This Week in Startups · Monday, August 3, 2026
Japan's tourism surge, beginning around 2017-2018, has led to over-tourism challenges and cultural friction in some areas. Certain traditional businesses, like izakayas and ryokans, have reportedly begun excluding non-Japanese tourists due to issues related to cultural misunderstandings, such as noise levels and etiquette. While many businesses continue to welcome tourists, this trend highlights a tension between tourism growth and preserving local experiences.
“So some restaurants, uh, even, like yolks, like the Japanese ins. Like they decided not to take any non-Japanese tourists.”
“But they do have their own reasons of like not accepting.”
“And there is a little bit of tension, maybe people don't know how to behave when they're, uh, respectful in Kyoto or on a lift line in Seko, or how to behave in a restaurant.”