Kyoto seeks to guard geishas from tourist 'paparazzi'

KYOTO, Japan — Kyoto is cracking down after locals complained that Instagram-obsessed tourist "paparazzi" are harassing the Japanese city's famous, immaculately dressed geisha.

Real-life geisha, or "geiko" ("women of art") as they are known locally, work for a living -- as they have for centuries -- in teahouses in Kyoto's picturesque Gion district where they perform traditional Japanese dance, music and games.

However, like other major tourist attractions around the world such as Bruges in Belgium, Venice in Italy, or Rio de Janeiro's Sugarloaf Mountain, locals are fuming.

Residents are fed up with visitors sometimes rudely demanding selfies with or otherwise bothering the geiko, who wear smart kimonos and white make-up, with their hair styled in an elaborate bun.

Signs will go up in the coming weeks asking tourists to refrain from entering privately run alleyways in Gion, although the area's main public streets will remain open.

"We don't want to do this, but we're desperate," Isokazu Ota, an executive member of a residents' council, said last week, comparing tourists who crowd around geisha emerging from the narrow alleys to "paparazzi".

Jane Stafford from Australia told AFP in Gion at the weekend that she and her travel companions had been advised by a family member not to take photos there.

But she also questioned restricting movement in the bustling district lined with old-style wooden buildings.

"To me, this is a unique heritage area that people want to enjoy, and we'd like to photograph the architecture," she said.

"It's a shame that people can't enjoy it in smaller groups," she said, suggesting that big tours be broken up.

Tourism to Japan has been booming since pandemic-era border restrictions were lifted and other attractions are also taking steps against overcrowding.

This summer, hikers using the most popular route to climb Mount Fuji will be charged $13 each, with numbers capped to ease congestion and improve safety.

The mayor of the western metropolis Osaka has also said he is considering charging a new fee to foreign tourists, separate to an existing tax on hotel stays.

The residents' council in Gion -- the setting of the hit Netflix show "The