Tourists take a selfie in front of Kanazawa Station. Steeped in history and Japanese culture, Kanazawa has a similar allure to Kyoto but far fewer visitors, highlighting the concentration of tourism in Japan’s major urban centers that has stoked resident-visitor tensions and placed overtourism on the political agenda. (Photo by Yuki Kohara)
Big in Asia
Record visitor numbers boost economy, but ‘foreigner fatigue,’ overtourism tensions grow
JADA NAGUMO
January 31, 2026 06:00 JST
