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Kyoto Cuts 25 Bamboo in Arashiyama Trial to Deter Carvings

Officials test whether setting back bamboo from the path reduces graffiti at the famed grove.

Overview

  • The city and local groups removed 25 stems on November 19 near the entrance, including 4 that had carvings, as a controlled trial on city-owned land.
  • Workers set the bamboo line back behind the fence so visitors cannot reach trunks from the walkway.
  • A municipal survey in October documented roughly 350 vandalized stems across the site, mostly letters and some other scripts.
  • The grove lies in a special historic landscape district under the Ancient Capitals Protection Law, requiring city approval for any further removals.
  • Authorities will monitor changes in vandalism and the visual landscape before deciding whether to expand the measure.