How a sightseeing livestream of Kyoto sparked a controversy online

Arashiyama, in the Kyoto region of Japan. — nicholashan/IStock.com/AFP

In this time of pandemic, cities and monuments worldwide are trying a variety of means to keep in touch with potential future tourists. To showcase the beauty of the region of Kyoto in Japan, train company JR West and e-commerce giant Alibaba organised a virtual tour of several of the area's nature sites for the Chinese market. However, the move sparked ire among residents, as a Japan Today report shows, with local Japanese populations fearing that Chinese tourists will flock en masse when the archipelago reopens to foreign tourism.

To help relaunch tourism in Kyoto, JR West and Alibaba chose to livestream a visit on video platform Taobao Live, strolling through Arashiyama, one of the most popular sites in Kyoto among tourists. Chinese Internet users were able to discover through their screens the natural wonders of this pristine site. The virtual tour attracted over 100,000 live viewers, a real success!