An American tourist was arrested in Japan on suspicion of carving letters into a traditional wooden gate at a famous Tokyo shrine, local police said Thursday.
The American Steve Lee Hayes, 65, was arrested on Wednesday “on suspicion of material damage”, when he allegedly used his nail to scratch letters on the traditional wooden gate erected at the entrance to the Meiji Jingu shrine. , a Tokyo Metropolitan Police spokesperson confirmed to NBC News.
The sanctuary in question is among the most visited in the Japanese capital.
It is not clear what the American tourist allegedly carved into the wood, but the “Japan Times” reported that it was five letters in total, according to the American media.
This arrest is part of a series of incidents involving foreign tourists, an increasing number of whom are going on vacation to Japan, particularly thanks to the low yen.
In October, a Chilean influencer with 139,000 subscribers was the subject of a very negative viral online campaign for posting a video of herself doing pull-ups on a torii at another Japanese shrine.
She then apologized, saying that “it was not [son] intention to disrespect” this sacred place.
Japan, enjoying unprecedented popularity with foreign visitors, says it wants to welcome 60 million visitors per year by 2030, almost double the record set in 2019.
But the undisciplined behavior and incivility of tourists sometimes annoys.
In the ancient capital of Kyoto, residents have complained about harassment of the city’s famous geishas.
And a town at the foot of Mount Fuji installed a large barrier in the spring, since removed, to deter people from taking photos of a famous volcano viewpoint behind a convenience store, with many venturing onto the road to get the perfect shot.
New crowd control measures, such as paid access, for around 12 euros, have also been put in place on the most popular trail to the summit of Mount Fuji.
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