Japan imposes new rules to climb Mt. Fuji to fight overtourism, littering
TOKYO — Those who want to climb one of the most popular trails of Japan’s iconic Mount Fuji will now have to reserve ahead and pay a fee as the picturesque stratovolcano struggles with overtourism, littering and those who attempt rushed “bullet climbing,” putting lives at risk.
The Yamanashi prefecture said in a statement via the Foreign Press Center of Japan on Monday it introduced new rules for the climbing season, starting July 1 to Sept. 10 for those hiking the Yoshida Trail on the Yamanashi side of the nearly 12,300 feet high mountain, designated a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site in 2013.
Only 4,000 climbers will be allowed to enter the trail per day; 3,000 slots will be available for online booking at a fee of 2,000 yen (about $18), and the remaining 1,000 can be booked in person on the day of the climb.
Climbers can book their slots via Mount Fuji Climbing’s official website, jointly run by the Environment Ministry and Mt. Fuji’s two home prefectures Yamanashi and Shizuoka.
Known for a number of spots that offer a near-perfect shot of Japan’s iconic Mt. Fuji, the town is trying to reduce the number of visitors.
Mt. Fuji is divided into 10 stations, and there are four “5th stations” halfway up the mountain from where the four trails — the Yoshida, Fujinomiya, Subashiri, and Gotemba — start to the top.
Under the new system, climbers need to choose whether they will do a day hike or stay overnight at the several available huts across the trail. Once they input their information and the day of the climb, they are given a QR code to be scanned at the 5th station. Those who have not booked an overnight hut will be sent back down and not allowed to climb between 4 p.m. and 3 a.m., mainly to stop climbers who rush to the summit without adequate rest, raising safety concerns, authorities said.
Yamanashi Gov. Kotaro Nagasaki thanked people in a statement for their understanding and cooperation in helping preserve Mt. Fuji.
The Shizuoka prefecture, southwest of Mt. Fuji, where climbers can also access the mountain, has sought a voluntary 1,000-yen ($6.40) fee per climber since 2014 and is considering additional ways to balance tourism and environmental protection.
The number of Mt. Fuji climbers during the season in 2023 totaled 221,322, according to the Environment Ministry.
Signs in both Japanese and English will warn tourists to keep out of certain areas in Kyoto’s geisha district, labeling them as private.
The announcement came just as a town in Shizuoka was to set up a huge black screen on a sidewalk to block a view of Mt. Fuji because of tourists overcrowding the area to take photos with the mountain as a background of a convenience store, a social media phenomenon known as “Mt. Fuji Lawson.” This has inconvenienced locals and disrupted their businesses and road traffic.
Overtourism has also become a growing issue at other popular tourist destinations such as Kyoto and Kamakura as foreign visitors have flocked to Japan in droves since the coronavirus pandemic restrictions were lifted, in part due to the weaker yen.
Last year, Japan had more than 25 million visitors, and the figures in 2024 are expected to surpass nearly 32 million, a record since 2019, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization.
Yamaguchi writes for the Associated Press.
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