Mount Fuji crowds shrink after Japan rolls out overtourism measures
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
The number of climbers fell by 14 per cent between early July and early September, according to the Environment Ministry.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
Follow topic:
TOKYO - Fewer climbers tackled Mount Fuji during the hiking season in 2024, preliminary figures show, after Japanese authorities introduced an entry fee and a daily cap on numbers to fight overtourism.
Online reservations were also rolled out in 2024 by officials concerned about safety and environmental damage on the country’s highest mountain.
The number of climbers fell by 14 per cent between early July – when the volcano’s hiking trails opened for the summer – and early September, according to the Environment Ministry.
To calculate its preliminary figures, the ministry used infrared devices installed on the four trails.
It comes despite Japan welcoming a record influx of foreign visitors
Officials raised the alarm in 2023 about overtourism at the once-peaceful pilgrimage site, with the local governor of Yamanashi region warning that “Mount Fuji is screaming”.
This summer, the Environment Ministry counted around 178,000 climbers, compared with more than 200,000 in 2023 and before the pandemic.
Gates to the trails were closed on Sept 10, marking the end of the hiking season. The preliminary data runs to Sept 4 and will be updated at a later date, a ministry official told AFP on Sept 11.
The mountain is covered in snow for most of the year, but during summer, many trudge through the night to see the sunrise from the 3,776m summit.
In 2024, an entry fee of 2,000 yen (S$18) plus an optional donation was imposed on the popular Yoshida Trail, with numbers capped at 4,000 per day. The three other trails remained free.
Concern had been raised that some climbers were sleeping on the trail or starting fires for heat, while others became sick or injured after trying to reach the summit without breaks.
Mount Fuji is about two hours from central Tokyo by train and can be seen for miles around.
The majestic mountain is a symbol of Japan that has been immortalised in countless artworks, including Hokusai’s Great Wave. AFP
