Kamakura (Tokyo): The city of Kamakura in Japan has passed an ordinance to stop tourists from eating while they walk.
Japan is well known for its cleanliness, and some locals are upset at rising levels of litter in the streets.
Every year the amount of tourists visiting Japan grows. In 2018, 31 million foreign tourists visited, according to the Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO). But in some cases, tourists have started to infringe on local Japanese customs and ideas of etiquette.
On March 22nd, Kamakura's city council passed an ordinance asking tourists not to walk while eating. Although the ordinance is merely symbolic - there is no consequence for breaking it - the city hopes that it will encourage tourists to think twice before they decide to walk and eat.
Late last year citizens of Kamakura, among other popular tourist destinations in Japan, complained of "tourism pollution".
Read more:Though late, monsoon finally arrived; know what it means for Indian farmers
In a city where one of the big attractions is the variety of street food on offer, the ordinance seems to have split public opinion, with some claiming that it goes too far.
Tourists visiting Kamakura need to be on the lookout for further rules that if broken may not lead to a fine, but may well lead to disharmony with some in the local community.
