Kyoto’s famous Arashiyama Bamboo Grove is facing growing damage from tourists carving names and other writing into its bamboo stalks. A city investigation found that around 350 bamboo plants along the popular walking path had been damaged since spring 2025.
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The damage has prompted Kyoto city officials to take action. According to Strait Times, the city planned to cut down about 30 sq m of bamboo, including some of the damaged plants to protect the grove. Officials wanted to move the bamboo further away from the path so visitors cannot easily reach the stalks.
The Arashiyama Bamboo Grove Path in Kyoto’s Ukyo ward is visited by both Japanese and international tourists. The trail runs through a bamboo forest and is known for its scenery. But writing and names carved into the bamboo have become an increasing problem as visitor numbers have risen again after the Covid-19 pandemic.
The issue was highlighted during a city inspection last year. Officials found about 350 damaged bamboo plants along the path. When the area was visited on November 17, different types of writing could be seen carved into stalks on both sides of the busy trail. Some appeared to be names, including 'Kate' written in English and 'Yoshitaka' written in hiragana.
Bamboo damage increased with visitor numbers
The Kyoto city government owns about 2.3 hectares of land along the path, where an estimated 7,000 bamboo plants grow naturally. The large number of damaged plants has raised concerns about the condition of the grove and its appearance.
A 34-year-old company employee visiting the area with a friend from Kasugai in Aichi prefecture expressed disappointment after seeing the damage. “There’s graffiti everywhere, ruining the scenery,” she said.
