As of this summer, hikers looking to climb Japan’s Mount Fuji via one of its four hiking trails will be charged 4,000 yen (€24). The entry fee is a new measure to tackle overtourism at one of Japan’s main tourist attractions.
Previously, Yamanashi Prefecture had already decided to impose a 2,000 yen (€12) fee plus an optional donation for those wanting to take the Yoshida Trail. Moreover, the prefecture introduced a cap of 4,000 on daily entries for the trail, an online reservation system was set up, and an entrance gate was installed, all in order to try and protect the once serene pilgrimage site.
“There is no other mountain in Japan that attracts that many people in the span of just over two months. So some restrictions are necessary to ensure their safety”, Natsuko Sodeyama, a Shizuoka prefecture official, said to news agency AFP while commenting the fact that hiker numbers on Mount Fuji dropped from 221,322 in 2023 to 204,316 in 2024, partly due to the newly introduced rules.
🇯🇵 A gate is installed on a Mount Fuji trail to control crowds, but the governor says more measures are needed.
— X News Journal (@XNewsJournal) June 18, 2024
A crowd-control gate was installed halfway up Japan's Mount Fuji on Monday ahead of the July 1 start of this year's climbing season, but the governor of Yamanashi, one… pic.twitter.com/4kdh0uMpkD
New entry fees introduced during hiking season
As of this summer, not only will the Yoshida Trail double its entry fee, but the neighbouring Shizuoka Prefecture has also decided to match that 4,000 yen price for the three trails located within its jurisdiction: the Fujinomiya, Subashiri, and Gotemba trails. The bill to amend the fees was passed on Monday, 17 March, according to The Japan Times.
While the entry fees technically apply only to hikers wanting to ascend the mountain between July and September, this means climbing the mountain via one of its four main trails without paying a fee is now impossible. For the rest of the year, the mountain is closed, and all hikes on its slopes are prohibited.
An iconic view of Japan's Mount Fuji is now blocked by a black screen. pic.twitter.com/gShrA5hnC3
— South China Morning Post (@SCMPNews) May 22, 2024
It is not the first time officials are taking measures against overtourism on and around Mount Fuji. In May 2024, the town of Fujikawaguchiko erected a black mesh barrier to block the view of Mount Fuji. They decided to do so in order to discourage tourists from jaywalking and swamping the area with badly parked cars and litter. The screen was eventually taken down thanks to a drop in antisocial behaviour.
A token of good luck
Mount Fuji is not just famous among tourists; it also plays an important role in Japanese culture. Countless artworks have depicted the mountain, and 13,000 shrines across Japan are said to be dedicated to Mount Fuji, aside from the shrines located on the mountain itself. Dreaming of the volcano is considered a token of good luck.
