Arashiyama Bamboo Forest in Kyoto, Japan. Photo courtesy of the forest’s website
A group of Malaysian tourists were caught carving their names into a famous bamboo stalk at Kyoto’s Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, sparking widespread outrage online.
A video clip, shared four days ago by Threads user @charlotte_jpnews21was sourced from Japanese news program News23which airs on TBS (Tokyo Broadcasting System), according to Malaysia-based news site Says.
Footage shows one of the tourists picking up a small stone to etch a mark onto a bamboo stalk at the iconic Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, one of Kyoto’s most-visited attractions.
When approached by Japanese reporters and asked if they knew defacing the bamboo was prohibited, the tourists, who identified themselves as Malaysian, answered that they “didn’t know,” Mothership reported.
Footage of the act was later broadcast on YouTube and circulated on social media, prompting online backlash from Japanese netizens.
Japanese media called them “nuisance tourists.”
“This is really disgusting and embarrassing behavior. I do hope there is petty penalty in place to teach these tourists a lesson,” a netizen wrote.
“I think it’s fine for Japan to be as strict with tourists as Singapore is,” another commented.
“It’s unfortunate, but they should be strictly punished. It is only natural to follow the rules of the country you are in,” another wrote.
The Arashiyama Bamboo Forest has been significantly damaged by vandalism, with at least 350 bamboo stalks carved with graffiti like initials and messages, Malay Mail reported.
The damage, which can cause the bamboo to rot and collapse, has worsened with the return of tourism and prompted officials to consider cutting down severely damaged stalks and increasing enforcement, while volunteers have tried to cover the carvings with tape.
Authorities in Kyoto are considering cutting down the most severely damaged bamboo stalks for safety reasons.
