View of Mt. Fuji in Yamanashi Pref to be Blocked from May 21; Blackout Screen to be Installed to Deter Crowds of Tourists

The Yomiuri Shimbun

13:32 JST, May 15, 2024

A blackout screen blocking the view of Mt. Fuji near a convenience store popular among foreign tourists is expected to be installed on May 21, Yamanashi Prefecture’s Fujikawaguchiko town government announced.

Tourists had been flocking to take pictures from the sidewalk across the town’s Kawaguchiko-ekimae Lawson to capture a shot of Mt. Fuji sitting atop the convenience store, causing traffic jams and safety concerns.

The town has already begun work to install a 2.5-meter-tall net spanning 20 meters along the sidewalk to block the view. It also plans to install nine fences, each 80-centimeter-tall and 3-meter-wide, to prevent people from jaywalking across the road in front of Lawson. Work may be delayed in case of bad weather, such as heavy rain.