A Japanese city will ban visitors from passing through a series of streets in its picturesque geisha district.
Japan’s ancient capital, Kyoto, has announced the closure of some alleys in its famous geisha district following complaints of inappropriate behavior by visitors, Euronews reports.
Local district official Isokazu Ota explained that tourists crowd the narrow, cozy streets of the Gion district in large numbers and for too long, following the guides.
“In April, we will put up signs that will tell tourists to stay away from our private streets. The sign in Japanese and English will read: “This is a private road, so you are not allowed to drive on it,” he said.
However, the prohibition warning is mainly aimed at pedestrians rather than cars, as the Japanese wording refers to “passing” in that sense.
“There will be a fine of 10,000 yen,” the official added.
The ban will affect only a few neighborhoods of Gion. The area’s public streets will remain open to tourists, so the area and all of Kyoto will continue to be filled with visitors, both from Japan and from around the world.