The popular “Shirakaba Namiki” (Birch Tree Avenue) in Biei Town, Hokkaido, was cut down on the 14th January after local farmers raised concerns about tourist misconduct and its impact on crops. Tourists frequently parked illegally and entered farmland without permission, while the growing trees also cast shadows on adjacent fields. Biei Town has been struggling with overtourism, leading to past measures such as the removal of the “Tatsugaku no Ki”(Philosopher’s Tree) due to similar issues and parking restrictions around the “Seven Stars Tree.”
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