Kyoto moves bamboo beyond visitors' reach after 350 stalks are vandalised
Kyoto city officials are planning to cut back bamboo and restrict access to the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove to prevent further vandalism. Tourists have carved names and graffiti into hundreds of bamboo stalks, prompting concerns about the preservation of the popular landmark.
Why it matters
This highlights the growing tension between mass tourism and the preservation of cultural and natural heritage sites.
Kyoto’s famous Arashiyama Bamboo Grove is facing growing damage from tourists carving names and other writing into its bamboo stalks. A city investigation found that around 350 bamboo plants along the popular walking path had been damaged since spring 2025.The damage has prompted Kyoto city officials to take action. According to Strait Times, the city planned to cut down about 30 sq m of bamboo, including some of the damaged plants to protect the grove. Officials wanted to move the bamboo further away from the path so visitors cannot easily reach the stalks.The Arashiyama Bamboo Grove Path in Kyoto’s Ukyo ward is visited by both Japanese and international tourists. The trail runs through a bamboo forest and is known for its scenery.
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