Japan’s Watatsumi Shrine bans foreigners after vandalism and alleged death threat against priest

The ban is likely to further disrupt Tsushima’s tourism industry, which relies heavily on Korean visitors

Their numbers have slumped in the past year as a rift between the countries over historical and territorial disputes escalated into a trade row

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The Watatsumi Shrine is one of the most popular places on Tsushima island. Photo: Handout

Published: 4:00pm, 14 Jan 2020Updated: 9:05pm, 14 Jan 2020

Japan’s popular Watatsumi Shrine has taken the unprecedented step of banning all foreign tourists after a spate of vandalism, thefts and an alleged death threat against the head priest by a South Korean tour guide.

“Let me say that if you think this is [due to] hate or a violation of human rights, then please discuss the matter with me directly,” the priest, identified as Negitama, wrote on Twitter. “We cannot put up with the destruction of a site of worship.”

The priest described foreign tourists eating picnics in the grounds of the shrine – on the island of Tsushima, off Nagasaki Prefecture in southwest Japan – and a YouTuber filming without permission.

The priest said tour guides ignored his repeated requests to avoid stepping on places of worship, instead using the steps to shrine buildings to address their groups. He also posted images of Korean graffiti carved into a board to hold ema prayer plaques and said amulets had been stolen. The priest also described how a “Korean guide” threatened him and told him to die.

The tourism industry in Tsushima relies heavily on Korean visitors. Photo: Handout

The priest’s post attracted hundreds of messages, mostly supportive and suggesting perpetrators be reported to police. Others, however, said it was wrong to discriminate against foreigners, most of whom are well-behaved and respectful.

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