Japanese city bans people from eating while walking

A city in Japan has banned eating on the move – with a particular focus on tourists visiting the area.

Kamakura, a seaside city south of Tokyo, has established a new official policy against eating in its street.

The city received some 20 million visitors in 2018.

The policy, in effect since 1 April this year, was created in order to prevent the increasing build-up of litter – consisting of discarded food packaging and leftover food – in popular tourist areas.

It is publicised through a series of signs, in Japanese, English, Chinese and Korean, reading: “No eating while walking”, according to the Japan Times.

Those flouting the ordinance will not be fined, a representative from Kamakura told CNN. It’s simply a case of good manners.

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According to Japanese etiquette, eating on the street is frowned upon - although eating next to a vending machine might be more tolerated, explains the Walk Japan website.

Eating during a short term train journey is equally frowned upon.

Similar bans have been imposed in areas of Italy.

In Florence, Italy, there are four streets in the city centre – Via de' Neri, Piazzale degli Uffizi, Piazza del Grano and Via della Ninna – where eating food on pavements, roads or in doorways is banned.

Eating in the streets is also prohibited in certain areas of Italy’s capital, Rome, including the Spanish Steps, a tourist haven.

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For Brits, eating on the go is commonplace - with popular chains like Pret a Manger, EAT and Wok to Walk indicative of our on-the-move culture.

Meanwhile, the growing trend for street food – up 9.1% from 2017, according to The Grocer – sees an increasing rise of people enjoying the latest gourmet burger or falafel wrap on foot.