{
  "_meta": {
    "dataset": "Genchi Japan — rules at a glance",
    "description": "Structured extract of the official rules cited in Genchi Japan articles. Each row has an authority level, effective date, penalty and a primary/press source, verified by a human on the date shown. CC BY 4.0 — cite genchijapan.com.",
    "schema": [
      "area",
      "act",
      "rule",
      "penalty",
      "since",
      "level",
      "authority",
      "source",
      "source_label",
      "verified"
    ],
    "levels": {
      "national": "national law / ministry guideline",
      "prefecture": "prefectural rule or ordinance",
      "city": "municipal ordinance",
      "district": "private/district rule (no statutory force)"
    },
    "updated": "2026-08-22"
  },
  "gion": [
    {
      "area": "Gion, Kyoto — private alleys of Gion-machi South",
      "act": "Photography on private alleys",
      "rule": "Prohibited",
      "penalty": "¥10,000 posted fine (deterrent; no statutory enforcement)",
      "since": "2019-10",
      "level": "district",
      "authority": "Gion-machi South District Council",
      "source": "https://www.timeout.com/tokyo/news/kyotos-gion-geisha-district-bans-photos-on-private-streets-and-introduces-10-000-fine-102919",
      "source_label": "Time Out Tokyo (2019-10)",
      "verified": "2026-08-20"
    },
    {
      "area": "Gion, Kyoto — Kosode-koji alley",
      "act": "Entering / walking through the alley (through-traffic)",
      "rule": "Closed to visitors",
      "penalty": "¥10,000 posted fine for unauthorized entry",
      "since": "2024-05-29",
      "level": "district",
      "authority": "Gion-machi South District Council",
      "source": "https://www.ktv.jp/news/feature/240529-maiko/",
      "source_label": "Kansai TV (2024-05-30); Bengo4 (2024-05)",
      "verified": "2026-08-22"
    },
    {
      "area": "Gion, Kyoto — Hanamikoji-dori (public street)",
      "act": "Street photography / walking",
      "rule": "Allowed (public road remains open)",
      "penalty": "—",
      "since": "—",
      "level": "city",
      "authority": "Gion-machi South District Council (public road stays open); Kyoto City tourism code of conduct for manners",
      "source": "https://www.travelvoice.jp/20240311-155262",
      "source_label": "Travel Voice (2024-03)",
      "verified": "2026-08-22"
    }
  ],
  "shibuya": [
    {
      "area": "Shibuya, Tokyo — streets, parks and public spaces around Shibuya Station",
      "act": "Drinking alcohol outdoors, 18:00–05:00, year-round",
      "rule": "Prohibited",
      "penalty": "None (ward-contracted patrol staff ask you to stop)",
      "since": "2024-10-01",
      "level": "city",
      "authority": "Shibuya Ward ordinance",
      "source": "https://www.city.shibuya.tokyo.jp/kusei/shisaku/jorei-toshin/sbykankyo.html",
      "source_label": "Shibuya Ward official; no-fine per nippon.com",
      "verified": "2026-08-22"
    }
  ],
  "dotonbori": [
    {
      "area": "Osaka City — all city-managed streets, plazas and parks",
      "act": "Smoking on the street (incl. heated tobacco)",
      "rule": "Prohibited citywide",
      "penalty": "¥1,000 on-the-spot fine",
      "since": "2025-01-27",
      "level": "city",
      "authority": "Osaka City ordinance",
      "source": "https://www.city.osaka.lg.jp/kankyo/page/0000630108.html",
      "source_label": "Osaka City official (enforcement: city page 0000641324)",
      "verified": "2026-08-22"
    },
    {
      "area": "Osaka City",
      "act": "Littering (cans, bottles, cigarette butts etc.)",
      "rule": "Prohibited by city ordinance",
      "penalty": "See ordinance",
      "since": "1995",
      "level": "city",
      "authority": "Osaka City anti-littering ordinance (空き缶等の投げ捨て等の防止に関する条例)",
      "source": "https://www.city.osaka.lg.jp/kankyo/page/0000009351.html",
      "source_label": "Osaka City official",
      "verified": "2026-08-22"
    }
  ],
  "nara-park": [
    {
      "area": "Nara Park — the deer (National Natural Monument)",
      "act": "Killing or injuring a deer (causing loss, damage or decline)",
      "rule": "Crime",
      "penalty": "Up to 5 years' imprisonment or ¥1,000,000 fine",
      "since": "—",
      "level": "national",
      "authority": "Cultural Properties Protection Act, Art. 196",
      "source": "https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/325AC1000000214",
      "source_label": "Statute (e-Gov, JA)",
      "verified": "2026-08-22"
    },
    {
      "area": "Nara Park",
      "act": "Hitting, kicking or otherwise abusing a deer (even without injury)",
      "rule": "Prohibited under park rules",
      "penalty": "None in the rule itself; staff may intervene",
      "since": "2025-04-01",
      "level": "prefecture",
      "authority": "Nara Prefecture park rules (施行規則第12条)",
      "source": "https://www.pref.nara.jp/68838.htm",
      "source_label": "Nara Prefecture official",
      "verified": "2026-08-22"
    },
    {
      "area": "Nara Park",
      "act": "Feeding deer anything other than shika-senbei crackers",
      "rule": "Prohibited under park rules",
      "penalty": "—",
      "since": "—",
      "level": "prefecture",
      "authority": "Nara Prefecture park rules",
      "source": "https://www.pref.nara.lg.jp/site/park/1232.html",
      "source_label": "Nara Prefecture — park quick guide",
      "verified": "2026-08-22"
    }
  ],
  "konyoku": [
    {
      "area": "Japan — public baths and inn baths",
      "act": "Mixed bathing of children aged about 7 and over (in the men's or women's bath)",
      "rule": "Not allowed — national guideline, implemented by prefectural ordinances",
      "penalty": "Facility rule; refused entry",
      "since": "2020-12-10 (guideline date; ordinance dates vary by prefecture, e.g. Shizuoka 2023-10-01)",
      "level": "national",
      "authority": "MHLW guideline 生食発第1210001号 → prefectural ordinances",
      "source": "https://www.mhlw.go.jp/web/t_doc?dataId=00tc5492&dataType=1",
      "source_label": "MHLW notice (JA)",
      "verified": "2026-08-22"
    },
    {
      "area": "Japan — any bath or changing room",
      "act": "Secretly photographing a person's sexual body parts or underwear without legitimate reason; distributing/uploading such images",
      "rule": "Crime",
      "penalty": "Imprisonment or fine (see Ministry of Justice Q&A)",
      "since": "2023-07-13",
      "level": "national",
      "authority": "Act on the Punishment of Photographing Sexual Images (性的姿態撮影等処罰法)",
      "source": "https://www.moj.go.jp/keiji1/keiji12_00200.html",
      "source_label": "Ministry of Justice Q&A (JA)",
      "verified": "2026-08-22"
    }
  ],
  "trash-cans": [
    {
      "area": "Japan — nationwide",
      "act": "Disposing of trash when no public bin is available",
      "rule": "Take it with you; use bins where available",
      "penalty": "None (guideline, no statutory force)",
      "since": "—",
      "level": "national",
      "authority": "Japan Tourism Agency — Travel Etiquette for the Future",
      "source": "https://www.mlit.go.jp/kankocho/responsible-traveler/en.html",
      "source_label": "JTA (EN)",
      "verified": "2026-08-22"
    }
  ]
}