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Starting in April of this year, authorities in the popular Geisha district of Kyoto, Japan will restrict access to “paparazzi” tourists who bother the internationally renowned Japanese women artists.
The local council of the Gion district has announced a new ban on tourists and sightseers from entering the alleys and streets where geisha and maiko (young apprentice geisha) reside. This decision comes after years of receiving complaints about the excessive presence of photography in the area.
Known to be a tourist-heavy spot, Gion is thronged by hundreds of thousands of people visiting Kyoto who seek to photograph Japan’s famous professional entertainers known for their trademark kimonos and white faces.
According to Isokazu Ota, the South Side District Council’s representative secretary for Gion, the small alleys will be closed to tourists next month due to the increasing problem they pose.
From April onwards, the alleys, which are home to various restaurants and teahouses, will limit access to only geishas, their customers, and local residents, according to an article in the South China Morning Post.
In 2019, officials implemented a penalty for tourists who harass geishas. These skilled performers were being pursued on secluded streets in the area, having their pictures taken without permission, and sometimes having their kimono and ornate wigs touched by foreign visitors.
Maikos and geikos, the Japanese traditional female dancers and performers, make their exit from the Gion Kobu Kaburenjo Theater in Kyoto after participating in the New Year’s ceremony.
As of the present, Mr. Ota claims that the issue remains unresolved, as a large number of tourists flock to Japan following the end of the Covid-19 pandemic without proper consideration for Japan’s societal norms and customs.
According to CNN, the visitors from other countries who are anticipating the appearance of maiko in the photography-restricted areas of Gion are aware of the regulations but are choosing to disregard them. The speaker also mentioned that it is challenging to communicate the regulations to tourists and have them follow them now.
Prior to the pandemic, there were also reports of individuals forcibly removing geisha’s hair adornments and striking them with cigarette butts.
According to Peter Macintosh, a Canadian author and geisha culture expert from Kyoto, the behavior exhibited is absurd and completely unmanageable.
Signs forbidding taking pictures and imposing a significant penalty of ¥10,000 (£52) have also been ignored.
The request stated that tourists must obtain permission before taking a selfie with or photographing a geisha and that this can only be done on public roads.
The local representative notes that this fine cannot be implemented on the main street, Hanamikoji Street, which runs through the area. This is because it lacks legal backing and would therefore have no impact.
The local council and city government hope to preserve Kyoto’s cultural treasure by enclosing its traditionally rich area and protecting the geisha, maiko, and Japanese art and artists who serve as its custodians.
The community was heavily impacted by the pandemic in terms of expenses in 2020, with a 95% decrease in their activities due to the lockdown. Geisha had to follow new regulations, such as not serving drinks to customers or having physical contact, including handshakes. Customers were also required to maintain a distance of two metres from each other.
Source: independent.co.uk
