Japan’s popularity among Australian travellers has grown significantly over the last few years, and we’re not the only ones packing our bags and jetting there. The country has been grappling with a sudden influx of tourists from across the globe, introducing new rules to desperately keep over-tourism at bay.
This month, another rule was introduced in the form of an increased accommodation tax for the city of Kyoto. The popular city now has the highest hotel tax in the country, which will reportedly “enhance” its appeal and promote sustainable tourism.
The hotel tax increase was approved last week and comes into effect in March, 2026.
The city had been charging a hotel tax since 2018, which was capped at about $10 a night.
However, charges will rise and those guests staying in more expensive accommodation will pay more tax.
Those staying in luxury hotels where the tariff is above $1000 a night will cop the heftiest tax, dishing out ¥10,000 per night. That’s about $100 in Aussie dollars.
Rooms costing between $500 and $1,000 per night will incur roughly $40 tax each night, while those paying between $200 and $500 will pay around $10 per night.
The lowest tax rate for accommodation priced below $60 will incur a $2 tax.
Japan hits historic milestone with one million Aussie tourists
A historic milestone was recently smashed with one million Aussies visiting Japan between last July and June this year, according to the Japan National Tourism Organisation.
This reflects a 128 per cent year-on-year surge, and the popularity shows no signs of slowing.
Japan welcomed a record-breaking 36.9 million international visitors last year.
Authorities have already introduced tourist restrictions in Kyoto to try to minimise the impact of heightened tourism throughout its quaint streets, especially in the famous geisha district called Gion.
There are now certain spots where tourists are not permitted to walk through, with signs erected to tell tourists to “stay out of private streets”, local official Isokazu Ota said.
Questionable tourist behaviour has also been on the rise in recent years, with one Aussie slammed last year for filming himself interacting with a popular art exhibition in Tokyo.
In May, an Aussie tourist detailed how she felt herself physically “recoil” when she witnessed a group of tourists invade a private wedding ceremony while visiting a Buddhist temple in Kyoto, with many choosing to stick their phones out to snap pictures and selfies while the wedding was taking place.
A loud wolf-whistle even distracted the wedding guests from the proceedings.
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