OTARU, Hokkaido -- This northern Japanese city implemented new measures on Jan. 28 to address repeated instances of disruptive behavior by foreign tourists.

Otaru, one of Hokkaido's most popular tourist destinations, has faced numerous issues, including tourists blocking roads to take photos.

According to the city's tourism promotion office, Funami-zaka, a steep slope near JR Otaru Station and Otaru Sankaku Ichiba (Otaru Triangle Market), is a popular spot for its scenic views of Otaru Port and nearby ships. The area attracts many foreign visitors who enjoy taking photos and strolling.

However, there have been frequent reports of tourists obstructing the narrow road by standing still or walking in groups. A city official commented, "This road is lined with houses and has heavy traffic. Tourists standing on the street or walking side by side often make it impossible for vehicles to pass. The impact on residents has been significant, and this fiscal year has been particularly severe."

To address these issues, Otaru authorities and the local police station have been working together to mitigate conflicts. In 2024, they created multilingual posters in Chinese, Korean and English to warn tourists against various acts of misconduct. The posters list actions considered crimes, such as obstructing traffic by taking photos on roads, trespassing on private property, littering, and stopping on railroad tracks. These posters are distributed to residents and made freely available online.

As an additional measure, the city will deploy three security guards to Funami-zaka from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily starting Jan. 28. The guards will warn tourists against disruptive behavior and manage the situation on-site. This initiative, costing 4.53 million yen (about $29,000), is funded by the city's reserve fund. City officials noted that it is unusual to station security guards on public streets outside of special events.

Tourism in Otaru has surged beyond pre-pandemic levels. In the first half of fiscal 2024, approximately 98,000 foreign overnight visitors were recorded, surpassing the 92,000 visitors during the same period in fiscal 2019. The actual number is believed to be even higher, as many tourists stay in neighboring Sapporo.

Visitors to other tourist spots in Otaru, including locations featured in movies, have also caused issues, such as conflicts with residents and accidents. On Jan. 23, a 61-year-old Chinese tourist entered the railroad tracks near JR Asari Station to take photos and was struck and killed by a train bound for New Chitose Airport. According to Otaru Police Station, her husband, who accompanied her, explained that she had entered the tracks to take pictures and likely did not notice the approaching train.

Asari Station, which has been used as a filming location, attracts many foreign visitors, particularly in the winter. Since 2016, Hokkaido Railway Co. (JR Hokkaido) has stationed a security guard at the station to warn people against illicitly entering railway tracks, and stopping on railroad crossings. This measure was suspended during the coronavirus pandemic but resumed in January 2024 in response to the increase in inbound tourists.

(Japanese original by Takumi Taniguchi and Karen Goto, Hokkaido News Department)