To use this site, please disable the ad blocking feature and reload the page.
This website uses cookies to collect information about your visit for purposes such as showing you personalized ads and content, and analyzing our website traffic. By clicking “Accept all,” you will allow the use of these cookies.
Users accessing this site from EEA countries and UK are unable to view this site without your consent. We apologize for any inconvenience caused.
Japan News file photo Mt. Fuji seen from Izu Peninsula, Shizuoka Prefecture, in 2022
Jiji Press
17:34 JST, September 11, 2024
FUJIYOSHIDA, Yamanashi (Jiji Press) — This year’s climbing season for Mount Fuji ended on Tuesday without any major confusion over new restrictions that were imposed at the start of the season.
The hiking trails in Yamanashi and Shizuoka prefectures were closed down at Japan’s highest peak on the day.
Starting this season, Yamanashi introduced a daily limit of 4,000 climbers and a fee of ¥2,000 per person, in hopes of clamping down on dangerous attempts at so-called bullet climbing and to ease congestion.
Meanwhile, Shizuoka introduced a voluntary preregistration system for mountain climbers.
The new rules have been effective as measures to tackle overtourism to a certain extent, with the number of climbers scaling the mountain from Yamanashi or Shizuoka declining compared with last year’s climbing season figures.
At the Yoshida Trail, used by around 60% of Mount Fuji climbers, Yamanashi set up a gate at the fifth station. The gate was closed between 4 p.m. and 3 a.m. during the season, in hopes of preventing people from climbing the 3,776-meter mountain through the night.
During last year’s climbing season, there were five days in which the number of Mount Fuji climbers exceeded 4,000. This year, however, there were none.
“We’ve managed to achieve our goal of controlling the number of climbers, without major issues,” a Yamanashi prefectural government official said. “The restrictions were definitely effective.”
Shizuoka, which opted not to impose restrictions for this season, required climbers to watch a video explaining the hiking rules when they go through the preregistration process.
According to the Shizuoka prefectural government, 70% of people who passed through the fifth stations on the Fujinomiya, Gotemba and Subashiri routes completed the preregistration process.
“For our first initiative, we’d say that (the measure) was a huge success,” a Shizuoka government official said.
The number of deaths of Mount Fuji climbers totaled five this season, however, higher than in an average season.
The measures taken this season have not completely eradicated bullet climbing and overnight climbing.
Shizuoka Gov. Yasutomo Suzuki said at a press conference Tuesday that there were fewer climbers ignoring climbing rules, but the number of such people was “not zero.”
“We plan to continue to educate [climbers] and raise the alarm” on related risks, he said.
