UPDATE
May 28, 2024 9:40 AM CDT
If Japanese authorities thought a huge barrier erected outside a Lawson convenience store would stop gawkers from gawking at Mount Fuji, that other thing coming has just arrived. Officials in the town of Fujikawaguchiko said Tuesday that holes have been poked in the 8-foot-plus-high black mesh meant to discourage tourists, and that repairs are currently underway, per the AP. The 10 or so holes are all reportedly at eye level and just big enough to poke a camera lens through. A town official tells AFP that a security guard is at the site between 10am and 4pm, so the holes were likely made earlier in the day or later in the evening when no one was keeping post. "It's about manners," the official notes. "It's a shame."
May 21, 2024 8:56 AM CDT
Sorry, the screen is now up—no more snapping cute photos of Mount Fuji from a popular sidewalk spot in the Japanese town of Fujikawaguchiko. Known as a place that offers some of the best views of the iconic Japanese mountain, the town last month started erecting a large black screen to block the view and deter tourists from overcrowding. A particularly popular location was outside a Lawson convenience store, from where a photo taken at a particular angle made it seem as if Mount Fuji was sitting atop the store roof. The tourists, mostly foreigners, even dubbed the spot "Mt. Fuji Lawson," per the AP. But the townspeople were unhappy—visitors would block the narrow sidewalk, take photos on the busy road, or trespass on neighbors' properties.
On Tuesday, construction of the 8.2-foot-high black mesh net—stretching 66 feet along the sidewalk—was completed. Still, there are other places tourists can find their sweet photo spot. The Yamanashi prefecture, also home to the Yoshida Trail—the most popular of the four routes to summit the 12,300-foot-high mountain—introduced a booking system ahead of this year's Fuji climbing season to ease overcrowding, littering, and safety risks. Under the new plan, only 4,000 climbers will be allowed to enter the trail per day for a hiking fee of about $18, with an option of donating an additional $9 or so for conservation during the climbing season, which starts July 1 and runs until Sept. 10.
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Only those with a reservation for an overnight stay at huts along the trail will be allowed to hike beyond the fifth of the 10 stations between 4pm and 3am local time, a measure to stop "bullet climbing," or rushing to the summit without adequate rest, which officials say puts lives at risk. Designated a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site in 2013, Mount Fuji used to be a place of pilgrimage, but tons of trash left behind have become a major concern. Last year, Japan had more than 25 million visitors, and the figures in 2024 are expected to surpass nearly 32 million, a record from 2019, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization.
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