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Kyoto Approves Steep Tiered Hotel Tax Hike, With Top Rate Reaching ¥10,000 a Night From 2026

Officials say the levy shifts the cost of crowd-control measures onto visitors.

Overview

  • City leaders approved the tax revision on October 3, with implementation scheduled for March 1, 2026.
  • The top per-person nightly charge reaches ¥10,000 (about £49), reported as the highest accommodation tax in Japan.
  • Rates scale with room price, with the highest tier applied to luxury stays and lower bands around £19.70, £4.90, £1.97, and £0.98.
  • Kyoto expects about ¥12.6 billion in additional revenue next fiscal year to fund multilingual services, etiquette campaigns, and a new bus route linking Kyoto Station and Higashiyama.
  • The move builds on a 2018 accommodation tax and follows recent restrictions in Gion after reports of tourist misbehavior.