Cherry Blossom Viewing Events Under Threat from Unruly Crowds

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As cherry blossom crowds swelled across Japan this season, nuisance behavior again became a problem at popular viewing spots, fueled by a rise in foreign residents and overtourism. In Dazaifu, Fukuoka Prefecture, residents complained about groups making a racket in Chinese, only to be told, "Singing and dancing is the Chinese way of enjoying cherry blossoms."

In some places, repeated rule-breaking has gone so far that municipalities have canceled blossom-viewing events altogether, highlighting the growing strain the season is placing on local communities.

Making Noise

On March 30, a group of people shouting in Chinese gathered at the Dazaifu Government Office Ruins, a popular cherry blossom spot in Dazaifu. According to a 46-year-old woman nearby, several women danced to music playing from a phone while others filmed them. Although open flames are prohibited at the site, the group had brought a portable gas stove and cooking pots.

The ruins, a nationally designated Special Historical Site, are also a place where local residents come to relax. Many were there that day, including families with young children and babies near the group. As the noise wore on, some said they wanted it to stop, and the woman called city hall.

"People around them were clearly bothered by how loud they were," she said. "We keep hearing about multicultural coexistence, but it felt as though the quiet order of everyday Japanese life was being disrupted. In Japan, the idea that anything goes as long as you're having fun doesn't fly."

'Livelier' in China

City officials who responded to the complaint warned the group, and the stove was never used. Still, one member told The Sankei Shimbun, "Cherry blossom viewing in China is livelier than in Japan. People drink, sing, and dance," adding that karaoke and exercises such as tai chi are also part of blossom-viewing culture.

The person said they were born in China and moved to Japan decades ago. Though one parent is Japanese, they said, "I find the differences in culture and customs confusing" after spending many years in China. Asked why the group had brought a stove, the person said, "Chinese people like warm food. We were planning to reheat the food, but we didn't know that fire wasn't allowed."

The city, however, says on its website that open flames are banned, and a sign near the group reads, "No Barbecues."

Serious Disruption to Daily Life

In some places, nuisance behavior by tourists has led to cherry blossom events being canceled altogether.

Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi Prefecture, canceled this year's Arakurayama Sengen Park Cherry Blossom Festival, which it usually holds each spring, saying overtourism had begun to seriously disrupt everyday life for local residents.

According to the city, the recent surge in visitors brought repeated intrusions into residential life. Tourists opened the doors of private homes without permission to use the toilet and entered private property without authorization. The city also said some people urinated in private gardens, then caused a scene when residents confronted them.

The festival began in 2016 and typically attracts about 200,000 visitors a year. But the rapid rise in inbound tourism has far exceeded expectations, with crowds now descending on the area when the blossoms are at their best.

City officials say some of the nuisance behavior appears to have involved foreign visitors. The city said it had received complaints asking why it continued to hold the event while residents were being forced to shoulder such a heavy burden.

Mayor Shigeru Horiuchi said, "We cannot ignore the fact that residents' lives are being disrupted. To protect their dignity and quality of life, we decided to end the festival."

Need to Better Communicate the Rules

Nuisance behavior and rule-breaking are not limited to foreign visitors. But when problems involve non-Japanese, they may also stem from unfamiliarity with local customs or an inability to understand posted warnings, highlighting the need for clearer communication about the rules.

At viewing spots across Japan, foreign visitors have previously been cited for rule violations and disruptive behavior. Chinese tourists in particular have reportedly been seen snapping off cherry branches for photos. 

In 2016, the Chinese Embassy in Japan took the unusual step of issuing guidelines for cherry blossom viewing for Chinese visitors, urging them not to enter others' property or shake trees to make the petals fall.

Authorities and local communities in Japan are now stepping up efforts to prevent such problems as the foreign population grows, including clearer guidance and etiquette training.

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(Read the article in Japanese.)

Author. Mayuko Ichii, The Sankei Shimbun

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