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Kyoto Crowded Alert: Recent Returnees Share Shocking Experiences of Tourist Overcrowding
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As the cherry blossom season comes to a close, tourists continue to flock to Kyoto, Japan, causing the city to reach unprecedented levels of overcrowding. Travelers who have recently visited the city are sharing their shocking experiences, warning fellow travelers of the chaos they encountered.
"I’ve never seen anything like it," said Sarah, a Canadian tourist who visited Kyoto in late March. "The streets were packed, and I mean packed. You couldn’t even walk two feet without bumping into someone. It was like trying to navigate a zombie apocalypse."
Another traveler, John from the UK, echoed Sarah’s sentiments. "I’ve been to some busy cities before, but Kyoto was on a whole different level. The lines for popular attractions like the Fushimi Inari Shrine and Kinkaku-ji Temple were ridiculously long. I was lucky to get a spot at the famous Gion district for just 30 minutes."
The crowds in Kyoto have become so bad that even locals are getting frustrated. "I love my city, but I’m starting to think it’s too much for visitors," said Yumi, a Kyoto native. "They’re stepping on our shoes, taking selfies in our shrines, and ignoring the ‘no photography’ signs. It’s just too much."
The influx of tourists has also taken a toll on the city’s infrastructure. "We’re doing our best to manage the crowds, but it’s getting harder," said Kyoto City official, Hiroshi Tanaka. "We’re considering implementing new measures to control the flow of visitors, such as limiting the number of people allowed in popular areas at any given time."
Travelers planning to visit Kyoto in the coming months are advised to be prepared for the crowds. Here are some tips to help you navigate the chaos:
- Plan your itinerary in advance and prioritize the attractions you really want to see.
- Consider visiting popular areas early in the morning or later in the evening to avoid the peak tourist hours.
- Be mindful of your surroundings and watch out for pickpockets and scammers.
- Don’t be afraid to ask for help or directions from locals – they’re often happy to assist.
By taking these precautions, you can still have a memorable and enjoyable trip to Kyoto despite the crowds.
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And to a lesser extent Tokyo Osaka etc? Planning on a honeymoon with my wife and not sure about whether to skip Kyoto and go to Kanazawa instead because I heard it’s literally clogged. Can’t find more recent news tho, most are from a few months back.
Has the situation improved at all? Much thanks!
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Was just there and now I’m in Tokyo and it’s significantly less clogged in Kyoto than the other two but that’s just my experience, especially with public transport!! But I might have had luck in times and days I was there
I visited earlier this year. The top-5 sights are really crowded: Kiyomizudera and the streets leading up to it; the bottom section of Fushimi Inari; Nishiki Market; Arashiyama Bamboo forest; Kinkaku-ji (assumed – I skipped it this time).
The rest, not so much.
We just got back to Tokyo from Kyoto a few hours ago. I was disappointed. I knew it was a popular tourist destination. There were a LOT of tourists. I wouldn’t say it was clogged, but it was really busy.
If your main goal is to visit shrines and spend time in the more popular areas, well I found the former to be crowded and the latter to be crowded and also filled with shops that sold the standard “made in China” trinkets. It wasn’t interesting. Add to that the scorching heat, that made walking around pretty rough.
If you plan to visit an onsen (I did not do this) and spend less time in the town, then perhaps it can be a good option for you. That or doing some hiking in non-tourist areas.
Kyoto wasn’t my preference, and I have traveled extensively through Asia. I wish I had spent my time elsewhere. But this is my opinion only, your goals and interests may be different. Whatever you do, have a lovely trip.
I’m not great with crowds but it’s not going to stop me from visiting Kyoto and seeing some beautiful sights. Everywhere is overtouristed now. I think you just have to accept and cope with the crowds at those top 5 sights and visit them early/late in the day if you do want to visit Kyoto and then seek out less busy spots to balance things out and really enjoy the city.
Yeah… Surprisingly, there’s way more tourists and crowds in Kyoto than there were in Tokyo. I hadn’t been before, so still thankful we got to visit, but we’re definitely spending more time in Kanazawa next
Parts of Kyoto are very busy, particularly during the daytime.
From 9 – 10am onwards, places such as Kyoto station, Fushimi Inari Taisha, the Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka streets and Kiyomizu-dera temple, Nishiki market, and Arashiyama area are typically very crowded.
However, if you go outside those areas, you will see hardly anyone. For example, when I was last there in December 2024, all the above areas were absolutely packed during the daytime, but when we walked along the Philosopher’s Path between Ginkaku-ji and Nanzen-ji and then walked along part of the old canal and down the Keage incline, we saw hardly anyone. There were elderly people sweeping their steps, pruning shrubs and making deliveries, or sitting in a cafe, but that was it.
People talk about overtourism and overcrowding in Kyoto and it is certainly a legitimate concern, but the main reason it seems so crowded is because tourists are very much concentrated in specific areas that are geographically limited. For example, if you just walk one street over from Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka, to a parallel street that runs up the hill, it’s virtually empty, as everyone is clustered along the “main” streets leading up towards Kiyomizu-dera.
So, if you steer clear of those popular spots, you won’t encounter much in the way of crowds in Kyoto.
The problem, of course, is that it is precisely those popular spots that just about everyone wants to see and that is their reason for coming to Kyoto…
Stuck in Kyoto at the moment and have the same problem. Doesn’t matter the time, everything’s crowded and hot all the times. We were most excited about Kyoto all the time, but the circumstances make it a little bit underwhelming..
Kyoto feels significantly more chilled than Tokyo, having been to both in the last couple of weeks. Tokyo is lively with tonnes to do, Kyoto is more peaceful with lovely spots to visit.
If you’re happy to enjoy the views and hotspots in Kyoto with crowds, it’s a delightful place. If you need to have that perfect Instagram photo, you’ll need to be up at 6am to get it at the main spots.
We just left Kyoto after 2 days there. All the tourists location will have crowds. My definition of crowded would be waiting in line for over 30 minutes. That being said, we decided to wake up early to beat the crowd and heat. Afternoons would be spent resting in cafes for matcha treats and head back early to Osaka for dinner.
With the heat in the afternoon I would avoid the shrines just because the concrete reflects everything. If you hike Fushimi Inari it’s has a lot of shade. Best side that not a lot of other spots will keep you cool.
How about instead of skipping Kyoto and worrying this much, you try to work your way around crowds? It’s not hard.
Go early in the morning or late in the evening to places that don’t need to be officially “open” to check out (bamboo forest and Fushimi Inari for example). Go to the rest of the places at opening time during weekdays.
Some places would be crowded without overtourism too, just because of their size. Kinkaku-ji for example. It’s not a big place. Take a photo of the temple, go around it, take a photo from the other side, follow the path of the garden, get to the shops, you’re out.
Find alternatives:
-For the life of me I cannot understand why people pile up on Arashiyama bamboo forest. It’s not the only bamboo forest in Japan. It’s not even the only bamboo forest in that area! You have another one just walking 20 minutes north in the Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple grounds.
-Want an incredibly beautiful, photogenic and not crowded temple? Go to Byodo-in in Uji. It’s the one in the 10 yen coin. You can also walk along the river in the forest up to a dam and enjoy some of the best matcha in Japan.
Crowds are always a thing in Japan, the entire year out, with a barely a few gaps. Don’t worry about them, don’t let the fear of them stop you from seeing what you want to see. You just have learn to accept them, kinda laugh them aside. After all, all a crowd is, is just a lot more of us wanting to discover the country.
Tour guide currently in Kyoto.
Kyoto has been over crowded for years. Still was yesterday. Still is today. Honestly wish I never have to come here again.
Was three days in Kyoto last week. It was not too crowded. Have not experienced long queues
If you can go in the offseason it’s a lot more manageable. We went in February and it wasn’t that bad compared to what I’ve heard here.