Kyoto to trim and relocate bamboo after tourists carve names into Arashiyama grove

An inspection by Kyoto authorities revealed that around 350 bamboo shoots in the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove had been defaced with names and other markings since spring 2025, prompting concerns about the site’s appearance. In response, the city government approved a trial removal of roughly 30 sq m of bamboo on municipal land, targeting both damaged and undamaged plants to create a wider buffer between visitors and the forest.

The plan marks a rare exception to the usual prohibition on cutting bamboo and follows earlier fence installations after similar vandalism in 2018. Officials, including Misao Hashimoto of the scenic preservation division, emphasized the grove’s status as communal heritage and condemned the deliberate damage. Police note the graffiti may constitute property destruction, while local groups have attempted to conceal marks with masking tape and multilingual warnings. The action aims to preserve the historic scenery of the Saga-Arashiyama area, which is protected under Japan’s heritage preservation law.