The Tsushima Watazumi Shrine, a place special to both Japanese history andGhost of Tsushimafans, has banned all tourists until further notice. Apparently, someone has ruined a good thing for everyone, committing a “grave and unforgivable act of disrespect”.
This shrine has a key place in the hearts of Ghost of Tsushima players. It was suspected to be the real-world reference for the game’s Scarlet Rock Shrine, and when the Watazumi Shrine was damaged in 2021 by a typhoon, fans of the game raised 180 thousand dollars for repairs.
Normally, an act like that is sure to create a long-lasting, positive relationship. Seems like someone thought otherwise, and in the wake of their actions, Ghost of Tsushima fans can no longer visit the shrine they helped rebuild.
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This isn’t the first time this shrine has had issues with bad actors, either.Automatonreports that the shrine already put a ban in place for South Korean tourists. They have previously talked to police about poor behavior, from harassment of staff to outright vandalism.
The current tourism ban was announced on the Shrine’sInstagram, but they have not made specific comments describing what the “unforgivable act” was. They have discussed the “unbearable mental anguish” that their staff faced from tourists, but exact details are scarce and will likely remain so.
Now, the only visitors allowed to the shrine are congregants and worshipers. All tourism, foreign and domestic, is banned outright - though the shrine’s staff seem to have special ire for foreigners.
“Inbound tourism’s destruction of places, things, and people cherished by the Japanese is nothing less than the destruction of Japanese culture.”
Additionally, some extra restrictions have been put in place around photography and video recording. Depending on the purpose of the action, it may be banned.
“Those who consider this place a theme park or simply a photogenic location are not worshippers,” staff clarified on Instagram. Worshippers are still allowed to take pictures and record video, but ‘because it’s pretty’ is no longer a valid reason for any such action.
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Eurogamercompared these events to the recent debacle around Assassin’s Creed Shadows. While not directly related - Ubisoft’s issues with the shrines were purely virtual - they could not have come at a worse time.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows Is Getting A Day One Patch To Stop Players From Vandalizing Shrines And Temples
The Japanese government is worried that allowing players to deface shrines will encourage that behavior in the real world.
In the case of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, the player was originally able to putsignificant damageonto these sacred shrines, a move that didn’t exactly go over well.
Aday one patchhas since resolved the issue. Not only is it now impossible to damage the shrines, any citizens attacked will not shed blood, leaving the surroundings unmarred by combat.
