Photo/Illutration Bamboo stalks along the popular Arashiyama forest walkway in Kyoto’s Ukyo Ward have been increasingly subject to vandalism. (Yoko Hibino)

KYOTO—City officials are attempting to combat a return of graffiti marring Arashiyama’s bamboo forest, one of Kyoto’s most beloved tourist destinations.

A recent inspection revealed graffiti carved into about 350 stalks along the scenic walkway that winds through a dense bamboo forest in the northern area of Tenryuji temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Most of the graffiti was in Roman letters, but there were also a few instances of Japanese and Chinese characters as well as Hangul.

The damage was caused during the rebound in tourist numbers after the COVID-19 pandemic, city officials said.

According to municipal officials, half of the grove is city-owned and has an estimated 7,000 bamboo stalks growing across the 2.3-hectare plot. 

Officials warn that deep etchings can kill the plant and cause bamboo to fall over. They are now considering cutting down the most severely damaged stalks while urging tourists to behave responsibly.

Experts at the Kyoto Botanical Gardens note that carving into bamboo causes permanent damage.

The local tourism community has responded by covering the graffiti with green tape, a makeshift solution that compromises the forest’s natural beauty.

Graffiti was also a major issue in 2018 that prompted members of the local tourism community and monks from Tenryuji temple to launch a public anti-defacement campaign.

Fewer tourists during the pandemic meant fewer incidents, but the amount of graffiti has rapidly increased since this spring, particularly during the summer months.

“We hope visitors will carve their memories of Arashiyama into their hearts, not into the bamboo,” said Keisuke Ishikawa, who heads a group of local shop owners.

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