WASHINGTON — Faced with overwhelming visitor numbers that have challenged its infrastructure, Kyoto, a city renowned for its cultural heritage in Japan, plans to implement a 900% increase in its “tourist tax.”

The city revealed details of this substantial hike on its official website earlier this month.

The statement explains that the additional revenue from the tax will be utilized to “enhance tourism by leveraging the city’s diverse and rich attractions” and to “promote a harmonious coexistence between residents and tourists.”

Scheduled to take effect on March 1, 2026, the revised tourist tax will be applied to the city’s accommodation fee, which is an extra charge added to hotel bills based on the nightly rate.

Under the current system, a traveler spending 100,000 yen (approximately $650 USD) on a hotel room incurs an additional charge of 1,000 yen (about $6.50) per night. With the new rates, this extra cost will rise to 10,000 yen, or $65, per night.

Kyoto is known for its rich cultural heritage, offering a variety of activities that are enticing to foreign tourists, such as ancient shrines, temples and the city’s famous geisha district. 

But it has struggled in recent years with overtourism. Japanese news outlets have reported that 2024 saw a record 10.88 million foreign visitors visiting Kyoto. The massive number of people has led to street closures and overflowing trash cans. 

While Kyoto is raising its tourist tax, it’s not the only city to have one. Many countries and local areas around the world, especially popular tourist destinations, have established fees to offset the cost of tourism. Greece, New Zealand, Amsterdam and Venice have all introduced similar fees in the past several years. 

While tourism often brings in foreign money to support businesses, it also causes increased strain on a local area’s physical infrastructure and social services. 

Earlier this year, Mount Fuji, the famous volcano in Japan, passed a bill establishing an entrance fee and time slots bookable in advance for climbing the mountain. Mount Fuji has in recent years faced its own influx of unsafe climbers and litter.