Japan is tightening the rules for mountaineers who want to climb Mount Fuji. The volcano is one of the most popular attractions in the country. Recently there have been safety and conservation concerns due to the large number of tourists.
New rules will apply to climbing Mount Fuji in Japan: Yamanashi Prefecture has announced that climbers will have to make a reservation and pay a fee. This applies to everyone who wants to climb the summit via the popular Yoshida route.
In the future, only 4,000 mountaineers will be allowed on the route per day. 3,000 seats can be booked online for a fee of 2,000 yen (twelve euros) via Fuji’s official website. The remaining 1,000 places can be reserved in person on the day of the climb. Mountaineers also have to choose whether they want to go on a day hike or spend the night in one of the numerous huts along the routes.
The governor of Yamanashi, Kotaro Nagasaki, thanked the population in a statement for their understanding and cooperation in preserving Mount Fuji. Shizuoka Prefecture, from which the volcano can also be climbed, has been asking for a voluntary fee of 1,000 yen (six euros) per climber since 2014. The authorities there are examining further options to reconcile tourism and environmental protection.
Fuji is one of the most popular Sightseeing features Japan
Crowds, trash and climbers rushing too quickly to the summit have recently raised safety and conservation concerns on Mount Fuji, which was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2013.
Last season, more than 200,000 people climbed Mount Fuji, according to Japan’s Environment Ministry. Because of crowds of tourists, the city of Fujikawaguchiko recently decided to put up a privacy screen to block the view of Mount Fuji. The town is known for a photo opportunity in which the famous mountain appears to rise above the roof of a local grocery store.
This famous photo opportunity of Mount Fuji attracted a large number of tourists to the city of Fujikawaguchiko.
Since coronavirus restrictions were lifted, tourists have flocked to Japan, partly due to the weaker yen. Last year, Japan welcomed more than 25 million visitors, and the number of visitors is expected to reach 32 million in 2024.