Meeting Held to Address Overtourism in Kamakura and Enoshima Areas

On November 11, a meeting was held in Fujisawa City to discuss countermeasures against overtourism, which has led to an influx of tourists in the popular attractions of Kamakura and Enoshima areas. The meeting focused on specific strategies to address issues arising from the surge in visitor numbers.

The council summarized that the trial deployment of guides and traffic controllers in Kamakura and Fujisawa during this year’s Golden Week (GW) holiday period had “some effect” in reducing crowding.

In previous years, during GW, tourists would concentrate around Kamakura Station, forming long queues in front of the Enoden (Enoshima Electric Railway) ticket gates. However, this year saw successful implementation of new measures.

To encourage people to walk to Hase Station, where the Great Buddha of Kamakura is located, guides were stationed in front of the station and simple maps were distributed to tourists. By promoting “sightseeing on foot,” the formation of lines at the station was prevented.

The committee confirmed that it will continue to develop efforts to raise awareness of new sightseeing routes in order to disperse the flow of people. These initiatives aim to alleviate tourist concentration and create a more comfortable environment for visitors.

The outcome of this meeting demonstrates the proactive approach of Kamakura and Fujisawa cities in addressing the increasing number of tourists, marking an important step towards sustainable tourism.

Reference Articles

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