JAPAN IMPOSES RESTRICTIONS ON MOUNT FUJI TO COMBAT OVER-TOURISM

Starting in the summer of 2024, visitors who want to climb one of the many trails on Mount Fuji will have to pay a fee. The fee will help fund efforts to clean up the mountain, protect the environment and combat overtourism.

Additionally, Mount Fuji’s Yoshida Trail will be capped at 4,000 visitors per day. The measure is being introduced to ensure that the number of visitors does not damage the natural beauty of the famous and sacred mountain, which is one of Japan’s top tourist destinations.

Mount Fuji has seen a significant increase in visitors in recent years. With this increase in tourism, there have been concerns about the accumulation of trash and the safety of hikers. To address these overtourism concerns, the government of Japan’s Yamanashi Prefecture, which oversees hiking activities at the UNESCO World Heritage site, proposed measures to preserve Mount Fuji’s environment. are The mountain is a sacred place for the Japanese, standing 3,776 meters high.

From July 1, the government will introduce a fee for the most popular trail, Yoshida, which is accessible from Tokyo and offers accommodation and meals thanks to its abundance of mountain huts. Also, they will limit the number of daily visitors to the trail. Climbers cannot start climbing between 4:00 p.m. and 2:00 A.M

The Japanese government reported an “unprecedented number” of climbers on the Yoshida Trail last year and expected a similar increase this year. Half of the 221,322 climbers who reached the summit of Mount Fuji last year used the Yoshida Trail.

However, the increase in the number of visitors has led to garbage piling up along the trail, causing traffic jams resulting in accidents and injuries. Officials also worry about inexperienced hikers attempting the trail and struggling with the limited facilities near the summit.

To deal with over-tourism, the authorities plan to install a gate at the entrance to the Yoshida Trail, where a toll will be collected. The proceeds will be used to build shelters along the trail and maintain the hiking trail in case the volcano erupts.