If you've been to Kyoto, Japan you'll know of the number of breathtaking sights all over the region.

You might also remember the stifling tour groups and people crowding these very sites.

This tourist season, however, has seen a steep decline in human traffic.

Here are some of the scenes in Kyoto over the past few days.

話題になってるからお見せしておきますが京都の観光地の現状がコレ。午前のパックツアーが大挙して押し寄せはじめる時間帯が今はこう。来たことある人ならどれだけ人が減ったかよくわかりスポット４選。#京都 #観光 pic.twitter.com/l2oAaFKncB

— 西縁ゆかり (@radiosonde1gou) February 5, 2020

Can confirm: There are significantly less tourists in Kyoto right now. pic.twitter.com/I6z3bUBXNQ

— wesinjapan (@wesinjapan) February 8, 2020

😮 pic.twitter.com/Ilh7YwXWhT

— Pol Suñer Juanola (@PolSunyer) February 9, 2020

With some noting the eerie quietness of Kyoto in the morning.

京都が笑っちゃうほど閑散としている。中国で何かあったらおしまいだと思っていたが、予想通りになった。やはり観光も生産も外国依存は危ない。内需と国内生産が基本だ。#新型コロナウィルス　#外国人観光客　#中国#京都 pic.twitter.com/XLlEH5vIJb

— 日本犬を未来へ、世界へ! Japanese dogs to the future (@ayumun31) February 7, 2020

Ban and scary

Japan has enacted a travel ban on travellers from the Hubei province, where the majority of the coronavirus cases are from. However they have not ruled out extending that ban to the whole of China.

Shopkeepers speaking to Kyoto Shimbun noted the drastic decline in tourists around the city.

According to Japan Today the shopkeeper called the dip in numbers the worst in 30 years.

Another lamented the fall in tour buses coming into Kyoto.

“We used to have 200 tour buses coming in, but now it’s just a few. I stocked up on extra product because I thought we’d have a lot of tourists during Chinese New Year, and local restaurants hired extra workers. I hope the situation turns around soon."

There were about 8.38 million Chinese tourists to Japan in 2018.

Over 400,000 Chinese tourists will cancel their trips to Japan by the end of March, a number that is still considered incredibly conservative.

Image from hytoAE and Pol Sunyer