General News

Curtain Closes on Viral Mt. Fuji View; Displeased Locals, Safety Concerns Cited as Reasons to Take Action

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:43 JST, May 21, 2024

FUJI-KAWAGUCHIKO, Yamanashi ― A view of Mt. Fuji from outside a convenience store was blocked on Tuesday when a black curtain was installed in front of the store in Fuji-Kawaguchiko, Yamanashi Prefecture. The location had become popular as a photo hotspot.

When seen from the sidewalk across the street, Mt. Fuji appears to be perched atop the convenience store’s roof. Crowds of tourist had flocked to the Kawaguchiko-ekimae Lawson store to soak up the unique sight. The area’s popularity as a tourist spot exploded when it was posted on social media. Since then, the location has seen a series of problems, with tourists crossing the street to take photos and littering among them.

Even dispatching security guards did little to discourage the craze. The result was the view-blocking curtain and a fence to keep tourists from crossing the street, “a reluctant decision” the town was forced to make.

The 2.5-meter-high, 20-meter-wide blackout net was hung along a sidewalk opposite the store.

“Blocking Mt. Fuji is a little sad,” a 73-year-old local said. “This wouldn’t have happened if the tourists had better manners.”

An Indonesian tourist, 26, who was watching the curtain being set up, said that at this point it was a good solution, as the tourists’ bad manners were annoying residents.