Herpetoculture in Kyoto: market trends, regulatory frameworks, and husbandry innovations at a major Japanese reptile expo

Kyoto is globally renowned for its traditional Japanese culture, historic temples, shrines, and matcha tea. However, as a major urban center with a dense population, it also serves as an ideal venue for large-scale public events. Historically, major reptile expositions in Japan were highly concentrated around the Tokyo metropolitan area, making large-scale herpetological events in Kyoto relatively rare until about a decade ago. Driven by a rapid surge in the popularity of reptile keeping across the country, major expos are now regularly hosted in regional urban hubs, including Kyoto and Fukuoka. On May 9th, 2026, a prominent regional reptile expo took place just ten minutes by car from the iconic Fushimi Inari Shrine.