Drunk American Tourist Wrecks Ancient Japanese Temple
An American tourist on Tuesday caused significant damage to a 761-year-old temple in Japan.
The unnamed suspect, described as intoxicated, forced his way inside Shoden Eigen‑in Temple through a rear kitchen door on the southern side of the building, according to the Tokyo Weekender.
After walking through the garden, he attempted to scale the wooden railing that encircles the main hall. In doing so, he caused visible damage, scraping and compromising the surface of the historic structure. The wooden railing sustained cracks and abrasions and a nearby wooden door was destroyed.
Newsweek contacted the Japan National Tourism Organization for comment via email on Friday.
Founded in 1264, Shoden Eigen‑in Temple, a subtemple of Kennin-ji Monastery, in Kyoto, where the incident took place, was officially designated as a Kyoto Prefectural Cultural Heritage Site in 2015. According to the Tokyo Weekender, the structures there are architecturally fragile, historically significant and irreplaceable.
The head priest of the temple, Keinin Magami, noticed the intrusion when the man knocked on the door of his adjacent residence, The Mainichi Shimbun reported. Police were called but a damage report was not filed. There was no permanent damage to the residence.
Kennin-ji, established in 1202, is considered the oldest Zen training monastery in Kyoto, with deep historical ties to Oda Urakusai, brother of famed warlord Oda Nobunaga.
The man apologized in person to the head priest through a translation app, saying: "This is the biggest mistake of my life. I am truly sorry." According to reports, when asked why he had come, he said, "I wanted to see the temple."
Unlike tourist-heavy areas, the subtemple is intentionally low‑profile and wasn't equipped with major security measures, making it easier for the visitor to enter unnoticed.
Head priest Keinin Magami, as reported by The Mainichi Shimbun: "We have reached a point where we need to be careful in our daily lives as well. We are seeing the negative effects of overtourism, so I would like measures to be taken."
Japanese news outlet the Tokyo Weekender: "Shoden Eigen-in will mend the damage. The priest will move on. The tourist will fly home. But there will be more issues in the future."
As reported by the Tokyo Weekender, Magami told reporters he accepted the man's apology. The railing will likely be repaired with traditional methods.
Japan's reliance on tourism revenue is at risk of clashing with the unexpected costs and threats posed by what is seen by some as irresponsible tourists and a growing trend of disrespect by foreign visitors regarding the protection of Japan's cultural treasures
The incident adds to a growing roster of mishaps involving ill‑advised tourist behavior, from carving names into Nara's ancient temples to vandalism at Tokyo shrines, raising questions about the balance between open access and cultural preservation in Japan's tourism-driven era.
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