Travellers and adventure seekers from all over the globe have one thing in common: We all love to eat! For this reason, tourist spots worldwide usually provide carts or stalls jam packed with easy to eat food and drinks in order to accommodate the numerous vacationers with plans of touring the local streets. However, where large crowds of tourists gather, management problems with regard to residual trash and garbage generally follow. This is especially true for the country of Japan which is traditionally known for its cleanliness and strict cultural practices.
The recent on-going trend shows a positive boost in the tourism industry of Japan revealing a massive number of foreign travellers that visit this culturally-rich and technologically-advanced country year after year.
Recent news announced that around 30 percent of the foreigners who visited western Japan in 2017 stopped by the Nishiki market according to information from the municipal government. The Nishiki market carries with it a 400 year old history of being the “kitchen of Kyoto.” Based on a report by the Nishiki market promotion association, the steady growth of the number of foreign tourists in Japan influenced the stores in the Nishiki market to offer finger foods or any other item that can be easily consumed while actively roaming the streets of Japan. This has led to the unwanted build up of trash and garbage scattered on the streets.
In an attempt to address this problem, some stores have decided to put up signs which contain the phrase: “No eating while walking.” Unfortunately, this kind of approach might demoralize foreign travellers and could cause a negative impact to the tourism industry of Japan.
Now, tourist spots in Japan are faced with a dilemma – how to maintain cleanliness without losing their appeal to the tourists. This predicament, while seemingly challenging at first glance, requires only one effortless and straightforward solution: for us [tourists] to do our part and keep the streets clean.
Reference: Tourist Spots in Japan Struggle with Eating while Walking
