Not everyone in Japan is delighted by the current tourism boom.
On a recent visit to Kanazawa I saw several restaurants with signs saying they would not serve anyone who didn't speak Japanese.
Several shops displayed blatantly racist signs warning foreigners they were not welcome (image above).
And now a small town in Japan has taken drastic measures and hired a team of security guards to manage badly behaved tourists, news portal Travel Mole reported.
Otaru, a small port town on Hokkaido island has been inundated by crowds of tourists with some of them being a nuisance to locals.
The visitors have been blocking roads and pavements to scramble for photos at Instagram hotspot Funami-zaka, a steep street offering scenic views of the port and ocean.
It was a location for the 1995 Japanese film Love Letter and the 2015 Chinese movie Cities in Love, which have sparked interest in the town.
A Chinese woman was recently killed by a train in the town while reportedly distracted by taking photos.
Local residents have complained about large crowds of tourists blocking roads and some trespassing on private property to get a better vantage point to take photos.
“The road is lined with houses and has heavy traffic," a city official told the Mainichi Shimbun newspaper.
"Tourists standing on the street or walking side by side often make it impossible for vehicles to pass. The impact on residents has been significant.”
A record 36.7 million people visited Japan last year.
Several areas have taken action against over-tourism issues in Kyoto, Fujikawaguchiko near Mount Fujim and the spa town of Ginzan Onsen.
Images: Winsor Dobbin and Hokkaido Tourism
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