The "Kyoto City Ordinance on Prohibition of Smoking on Streets, etc." will be revised on Wednesday, March 1, 2023.

The "Kyoto City Ordinance on Prohibition of Smoking on Streets, etc." went into effect in June 2007. With the enactment of this ordinance, a fine of 1,000 yen is collected for smoking on the streets in busy areas such as the city center, Kyoto Station area, and the Kiyomizu and Gion areas. Since its enactment, the number of people smoking on the streets has greatly decreased each year, and smoking etiquette in the city area has improved.

On the other hand, some people still smoke on the street outside of the areas where the fine is collected. The name of the zones often mislead people into thinking that it is okay to smoke on the street outside of certain areas.

In response, the ordinance has been amended to change the name of the area where the fine will be collected to the "Enhanced Street Smoking Prevention Area. The aim is to make "no smoking on streets in the entire city" a common manner in Kyoto.

A Kyoto City official said, "In order to protect the safe and healthy lives of our citizens and visitors to Kyoto, as well as the historically rich city of Kyoto, please do not smoke on the streets. We ask for everyone's cooperation," he says.