New Pictograms Aim to Guide Tourists Towards Responsible Travel
Japan is implementing a new initiative to encourage responsible tourism by introducing 22 pictograms designed to show foreign visitors how to behave respectfully in the country. The Japan Tourism Agency, aiming to address the growing concern of “overtourism,” unveiled these visual aids on Friday.
“These pictograms will help visitors understand do’s and don’ts while exploring our country,” a spokesperson for the agency explained.
Fourteen of the 22 pictograms illustrate actions that are prohibited, including entering private property, eating while walking in designated areas, taking pictures in unsafe locations, and feeding wild animals. eight depict recommended behaviors, such as leaving luggage at train stations to avoid congestion.
Explanations accompany each pictogram, available in English, Chinese, Korean, and Japanese. The pictograms are downloadable from the agency’s website free of charge. The agency is actively encouraging tourist facilities and hotels to utilize the visuals.
This new initiative comes as Japan enjoys a tourism boom. The cumulative number of foreign visitors to Japan in 2024 surpassed 30 million at a record pace. Forecasts predict that this number will reach an unprecedented new annual high.
These pictograms are certainly an interesting approach to managing Japan’s tourism boom. Do you think visual aids like these are sufficient to address the complex issues surrounding overtourism, or are more substantial measures needed?
