Trash Cans Top Tourist Struggles in Japan
A new survey by the Japan Tourism Agency has revealed the most common challenges for tourists in the country.
In the agency's first survey since 2019, over 4,000 tourists were questioned at five airports across the country, including those around Tokyo, Osaka, Sapporo and Fukuoka.
Nearly 20% of the travelers were from South Korea, while a little over 10% each were from Hong Kong, China, Taiwan and the US. For 33% of the tourists, it was their first time visiting Japan; the rest had come before.
When asked what problems they had found in the country, the most common answer was "lack of trash cans," with 30% saying this was a challenge.
Many public garbage cans were removed after the 1995 Tokyo subway attack, a terrorist attack that killed 13 and injured thousands more.
Cities were also having problems with public garbage cans overflowing with trash from homes and businesses, giving them another reason to remove them.
Many people in Japan now take trash home to dispose of it, or perhaps find a garbage can in a train station or a convenience store — a trick tourists probably won't know.
The next most common tourist problem was "communication with staff at facilities," mentioned by 22% of travelers. These facilities included places like restaurants, shops and train stations, both in big cities and in the countryside.
Other common problems included a lack of multilingual signs — or not being able to understand them — and using public transportation.
The percentage of tourists experiencing these problems has increased since 2019, when a record 31.9 million people visited Japan — and 2024 may beat that record.
To reduce overtourism, new measures have been put in place at certain tourist spots.
Fees have been introduced for some climbers of Mount Fuji, to reduce crowds and the amount of garbage being left on the mountain, while certain streets in Kyoto's famous Gion area have been closed to tourists completely.
