Balancing the need to attract visitors while preserving traditional rituals is an ongoing challenge for Japanese communities where local festivals are valuable assets that bring much-needed tourist spending.
But sometimes it comes at a cost to culture.
This seems to be especially true for a Shinto shrine whose centuries-old annual celebration for deities has become a massive festival attraction for the ancient Japanese capital of Kyoto, a city already straining under its tourist load.
Causing further angst is the relatively new practice of selling premium seating for people willing to pay for uninterrupted views of the festival’s showcase parade while being served food and drinks.
Similar practices are trending across Japan as local organisers of festivals hope to cash in on foreigners with deep pockets who want the experience of a lifetime.
