Tokyo and Kyoto added to Fodor’s 2025 ‘banned list’

One of the world’s most respected travel guides has included two Japanese cities, Tokyo and Kyoto, on its list of “destinations to reconsider in 2025.” Combined with the article’s main image – a temple gate packed with sardine cans – one feels like these world-class cities should be missed. But that’s not to say you can avoid them entirely. Just travel wisely and you can avoid the crowds.

Why are Kyoto and Tokyo singled out?

Fodor released its annual “banned list” on November 13th. The list highlights “destinations where tourism puts unsustainable pressure on land and local communities”. Tokyo and Kyoto rank alongside places like Bali, Indonesia (a “perennial off-list” destination) and Mount Everest.

Fodor makes the legitimate case that too many tourists are causing local businesses to turn their backs on tourism and its money. Japan is seeing more tourists than ever before – and there’s the data to prove it. The website also noted that the increasing number of tourists staying at business hotels has caused these hotels to raise prices, thereby excluding local businessmen who would otherwise be suitable for these hotels.

overtourism problem

“Overtourism” has become a buzzword in the travel industry after the widespread restrictions left by the COVID-19 pandemic are lifted. While holiday dreamers are stuck at home, social media algorithms push the same temples, the same “best views” and even the same shopping spots onto people’s screens and into their minds. This results in a large influx of tourists to the same location.

Tokyo and Kyoto are particularly prone to this overtourism phenomenon. They have been isolated from the outside world for a long time, which makes them all the more attractive, and once you get to Japan, accessing them is a piece of cake.

The most popular places in Tokyo and Kyoto have become so crowded that some places have been forced to take measures. Kyoto’s backstreets made headlines earlier this year when they installed “no visitors” signs in residential areas to protect geisha who were being harassed by tourists. Elsewhere, some restaurants in both cities have begun operating under “Japanese only” policies.

Should I still go to Tokyo and Kyoto?

Granted, the points Fodor mentions are very real problems, but simply avoiding Japan’s two major cities may not be the solution. First, many tourists must pass through Tokyo anyway. The trick is to travel smarter.

Tokyo and Kyoto are both great tourist destinations. Tokyo is the largest metropolis in the world. Likewise, Kyoto has been welcoming tourists for many years. This is also another seemingly large city.

Visit Tokyo and Kyoto with mindfulness, making a conscious effort to avoid crowded areas. If I’ve learned anything in these five years of living and welcoming friends from abroad, it’s that no matter what you do here, you’ll love it.

How to avoid crowds

Here are some handy tips to help you be a polite tourist and avoid crowds:

• Stay somewhere at the end of the train line. It’s much cheaper and you’ll get a better local experience.
• Become a map detective. It’s simple: if you like temples, search for “temples” near where you live. There are temples and shrines all over Tokyo, and chances are you’ll be staying near one of the impressive ones.
• Head to the suburbs. Tokyo is definitely a huge city. You can travel an hour and a half from Tokyo Station and still be in the city. Explore different train lines.
• Do your research. If an attraction is listed on most of the largest travel websites, chances are it will be overcrowded. You can sometimes check overcrowding on Google Maps, which will show you a graph telling you when it’s crowded.
• Limit your time in Tokyo and Kyoto. Spend a day visiting the biggest attractions and then head out.

Visit the infamous Tokyo toilets

sparsely populated place

As travel writers, we are all too aware of the effects and consequences of overtourism. Again, we travel a lot and know the places should Get more attention than you really need.

Check out some of these places:

A less crowded place in Kyoto

A sparsely populated area in Tokyo

• Kamata colorful shopping street
• Kita-ku Jujo Station
• Myohoji Suginami Ward

Other attractions accessible from Tokyo and Kyoto that blew me away:

• Aizuwakamatsu, Fukushima Prefecture: You’ll find Edo-era architecture just like Kyoto.
• Noto Peninsula, Ishikawa Prefecture: The people here give you a warm welcome.
• Gunma Prefecture Manza Onsen: A hot spring near Tokyo that is not too crowded.

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