Cultural clashes, ‘unruly crowds’ at Japan’s cherry blossom parties stir overtourism debate

Japan’s famed cherry blossom season has become the latest battleground in a broader debate over overtourism, etiquette and how foreign visitors are portrayed when trouble flares. That debate sharpened this week after the conservative Sankei newspaper ran a report accusing “unruly crowds” of foreigners of misbehaving during hanami – or cherry blossom viewing parties – across Japan, prompting renewed calls for visitors to show greater respect for local customs. In an echo of wider demands to re...

By Julian Ryall