Visiting unfamiliar places can be as much an enjoyable experience as it is a risky one. Being unaccustomed to the local environment and safety hazards means travel ventures may turn bad. The latest example involves a Hong Kong woman who was killed by a train while taking photos on the railway tracks in a popular tourist city in Japan.

The 61-year-old was reportedly taking photos of the sea before being hit by the train at Asari station, in the coastal city of Otaru in Hokkaido on Thursday. The woman, who was travelling with her husband, was said to be in an area out of bounds to the public.

She is apparently not the first to have violated local rules on taking pictures at the hotspot. Local television broadcasters quoted residents as saying that tourists often stopped on the tracks to take photos and ignored crossing alarms. “It is an accident waiting to happen,” one resident said.

Hong Kong tourists should learn about any safety risks at places they plan to visit in Japan, experts have warned after a resident from the city died while reportedly taking photos on train tracks in Hokkaido this week.

A Japan-based travel content creator and owners of travel agencies reminded travellers they were responsible for their own safety while abroad, saying it was a “misconception” that walking on tracks was safe when no trains were in sight.

“This is a misconception … entering the tracks would not be allowed at any train stations [in use], this is basic knowledge,” a Hong Kong content creator who has lived in Japan for eight years said.

The creator, who identified herself only as Hya, noted standing on a rail line was dangerous and any discarded debris could damage the tracks, possibly causing an accident when trains passed.

“It’s quite easy to go onto the tracks of Hong Kong’s light rail system, but people won’t do so,” she said. “There are many spots where it is easy to enter, but it’s a matter of whether you have an awareness of whether you should do that or not.”