Kyoto’s accommodation fee will jump starting in March 2026, as the city faces a record number of tourists.
WASHINGTON — Kyoto, one of Japan’s most famous cities, has announced a 900% hike to its “tourist tax,” after massive crowds of foreigners have strained the city’s infrastructure in recent years.
The increased fee was announced on the city’s official website earlier this month.
According to the website, the new tax will be used to “promote tourism that makes use of its diverse and profound charms” and “further promote harmony and compatibility between civic life and tourism.”
The new tourist tax will go into effect on March 1, 2026. Specifically, it is an increase to the city’s accommodation fee, which is a tax added onto each night’s bill at a hotel according to the daily rate at that establishment.
Under the old rate, someone paying 100,000 yen for a hotel room (around $650 USD) would have 1,000 yen (around $6.50) added to their bill per night. Under the new rates, that would be 10,000 yen, or $65, per night.
Kyoto is known for its rich cultural heritage, offering a variety of activities that are enticing to foreign tourists, such as ancient shrines, temples and the city’s famous geisha district.
But it has struggled in recent years with overtourism. Japanese news outlets have reported that 2024 saw a record 10.88 million foreign visitors visiting Kyoto. The massive number of people has led to street closures and overflowing trash cans.
While Kyoto is raising its tourist tax, it’s not the only city to have one. Many countries and local areas around the world, especially popular tourist destinations, have established fees to offset the cost of tourism. Greece, New Zealand, Amsterdam and Venice have all introduced similar fees in the past several years.
While tourism often brings in foreign money to support businesses, it also causes increased strain on a local area’s physical infrastructure and social services.
Earlier this year, Mount Fuji, the famous volcano in Japan, passed a bill establishing an entrance fee and time slots bookable in advance for climbing the mountain. Mount Fuji has in recent years faced its own influx of unsafe climbers and litter.
AloJapan.com