by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 8:35 AM ET, Mon March 2, 2026
Destinations across Japan are combatting overtourism in a variety of ways, from adding an additional entry fee to high-trafficked attractions like Mount Fuji to even cancelling a decade-long cherry blossom festival to protect residents from potential crowds and their bad behavior.
Now, the city of Kyoto is raising its tax for overnight tourists, collecting up to 10,000 yen (or the equivalent of approximately USD$64) each night, per person—and it’s now in effect, so travelers heading to the city during cherry blossom season should note there’ll be extra costs involved.
According to Kyodo News, the city is putting a five-tiered system in place for taxation, depending on how expensive the stay is. For example, those staying in luxury hotels and paying at least 100,000 yen or more per night (approximately $635) will be paying the highest tax: 10,000 yen a night.
The lowest tax rate is for those paying less than 6,000 yen per night: these budget travelers will only have to pay 200 yen, or just under $1.30 extra per night.
The city estimates that the new tax increase will more than double its lodging tax revenue this year, to about 13.2 billion yen. The city will use the increase in tax income to fund cultural restoration and support the city’s tourism.
Similarly, Himeji, the city known for its beautiful UNESCO World Heritage Site, Himeji Castle, is increasing the ticket prices for nonresident adults from 1,000 yen to 2,500 yen. It’s now going to cost travelers just under $16 to visit the historic site. The increase was made to help support Himeji’s maintenance and preservation.
City-wide lodging taxes and increased attraction fees are two of the most popular ways that heavily visited destinations around the world are trying to preserve and protect what makes them special—and even curb the negative impacts that overtourism can have on them.
The World Travel & Tourism Council has spoken out against raising city-specific overnight lodging fees in the United Kingdom, noting that disparate new fees across cities and regions “would dent growth, restrict job creation and risk making the country far less competitive in the global economy.”
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