For more than a millennium, Kyoto was Japan’s capital, until the 19th century, when the title relocated to Tokyo.
Millions of tourists admired Kyoto’s ancient shrines, temples, gardens, and famous foods. However, the ancient city’s residents were weary of so many foreign tourists who crowded the streets and often ignored etiquette.
Two years ago, Japan closed its doors to overseas visitors due to Covid, and the absence of tourists devastated Kyoto. It was already struggling to overcome a financial crisis. In 2019, the population of Kyoto was 1.45 million, and more than 50 million visitors brought in a huge amount of income.
Now, Kyoto is longing for more tourists and for the money that they brought. Hotel owners say that business is 10% to 30% of normal from before the pandemic.