Ordinarily, travelers from China make up the largest contingent of foreign visitors to Japan. However, with the cornonavirus prompting the Chinese government to place restrictions on outbound overseas group tours, Japan’s inbound international travel numbers are plummeting, especially in Kyoto, one of the top destinations for Chinese tourists.
In speaking to the Kyoto Shimbun newspaper, several Kyoto shopkeepers reported decreased traveler traffic. The 50-something owner of a souvenir shop near Kinkakuji, Kyoto’s world-famous Golden Pavilion, says the crowds are only about half the size that they usually are for this time of year. Merchants near other major attractions made similar observations.
“This is the most dramatic drop in traveler traffic I’ve seen [in over 30 years],” said a shopkeeper near Kiyomizudera temple. Another store owner, located near the Fushimi Inari Taisha Shinto shrine, lamented “On busy days, we used to have 200 tour busses coming in, but now it’s just a few. I stocked up on extra product because I thought we’d have a lot of tourists during Chinese New Year, and local restaurants hired extra workers. I hope the situation turns around soon.”
The coronavirus outbreak seems to also be affecting domestic travel to Kyoto, since the city is well-known to be popular with Chinese travelers, and independent travel from China to Japan is still possible. The Kinkakuji-area shop owner said the number of Japanese and Western visitors is also down, and a 73-year-old women from Japan’s Aichi Prefecture, who’d arrived in Kyoto for sightseeing said she’d considered cancelling her travel plans to the city. In the end, she decided to come anyway, but said she’s “concerned” about the possibility of coronavirus infection, and that she’s been making sure to wear a surgical mask, use hand sanitizer, and gargle regularly on her trip.
The city of Nara is also feeling the effects. Less than an hour by train from Kyoto, Chinese tours often bundle the two cities into the same itinerary.
The coronavirus outbreak is likely to take significant time to resolve, but in the meantime, if you’d like to see Kyoto and Nara without the large crowds that have become the norm, plus help out the cities’ hospitality workers, this could be the best timing for your visit.
Sources: Kyoto Shimbun, Hachima Kiko
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© SoraNews24
31 Comments
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Tokyo-Engr
I have to give China credit on this one. They are doing the world a favor by limiting travel out of China to foreign destinations. In this case I would say commend the Chinese government.
I still detest what happened to the hero Li Wenliang (being threatened with arrest if he continued to talk about the "new SARS"). I think inside of China this is far, far worse than what we are being told. China would not decimate their economy unless something was really wrong.
And now those suspected of having the virus or being near people who have had the virus are being rounded up and forcibly removed from their homes
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7980883/Video-shows-officials-protective-suits-dragging-suspected-coronavirus-carriers-homes.html
kurisupisu
It is staggering to witness the complete sea change which is going on-the Chinese tourists have completely dominated Japan’s tourism until now!
sumikonagoya
Back to normal. Great time to visit Osaka and Kyoto.
Do the hustle
I guess it doesn’t help when you vendors putting signs in their windows telling Chinese people to stay out like that joker in Hakone.
It just shows how fickle the Japanese economy is. They put all their eggs in the Chinese basket and now they are screwed.
bass4funk
At the same time the people that pour money into the pockets of the Japanese are overwhelming the Chinese tourists. No other group spends that kind of cash in this society. Like them or not, they’re the juggernaut food supply to and for the Japanese lifeline.
darknuts
I can only imagine how the golden week holidays will be affected by this. Japan will lose billions.
rgcivilian1
Well in a way this is what Kyoto wanted in the first place as was reported last year among one of their biggest complaints: too many tourists.
Seems like their wish came true.
kurisupisu
@zichi
The loudest complaints were coming from the Japanese themselves.....
Pukey2
It all boils down to this: do you want lots of noisy tourists or do you want zero profits?
Mocheake
Now the people who were whining can get some peace and quiet. That is what they wanted, right?
Speed
One of my students often complains about "all those Chinese tourists" and says he won't go to certain parts of Osaka and Kyoto so he doesn't have to "hear their loud talking" as he puts it.
Now that his city is losing billions, I hope he's happy and he can go back where he only has to hear the quiet and demure Japanese.
garypen
Well, at least they have the Korean tourists to fall back on.
Oh wait.
Bugle Boy of Company B
well, there are no Chinese, so it sounds like it.
garypen
Why? Golden Week is a domestic holiday. In fact, many foreign tourists avoid Japan during GW because of the crowds.
The billions they will lose will be during Sakura Hanami, which begins in late-March this year, and possibly even the Olympics, if the virus isn't under control by then. (The one ray of sunshine from this would be if they postponed the Olympics to Autumn, thus sparing the athletes and attendees from the brutal heat and humidity of the Tokyo summer.)
J
We're the exact same way in Washington DC. We complain bout the tourist coming in, but they provide so much revenue. I am very scared of this virus, but will be traveling to Tokyo next week. Considered stopping into Kyoto myself. I don't want to come off as xenophobic, especially as I will be a foreigner myself, but this pandemic has me scared. We are only hearing about this from the Chinese government and they have not let outside help in. When this is consuming so many people, I'd like the US CDC or a third party equivalent to assist and get more information too. I feel bad for all the people affected by this.
darknuts
Because even the Japanese ate wary of this virus. Every golden week, millions of Japanese travel throughout Japan and other parts of Asia. This will undoubtedly be affected by the virus. You will see the headlines soon enough.
garypen
The travel to other parts of Asia will not affect the Japanese economy, other than whatever commissions travel agents may lose.
And, most likely, the fear of travel outside of Japan will probably lead to an increase of domestic travel within Japan, making up for whatever lost foreign-tourist revenue there might be.
Of course, this will depend on whether or not SARS 2:The Sequel becomes a major health issue within Japan. There weren't very many stricken and zero SARS deaths back in 2002/2003, in Japan. But, the number of Chinese visitors per year has increased almost 20-fold since then. So, the extent of the outbreak remains to be seen.
Kobe White Bar Owner
@garypenToday 02:24 pm JST
Why? Golden Week is a domestic holiday. In fact, many foreign tourists avoid Japan during GW because of the crowds.
The billions they will lose will be during Sakura Hanami, which begins in late-March this year, and possibly even the Olympics, if the virus isn't under control by then. (The one ray of sunshine from this would be if they postponed the Olympics to Autumn, thus sparing the athletes and attendees from the brutal heat and humidity of the Tokyo summer.)
totally agree with everything you said one small issue that may affect it though, your being logical....
robert maes
Well,
Maybe they will stop asking me if I can speak Mandarin when I go to LVMH or Burberry now. My wife and I as long time customers of luxury brands where treated like 2nd rate clients, as we are not Chinese.
The same in all those tourist destinations, 5 star hotels. As soon as they saw someone from mainland China they dropped everything.
Now, they are so kind to us again.
Service does not exist anymore, only sales and any problem after that, is your problem.
kurisupisu
When a potential tourist looks on-line to assess the situation in Japan, they will also note the high number viral cases.
Rightly or wrongly, that is the perception.
Speaking with a Thai yesterday, she expressed a desire to visit Japan-was it safe?
She wondered....
Marian Okada
I’ve been told Kyoto is always crowded with Chinese tourists but now might be the time to go.
factchecker
Enjoy Kyoto in the peace and tranquility that it deserves!
smithinjapan
“On busy days, we used to have 200 tour busses coming in, but now it’s just a few. I stocked up on extra product because I thought we’d have a lot of tourists during Chinese New Year, and local restaurants hired extra workers. I hope the situation turns around soon.”
That's funny... I thought the mayor of Kyoto himself said "We don't need tourists in Kyoto", and one of the first things a lot of Japanese have to say about the Corona Virus is, "At least there are fewer Chinese." I'm glad there are some folks out there that realize how much foreign visitors, and domestic tourists as well, contribute to the local economy and spread of Japanese culture. Who is Kyoto going to brag to and stick its nose up at and talk about how their vegetables are unique to if there are no outsiders around?
smithinjapan
factchecker: "Enjoy Kyoto in the peace and tranquility that it deserves!"
Kyoto would die out without tourists, plain and simple, and it nearly did fade in the late 19th century until it adapted its waterways to get more shipping and tourists in by ship.
Mayunia82
Great posts @smithinjapan and @Wobot.
It's interesting to see the love/hate relationship that many Japanese (specially the business owners) have with the Chinese.
oldman_13
The world simply cannot function without China.
They provide so much money to the world.