The famous Arashiyama "Bamboo Grove Path" in Kyoto, Japan, has seen an increasing problem with visitors carving and graffiti on the bamboo. Recently, two Malaysian female tourists were caught in the act by a local news reporter as they carved on the bamboo. When the reporter asked if they knew it was not allowed, both reacted with a simultaneous “Oh,” and then casually replied, “We didn’t know,” clearly showing no remorse for their actions.
The Kyoto city government stated that the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove Path consists of about 7,000 connected bamboo stalks and is a popular photo spot among tourists. However, the issue of carvings and graffiti on the bamboo has grown significantly since spring. According to an October investigation, about 350 bamboo stalks have been defaced, with most graffiti consisting of English letters, along with some Chinese characters and possibly Korean script.
During on-site coverage by TBS (Tokyo Broadcasting System Television), reporters discovered two tourists openly picking up stones and carving into the bamboo right in front of them.
The two female tourists picked up small stones from the ground and began to carve into the bamboo. By the time the reporter stepped in to stop them, the bamboo had already been marked with an 'M'.
Upon questioning, it turned out that the two were tourists from Malaysia. When the reporter asked if they knew carving or graffiti on the bamboo was not allowed, both responded with “Oh,” and then nonchalantly said, “We didn’t know,” showing no remorse for their actions.
Katsutoshi Ishikawa, president of the Arashiyama Shopping Street Association, pointed out that when tourists see graffiti, they might think, 'I can write something too,' creating a mimicry effect. As a result, they have started covering graffiti with tape in an effort to prevent this.
The relevant department of the Kyoto city government has decided to conduct a trial by cutting down part of the bamboo grove “pushing back” the bamboo to a spot beyond visitors’ reach.
Local residents have also suggested the authorities increase awareness among tourists, making it clear that carving or graffiti is considered a criminal act, and suggest imposing hefty fines like in Singapore for littering, to discourage such behavior.