A Mountain of Industrial Waste Towers Over Homes Near Kyoto’s Fushimi Inari—Residents Furious Over Dust

“We can’t even hang our laundry outside, and our cars are covered in dust,” angry neighbors say

Kyoto’s Fushimi Ward is home to numerous cultural properties, including Daigo-ji Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In a corner of this residential neighborhood, a massive pile of debris has suddenly appeared. Concrete fragments, construction waste, soil, and other materials have been heaped up, reaching a height roughly equal to the roof of a nearby three-story apartment building. The mountain of industrial waste has reportedly been threatening the lives of local residents for the past year.

The waste pile in question is located near the popular tourist destination Fushimi Inari Taisha. Why is there a mountain of garbage in a place like this? A local resident described how the situation came about.

“It used to be a bamboo grove, but about four years ago, a construction company based in Uji City purchased the land, cleared it, and began using it as a temporary storage site for industrial waste. The pile started growing rapidly about a year ago. It’s about 8 meters high now, but at its worst, it was around 10 meters.

We’ve repeatedly consulted with the local authorities and the police, but it’s still there. Where on earth do they intend to take such a huge amount of industrial waste? There have even been times when they placed heavy machinery on top of the pile and operated it. I was terrified that the machinery might topple over and come crashing down.”

The situation has also been disrupting residents’ daily lives.

“I assume they’re sorting the waste, because heavy machinery operates noisily throughout the day, and the noise is terrible. The vibrations are strong enough to shake our houses. Whenever the wind blows, dust comes flying off the pile, so we can’t even hang our laundry outside.

The cars parked in our lot are covered in dust and turn completely brown no matter how many times we wash them. Perhaps because the surrounding fence can’t withstand the weight, it has started to bend. It’s in such a state that you never know when the pile might collapse if there’s heavy rain. There are small children and elderly people living around here. It’s really causing us a lot of trouble.” (Local female resident)

“How long will it take to clear it?” — What was the answer?

Walking around the industrial waste pile, it was clear that parts of the fence surrounding it were badly distorted, with some sections appearing as though they could be pushed over at any moment.

The City of Kyoto is reportedly repeatedly demanding that the construction company remove the waste, but the situation has not improved. A representative of the Waste Management Guidance Division of the Kyoto City Environmental Policy Bureau told FRIDAY:

“Normally, temporary storage of industrial waste refers to bringing waste from a demolition site onto the property, sorting it, and then transporting it to a disposal facility. It is not permitted to store waste at the same location for years.

In the case of this company, we are aware that temporary storage began in November 2021 and that, since around last autumn, the amount of waste stored has exceeded the maximum amount permitted under the regulations. Removal of the waste is currently underway in accordance with instructions from the city’s main office, and we have issued administrative guidance requiring the company to increase the pace of removal and rectify the situation by the end of August.”

Is there a clear timetable for removing the waste? And how does the city view the repeated complaints from nearby residents? “FRIDAY” contacted the male representative director of the company, which had received administrative guidance.

— I’d like to ask you about the industrial waste issue in Fushimi Ward.

“I’m working at the site right now, so I’m sorry.”

— Do you plan to clear away that pile?

“We are, we are. We’re just a little tied up at the moment.”

When asked afterward how long it would take to clear the pile, however, he abruptly ended the call.

The mountain of garbage, taller than the roofs of nearby buildings, still has no clear timetable for removal. Swift action is needed to ease the concerns of local residents.

From the July 31, 2026 issue of “FRIDAY”