Paid climbing introduced for Japan’s Mount Fuji to counter overtourism
With the summer climbing season approaching, Japanese authorities announced on Monday that an online booking system for Mount Fuji's popular Yoshida Trail will be introduced to combat congestion and environmental impacts of overtourism on the active volcano.
Designated a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) heritage site since 2013, the 3,776 metre tall Mount Fuji is a major tourist attraction growing in popularity every year.
The paid reservation system, officially unveiled on Monday, will be activated for those wishing to ascend Mount Fuji between 1st July and 10th September, and slots can be booked online starting 20th May.
The Yamanashi region is planning to cap daily entries to 4,000 people, who will be charged 2,000 yen (about US$13) each.
Mount Fuji is covered in snow most of the year, but in the summer more than 220,000 visitors climbed up its steep, rocky slopes. Some attempt to reach the 3,776-meter summit without breaks and become sick or injured as a result.
Tourists are also flocking to surrounding areas to snap the majestic mountain, which is seen as a symbol of Japan but whose popularity is proving a burden to locals.
The booking fee of US $13 covers entrance to the Yoshida Trail, which is used by about 60% of visitors and is one of four entrances to the mountain. A gate will be installed at the entrance of the fifth station of the Yoshida trail, which will only open from 3am to 4pm.
Authorities said the gate closures will help to address the problem of overcrowding, as many climbers want to go up Mount Fuji to witness sunrise at the summit and descend quickly afterward. Hikers who stay in mountain huts in the area will be allowed to go through the gate beyond its limited hours.
Climbers will need to show a QR code to verify their booking, but at least 1,000 of those slots may be booked on site, according to local news outlet Kyodo.
Overtourism has become a major problem with Mount Fuji’s trails littered with waste. People who work and live nearby had complained about mostly foreign tourists trespassing, littering and dangerously crossing the street to get the perfect Instagram post.
Record numbers of overseas tourists are traveling to Japan. In March, monthly visitors exceeded three million for the first time. Data from Japan’s Ministry of Environment shows that since 2014, except during the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of visitors to Mount Fuji during the hiking season from July to September has been consistently above 200,000.
Image. Credit: Shutterstock
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