For the first time in history, faced with an unexpected massive influx of Japanese and foreign tourists, Japanese authorities will have to impose measures to control the number of hikers on Mount Fuji this weekend.
The most famous volcano in the archipelago, culminating at 3,776 meters, open to hikers from July to September, attracts hundreds of thousands of walkers from all over the world. But large unexpected crowds are expected this weekend, complicating the management of the site. Local officials said the planned measures would not amount to a total ban on access, but would aim to “guide” hikers on the trails, including temporarily halting their progress.
65,000 hikers in July
As part of the policy, local police will be alerted and asked to intervene if trails are overcrowded that could “increase the risk of rockfall,” according to a Yamanashi Department statement. Last month, Mount Fuji welcomed some 65,000 hikers, an increase of about 17 percent from the pre-pandemic level in 2019, according to official figures.
This increase in attendance comes from the fact that many Japanese take vacations at Mount Fuji every year and that foreign tourists have returned in large numbers since the lifting of restrictions linked to the pandemic at the Japanese borders.
The volcano, located about two hours by train from central Tokyo and visible from afar on a clear day, has been immortalized in countless works of Japanese art, including the famous “Great Wave” by the great master of prints Hokusai (1760 -1849).