Ginzan Onsen a hot spring village in Japan known for its snow-capped panoramic views, limited tourist entry to one day during the peak winter season after facing overtourism in the country, which experiences a record influx of travelers .
Located in the Yamagata region, around 420 km north of Tokyo, Ginzan Onsen is one of the most famous regions in Japan, attracting around 330,000 visitors annually.
Travelers from all over the world flock to the 300-year-old city during the winter, not only to enjoy the hot springs but also for its landscape with traditional Edo-era buildings covered in snow — rumor has it that the buildings inspired the Oscar-winning film, “Spirited Away”, by the animator Hayao Miyazaki .
However, the location’s popularity has also caused problems for residents of the normally quiet town, with reports of clashes due to places to take photos and parking spaces.
“Many visitors became angry (screaming) due to the good spots for taking photos, leading to disregard for traffic rules, fraud and causing people to look for better spots and easier ways than others,” the onsen stated on its website , regretting that “vague management” caused these problems.
Starting January 7, anyone wanting to enter the hot spring town after 5pm will need to purchase a ticket, according to the Ginzan Onsen Information Center. Visitors without reservations at local hotels will be prohibited after 8 p.m.
Tickets, including bus journeys, cost 1150 yen (R$45).
Visitors traveling by car will have to park at a nearby tourist center and use shuttle buses to get to the city.
Hiroyuki Ishii from the Ginzan Onsen Measures Against Overtourism Project Office, told CNN Travel that tourists traveling by car are often stuck on snow-covered roads, causing congestion and blocking access for ambulances.
“The place to take photos is narrow, and sometimes visitors get into disputes with each other asking to move. There have been cases where people almost fell into the river after bumping into each other,” he added.
Ginzan Onsen joins a number of popular tourist destinations that are regulating visits as Japan welcomes a record tourism boom in recent months.
The country has already registered 33 million foreign tourists until November this year, surpassing the record of 31.9 million in 2019, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization.
In May, Fujikawaguchiko, a small town at the foot of Mount Fuji, had to install a large black net to block the view of a popular photo spot showing a convenience store against the famous mountain, after it caused inconvenience to residents. The network was removed in August after the euphoria subsided.
Other places, such as Mount Fuji and Himeji Castle — Japan’s largest castle, located in Hyogo Prefecture in the west of the country — are proposing to increase entry fees for visitors.
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