"Why Japan's Banning Tourism in Some Places": Classless Tourist Hassles Geisha in Embarrassing Clip

When you're visiting another country, there's an expectation — or at least there should be — that one should exhibit a certain amount of class when it comes to how they conduct themselves in this new environment.

Whether you like it or not there are going to be folks who view you as a representation of your own homeland, a representation of your parents and the town you grew up in, and a representation of maybe even your race or religion or whatever immediate identifier someone is going to latch on to visually when they see you.

It's hard to imagine that this tourist visiting Kyoto, Japan, was thinking about the aforementioned at all when they were physically running around attempting to get a picture of a woman dressed in traditional geisha attire.

The way the tourist moves around is not only embarrassing, but extremely inconsiderate of the Japanese woman's boundaries — it's clear that the woman in the traditional attire is attempting to step out of the way of the person's photography, but the tourist continues to run and try to take the picture like a Nat Geo photographer.

It's an uncomfortable scene, and one that probably prompted whoever uploaded the original TikTok, which ultimately found its way to Reddit, to write the text overlay: "Don't do this in Kyoto."

Someone can be heard narrating in the video in another language, and it sounds like they're disapproving of the way the tourist is going out of their way to take pictures of the Japanese resident.

Bystanders who saw the tourist's behavior were appalled, and one woman spoke up, yelling at the tourist taking the photograph. "You can't do that," she tells her from off camera, "that's so rude," before the clip ultimately cuts out.

This isn't the first time tourists hassling geishas has become a topic of conversation online. The Independent penned an article in 2019 about tourists being fined in certain areas for "hassling geishas."

The outlet wrote; "Kyoto in Japan has introduced an on-the-spot fine for tourists hassling geisha. Locals have decided enough is enough, after geisha and maiko (trainee geisha) have reported being chased down private streets in the historic Gion district, photographed without their consent, and even subjected to foreign visitors touching their kimono and elaborate wigs."

The Telegraph even went so far as to state that signs have been posted in the area warning tourists to be on their best behavior while traveling through Kyoto, urging them to get consent before snapping a picture of geishas and that photographs can only be taken "on public roads."

The overall behavior of tourists, in general, have been called into question by Kyoto residents, who are appalled at the way folks conduct themselves while in their city.

"Kyoto residents have increasingly felt the pressures of overtourism encroaching ... [and] joined together to form a 'scenery preservation' committee to combat issues including 'half-naked hikers, trespassing travelers and prolonged photo shoots,'" The Independent wrote.

The outlet went on to state that an "etiquette manual" was published for travelers, telling them that bringing their own food and drink into restaurants, cycling while drunk, groping old buildings and objects, and hassling geisha were all frowned up.

And in May 2024, the Associated Press reported that some private alleys in Kyoto's geisha district were soon going to be closed off to tourists altogether, with visitors facing fines if trespass these private streets.