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Bamboo Grove Vandalized: Tourists Carve Names, Damaging Kyoto's Beauty
27 Aug
Summary
- Around 350 bamboo plants in Kyoto's Arashiyama Bamboo Grove damaged by carvings.
- City plans to cut bamboo and move it further from path to prevent future damage.
- Graffiti on bamboo is a growing concern as tourist numbers rebound post-pandemic.
Kyoto's iconic Arashiyama Bamboo Grove is facing extensive damage from tourists inscribing graffiti on its stalks. An investigation revealed that roughly 350 bamboo plants along the popular pathway have been marred with carvings since spring 2025. This has led city officials to implement protective measures.
Officials plan to remove approximately 30 square meters of bamboo, including some of the damaged specimens, to safeguard the grove. The intention is to replant this bamboo further from the walking path, making it harder for visitors to access and damage the stalks. This action comes as tourist numbers have increased post-pandemic, exacerbating the graffiti problem.
The damage, which includes names and other writings etched into the bamboo, was first highlighted during a city inspection last year. While bamboo is resilient to surface damage, the carvings remain permanently. Authorities are considering the graffiti a potential destruction of property, and local groups have resorted to using masking tape to conceal some of the markings.
In response, warning posters in multiple languages have been displayed, and an emergency meeting led to the decision to trial cutting and relocating bamboo. This initiative aims to protect the shared natural heritage and preserve the scenic beauty of the Arashiyama area, a designated preservation zone.
