Cover image via @tbsnewsdig (YouTube)
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A recent video from Japan shows Malaysian tourists vandalising bamboo in Kyoto's iconic Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, raising renewed concerns over the impact of foreign tourism on local heritage sites
The clip, shared four days ago by Threads user @charlotte_jpnews21, was sourced from Japanese news program News23, which airs on TBS (Tokyo Broadcasting System).
The segment, which is over six minutes long, was uploaded to TBS NEWS DIG's YouTube channel on 5 November.
It was reporting on the growing issue of graffiti in one of Kyoto's most famous attractions.
In the footage, one of the tourists is seen picking up a small stone and etching a mark onto a bamboo stalk.
When a reporter confronted the tourist, asking, "Do you know you shouldn't graffiti on the bamboo?", the tourist replied hesitantly, "Ah… No… No… No… Yeah. Okay."
The women, who identified themselves as Malaysian, showed no visible remorse, and a fresh "M" could be seen etched into the bamboo.
Locals interviewed in the segment expressed frustration at the ongoing vandalism, describing it as both disrespectful and costly
"This kind of graffiti that ruins a beautiful scenery is truly sad," said a resident.
"It's also sad that we have to spend money to fix it. We really want them to stop."
The segment also highlighted other incidents of problematic tourist behaviour in Kyoto Prefecture, including visitors trespassing onto private properties in Ine Town to take photos, leaving litter behind, and ignoring "No Entry" signs.
Officials say they're exploring more effective ways to balance tourism with preservation, but for locals, the frustration is already running deep.
The viral clip comes amid growing concern from Kyoto city officials about a resurgence of vandalism in the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, part of the Tenryuji Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
According to a report by The Asahi Shimbun last month, an inspection earlier this year found graffiti carved into about 350 bamboo stalks along the scenic walkway, with markings in Roman letters, Japanese, Chinese, and Hangul.
City officials said the damage coincided with the rebound in tourism following the COVID-19 pandemic. About half of the grove's 7,000 bamboo stalks are city-owned, spanning a 2.3-hectare plot.
Deep carvings can kill bamboo trees and cause them to collapse, prompting authorities to consider cutting down the most severely damaged stalks.
Local volunteers have tried to hide the graffiti using green tape, though the quick fix compromises the grove's natural beauty.
Experts from the Kyoto Botanical Gardens warn that such damage is irreversible once the surface layer is breached.
"We hope visitors will carve their memories of Arashiyama into their hearts, not into the bamboo," said Keisuke Ishikawa, who heads a local merchants' group.
