Foreign tourists sitting on sidewalks to rest or eat in Ginza, Tokyo's flagship luxury shopping district, have drawn criticism from local residents.
Japanese outlet SoraNews24 reported on the 15th that complaints have been mounting among residents over how foreign visitors have been taking breaks on the streets of the Ginza area.
Ginza is one of Tokyo's premier commercial districts, packed with global luxury brand stores and high-end boutiques. Because the area places a premium on the appearance and dignity of its streets, sitting down on sidewalks or curbs can be seen locally as rude.
"My Feet Hurt After an Hour of Walking": Tourists Take a Seat on Ginza's Pavement
Footage released by TV Asahi showed tourists resting on the edges of sidewalks, flower beds and road curbs.
A male tourist from Malaysia said he had been walking around the area for about an hour and sat down briefly because his feet hurt.
A female tourist from Kosovo said she had assumed it would be fine to sit along the road because vehicle traffic was banned during a pedestrian-only period at the time. Still, she added that it would be better not to sit in the street out of respect for local culture.
Tokyo's shortage of places to rest also appears to play a role in why tourists take breaks on the street.
There are few roadside benches in central Tokyo, including Ginza. Visitors can use cafes or coffee shops, but seats are sometimes unavailable or prices too steep.
Sitting on the Ground to Eat: Local Internet Users Pile On Complaints
Sitting or squatting on the ground was once something of a trend in Japan.
In the late 1990s, a practice of sitting on the pavement to pass the time spread among some teenagers. At the time, it even produced a new word, "jibetarian," combining the Japanese word "jibeta," meaning the ground, with "vegetarian."
That practice gradually disappeared in the 2000s. That is why foreign tourists sitting on the pavement in Ginza now look unfamiliar to locals.
Negative reactions also spread online after some tourists were seen eating food along the roadside.
Local internet users wrote comments such as "Ginza has become too touristy," "Even when there are places to sit, aren't they just unwilling to spend money?" and "It's unpleasant that they then sit on subway or restaurant seats in clothes they wore while sitting on the ground."
Others pointed to the lack of benches on Tokyo's streets, saying space needs to be provided for tourists to rest.
"Sitting on the Street Isn't Illegal": Debate Over Standards for Tourist Etiquette
Sitting on the ground in Ginza is not itself banned by law. As long as people do not block building entrances or interfere with the safe passage of pedestrians, they cannot be punished simply for sitting along the street.
Even so, voices in Japan say that, separate from any legal issue, showing consideration for others in public places matters.
Friction over differences in everyday customs between foreign tourists and local residents is also surfacing in other parts of Tokyo. Shibuya Ward, for instance, is running a multilingual information campaign ahead of Halloween to publicize bans on drinking and littering in public places.
As cultural differences accompanying the rise in tourist numbers emerge as a new source of conflict, calls continue for visitors to respect local rules and public etiquette.