capitalize on the surge in foreign visitors while maintaining affordability for local customers.

Behind the price increase was a simple factor—purchasing power. Restaurants catered more to tourists, who were generally willing to pay higher prices. Miki Watanabe, president of the large restaurant chain Watami, said, “Japanese people don’t buy 3,000 yen sirloin beef skewers, but tourists to Japan say it’s cheap and buy them.”

A different strategy. Kyoto, Japan’s former capital, seeks to introduce a system of differentiated fares on public transport, becoming the first city in the country to adopt such a measure to manage the growing number of foreign visitors.

Mayor Koji Matsui has proposed charging tourists more on city buses than residents to generate funds to alleviate traffic congestion and preserve cultural heritage.

Living with mass tourism. With borders reopened after the pandemic and a weak yen encouraging tourist spending, Kyoto and other Japanese cities have seen a massive influx of visitors. In 2024, the city of 1.5 million welcomed 7 million international tourists, raising concerns about their impact on daily life.

This trend is part of a broader shift in Japan, which saw 36 million foreign visitors in 2024 and total spending exceeding 8 trillion yen ($52.63 billion). Some negative effects of mass tourism include overcrowded public transportation, litter on the streets, and cultural conflicts. Residents have reported difficulty accessing buses due to overcrowding, particularly affecting students and hospital transportation.

Proposed measures. To address these issues, Kyoto authorities have promoted several initiatives, including differentiated fares on city buses. With tourists paying more than residents, the local government aims to raise funds to improve infrastructure and mitigate tourism’s impact. Officials also plan to increase the accommodation tax for hotel stays and introduce tourist-only buses with routes to major sites, reducing pressure on public transport used by locals.

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Authorities also plan to distribute awareness brochures to educate visitors on Japanese behavioral norms and cultural sensitivities. Mayor Matsui emphasized that these measures seek to balance local residents’ daily lives with the influx of tourists, ensuring the community also benefits from tourism activity.

Other examples. Kyoto joins other destinations, such as Venice, that have implemented differential pricing.

In Himeji, Japan, officials have proposed increasing the entrance fee to Himeji Castle for non-residents. Paris plans to charge more for non-EU visitors at the Louvre Museum. India has introduced higher fees for foreign tourists at iconic monuments such as the Taj Mahal. These initiatives aim to balance tourism promotion with preserving local heritage and quality of life.

A cultural issue. Beyond logistical concerns, mass tourism in Japan has also created cultural conflicts. In Kyoto, inappropriate tourist behavior has led Matsui to issue several guidelines. For example, eating on the street is considered rude in Japanese culture.

Matsui also reminded visitors that it’s impolite to make loud noises in shrines and other sacred places, follow geisha to take pictures without permission, or enter teahouses without reservations, which disrupts their traditional operations. Kyoto’s geography, with its mountainous surroundings and narrow streets in the historic center, exacerbates these problems and makes the city particularly vulnerable to tourist saturation.

The future of tourism. Kyoto remains committed to welcoming tourists and sharing its rich culture and history. However, the local government is working to ensure that growth is managed sustainably. Matsui reiterated that these initiatives don’t seek to restrict tourism but to manage it efficiently and respectfully for the community and environment.

The differential pricing proposal is part of a two-year plan that the city council must approve. If implemented, Kyoto would set a precedent in Japan and could influence other regions facing similar mass tourism challenges.

Image | Patrick Nguyen (Unsplash)

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