Random Japan

Kyoto has had enough of rude tourists, created an infographic to show how to visit politely

Scott Wilson

With thousands of temples, beautiful gardens, geisha and maiko (geisha-in-training), and more history than you can shake an encyclopedia at, Kyoto is the place to be when visiting Japan. So with so many tourists from around the world crowding into the city, a few are bound to step out of line.

Thankfully TripAdvisor Japan created a handy infographic showing how to politely visit Kyoto. Kyotoites are understandably protective of their city and its cultural and historical treasures, and some will not hesitate to correct you if you’re doing something rude or wrong. So to be sure that everyone is on the same page, here are a few simple rules to keep in mind when you visit this wonderful city.

A lot of the rules are simply covering the basics, such as no smoking outside designated areas, not bringing your own food or drink into a restaurant, and not taking photos too close to the train tracks.

STATS

• 35: Remains of Japanese and Soviet soldiers found this summer on Shumshu Island in the Kuril chain, scene of one of the final battles of World War II
• $560 million: Price paid by Kirin Holdings for a 55-percent stake in Myanmar’s largest brewing company
• 24,567: People taken to hospitals with heatstroke in July, a record for the month

NOT ALL FUN AND GAMES

• Tokyo 2020 Olympics chief Yoshiro Mori admitted that the cost of hosting the Games could rise to more than ¥2 trillion.
• A Cabinet Office survey found that 22.7 percent of Japanese people say they’re interested in volunteering during the Olympics.
• For the first time ever, shinkansen fans were invited to watch the elusive “Doctor Yellow” bullet train—used for rail-line maintenance and operating according to no announced timetable—as it underwent a tune-up in Shizuoka.
• Sentence of the Week: “A former refrigerator engineer here in the capital of Uzbekistan runs a museum at his own expense that focuses on the experiences of Japanese detainees who were brought to the country by Soviet troops after World War II.” (via Jiji)

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Local logo contest organizers wary in wake of Olympics symbol scandal

KYODO

The recent plagiarism allegations surrounding the 2020 Tokyo Olympics logo have put local governments on alert as they screen a huge number of logo candidates amid an increasing number of design competitions.

The case of the logo designer, Kenjiro Sano, around which allegations of plagiarism are circulating, showed that today’s technology allowed Internet users to digitally scrutinize designs.

But the controversy has also left organizers of similar contests puzzled over how to avoid copyright infringement scandals.