Japan cherry blossom festival cancelled because of unruly tourist ‘crisis’
The Guardian • • world
Key Points:
- The Arakurayama Sengen park cherry blossom festival near Mount Fuji in Fujiyoshida has been cancelled due to rising disruptive behaviour from tourists, despite attracting around 200,000 visitors annually.
- Officials reported issues including trespassing, littering, tourists using private homes as restrooms without permission, and defecating in private yards, which has caused distress among local residents.
- Fujiyoshida mayor Shigeru Horiuchi cited concerns over the impact on citizens' quality of life and the need to protect their dignity and living environment as reasons for ending the decade-long festival.
- The city experiences over 10,000 visitors daily during blossom season, driven by social media popularity and a weak yen, leading to
