🌟 【Breaking】Kyoto’s Accommodation Tax Hits ¥10,000—What It Means for Travelers 🏯✨
1. Kyoto Raises Accommodation Tax to Record ¥10,000: What Travelers Need to Know
🌟 A Must-Know Update for Anyone Visiting Kyoto! 🏯✨If you're planning a trip to Kyoto, here's an important update you need to know! On January 14, Kyoto City 🏙️ announced its plan to raise the accommodation tax to a record ¥10,000 per night 🌟—making it the highest flat-rate accommodation tax in Japan 🇯🇵. This increase aims to tackle overtourism 🚋 and enhance the city’s infrastructure 🛤️ and public spaces 🌳
2. New Accommodation Tax Rates in Kyoto: How Much Will You Pay?
The current accommodation tax structure has three tiers:
Less than ¥20,000 per night: ¥200
¥20,000 to less than ¥50,000 per night: ¥500
¥50,000 and above per night: ¥1,000
The proposed revision expands this to five tiers:
Less than ¥6,000 per night: ¥200 (unchanged)
¥6,000 to less than ¥20,000 per night: ¥400
¥20,000 to less than ¥50,000 per night: ¥1,000
¥50,000 to less than ¥100,000 per night: ¥4,000
¥100,000 and above per night: ¥10,000
3. Why Kyoto Is Increasing Its Accommodation Tax: Overtourism and Solutions
🔎 Why is This Happening? Kyoto’s annual visitor count exceeds 50 million people 🗺️, causing challenges like crowded buses 🚌 and traffic jams 🚦. While the current accommodation tax generated ¥5.2 billion in 2023 💰, it’s not enough to cover the cost of improving transportation 🚉, preserving Kyoto’s townhouses 🏡, and keeping public spaces clean 🗑️.
The extra revenue—expected to reach ¥12.6 billion—will help fund projects like:
①Road and bridge maintenance 🛤️
②Disaster prevention improvements 🌊
③Sustainability initiatives ♻️
4. Kyoto Mayor’s Plan for Sustainable Tourism: How Your Tax Supports the City
🏛️ What the Mayor Says: Mayor Koji Matsui emphasized the goal of ensuring that residents benefit from tourism and experience a better quality of life 💡.🛏️ Will This Affect Travelers? Luxury travelers likely won’t feel the impact—Kyoto has 2,000 to 3,000 rooms priced over ¥100,000 per night! Experts agree that those paying for high-end stays won’t be discouraged by a ¥10,000 tax.
5. How Kyoto’s New Tax Impacts Travelers: Budget vs. Luxury Stays
🌍 National Accommodation Tax Trends: Kyoto isn’t alone—other cities, such as Tokyo 🗼, Osaka 🌆, and Niseko 🏔️, have already implemented accommodation taxes.This change is set to take effect from March 1, 2026 (pending approval), so be prepared for Kyoto’s continued commitment to balancing tourism and local living 🌸.Would you still book your Kyoto stay despite the new tax? Let us know in the comments! ✨