A recent city investigation revealed that approximately 350 bamboo plants along the trail had been defaced since the spring of 2025. The damage, which includes names written in various languages and scripts, has prompted concerns regarding the long-term preservation of the site, which is protected under Japan’s Law on Special Measures concerning the Preservation of Traditional Scenic Beauty in Ancient Capitals.
Mitigation Efforts and Structural Changes
In response to the rising frequency of graffiti, the city government and local community groups held an emergency meeting to address the issue. While the Kyoto Botanical Gardens noted that surface carvings are unlikely to cause the bamboo to wither or collapse, the damage is permanent and significantly impacts the aesthetic value of the historic landscape. Local authorities have already attempted to mitigate the visual impact by using green masking tape to cover the carvings and have deployed warning posters in multiple languages, including Japanese, English, Chinese, and Korean.
The current strategy involves a controlled clearing of approximately 30 square meters of bamboo along the path. By removing these stalks, the city aims to push the forest edge further back from the walkway, effectively placing the plants out of reach for pedestrians. During an initial trial, officials removed about 20 stalks along a 30-meter stretch of the trail. While some of these plants had been previously vandalized, others were removed specifically to establish the necessary buffer zone.
Community and Legal Perspectives
The Arashiyama area, renowned for its scenic beauty and historical significance in Japanese literature, relies on the cooperation of the local community to maintain its environment. Misao Hashimoto, chief of the city’s scenic preservation division, described the forest as a shared asset for all citizens and expressed deep regret over the deliberate destruction of the landscape. Local law enforcement has indicated that such acts of graffiti could be classified as destruction of property.
The problem of vandalism in the grove is not entirely new; in 2018, the city installed fences after roughly 100 stalks were defaced. However, the issue became less pronounced during the travel restrictions of the Covid-19 pandemic. With the return of high visitor numbers, the frequency of graffiti has surged once again. City officials stated they will continue to monitor the impact of the current clearing project on the area’s scenery before deciding whether to expand the removal of bamboo to other sections of the path.
