"When in Rome, do as the Romans do" - these well-known words, said to have come from St. Augustine, have probably encouraged many travelers to behave like the local population, not only in Rome but also in other cities and countries. Different countries mean different customs, and when you are a guest somewhere, it is usually better to behave in a way that doesn't cause any trouble.
Most people are actually aware of this and when you are traveling, we act accordingly and try to adapt to the local conditions. Different regions often mean different religions, which in turn can mean completely new mentalities. A little common sense is often enough to avoid offending the local people and causing problems.
But even if general rules of etiquette should be clear to most travelers, it unfortunately happens quite often that some ignorant travelers think that they are allowed to behave in foreign lands as boorishly as they were used to at home. The simplest manners are quickly forgotten and the above-mentioned common sense is left at home.
Some countries take rigorous action in such cases and you quickly get to know a completely different, unexpected side of your travel destination. Elsewhere, everything will be tolerated and you may even feel encouraged to act as you please. And then there are places that try to prevent any misbehavior and to avoid potential problems with explanations and kind words.
I would count Japan among the latter in this case, although the Japanese generally let foreigners get away with a lot. But it seems that this good-naturedness was sometimes taken advantage of, and since the Land of the Rising Sun has recently experienced a new tourist boom, some places felt compelled to make it clear what is and what isn't allowed. One example that caught my eye was Kyoto, which according to its public website is currently running a campaign to make visitors show their consideration to local communities and take responsible actions to help keep Kyoto's environmental and cultural heritages remaining sustainable for the future.
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The website KYOTO CITY OFFICIAL TRAVEL GUIDE provides travel tips for the former Japanese capital as well as a whole package of rules and behaviors that are and are not welcome in the city.
京都のあきまへん Kyouto no Akimahen - "Things not to do in Kyoto".
Here you can find a list of all the things you should avoid doing in the city, including the fact that you should refrain from riding a bicycle while drunk.
Most things are commonplace, but apparently there must be reasons why these obvious things need to be made clear again.
As usual, we find the typical Japanese approach of packaging the message in a nice and cute way, even on prohibition signs. Nobody in Japan would dare to simply say "don't leave your filthy shit here", which is why every place has its own cute mascot to explain the rules.
The latest Kyoto campaign, which is probably aimed primarily at foreign visitors, also has a certain charm. There are corresponding instructions in both English and Chinese, so it's easy to guess who is being addressed here.
Enjoy Respect Kyoto - Eigentlich sollte man das gar nicht extra erwähnen müssen, aber wenn selbst die Japaner nun diesbezüglich reagieren, scheint es wohl genug Gründe und Anlässe gegeben zu haben. Aber besonders in populären Tourismusgebieten scheint der Herdentrieb wohl bei vielen von uns dazu zu führen, dass man ab und zu ein paar Aussetzter, welche schnell dazu führen können, dass sich andere Menschen von einem massiv gestört fühlen. Und genau dem will die Stadt nun vorbeugen.
You may sometimes wonder about the sense and nonsense of some rules and regulations, but complaining doesn't help here either. Some things are culturally conditioned and also due to a society that, despite many people and little space, regards general harmony as one of the most important goods. There is little room for individualism here in Japan, but that is something you should know before you arrive. It is always better to find out a little about your host country beforehand, which also shows your respect for the land and its people.
Even if rules are basically there to be bent and maybe even broken, you should always consider the situation you are in. With so many other people around you, a little thoughtfulness should actually be a no-brainer, but unfortunately we can no longer expect this from everyone in this day and age.
But maybe with this campaign and all the signs and stickers, Kyoto will manage to keep us tourists in check. Unfortunately, it's been several years since I've been to this interesting city, where there's still so much for me to discover. I don't even know when I'll make it back there next time, but I'm determined to travel to this part of the country again. And I will try to do it exactly as I am expected to and adapt to the local conditions. The right clothes should be easy to find here in Japan and then perhaps I won't stand out at all.
Keeping this in mind, I will....
All pictures are from the info page KYOTO CITY OFFICIAL TRAVEL GUIDE
[//]:# (!worldmappin 34.98537 lat 135.75673 long あきまへん Akimahen - When in Kyoto 👹🍣🎎 Wonderful Japan d3scr)
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