A clip circulating online has once again put the spotlight on how careless behaviour from tourists can harm the places they visit.
Photo via Threads (@charlotte_jpnews21)
This time, the incident took place at Kyoto’s world-famous Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, and the individuals involved were reportedly Malaysians.
The video, originally aired on Japan’s TBS News23 and later shared on Threads by @charlotte_jpnews21, shows a group of women walking through the bamboo forest. One of them is seen picking up a stone and scratching a mark onto a bamboo stalk. When approached by a reporter and asked if she knew it was wrong, her hesitant “Ah… No… No… No… Yeah. Okay,” only made the situation look worse. A freshly carved “M” was visible on the bamboo.
For locals, this was not just a small act of mischief. It was another example of disrespect for a site they work hard to protect. Residents interviewed in the segment expressed disappointment and frustration, saying the ongoing vandalism not only ruins the scenery but also costs time and money to repair.
The report also highlighted other troubling behaviours from visitors in Kyoto Prefecture, such as trespassing onto private property for photos, leaving trash behind, and ignoring signs meant to protect both the environment and the community.
Unfortunately, this issue is not new. Authorities in Kyoto have been dealing with rising vandalism at the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove as tourism rebounds after the pandemic. Earlier inspections found carvings on around 350 bamboo stalks using Roman letters, Japanese, Chinese, and Hangul. Experts warn that deep carvings can kill the bamboo and cause it to collapse, leaving some damaged stalks at risk of being cut down.
Local volunteers have tried covering graffiti with green tape, but even that solution affects the grove’s natural beauty. Specialists from the Kyoto Botanical Gardens have repeatedly stressed that once the surface of a bamboo stalk is carved, the damage cannot be undone.
Keisuke Ishikawa, who leads a local merchants’ group, put it best: “We hope visitors will carve their memories of Arashiyama into their hearts, not into the bamboo.”
And that is a reminder we, as Malaysians, should take seriously. When we travel, we represent our country, our manners, our culture, and our values. Just as we expect tourists to respect Malaysia when they visit, we must do the same when stepping onto someone else’s soil.
Acting responsibly abroad is not just about avoiding embarrassment. It is about showing the same respect we hope to receive at home.
