Japanese town blocking view of Mount Fuji after being overrun by selfie-taking tourists
Sayonara, selfies!
A Japanese town with breathtaking views of Mount Fuji has become so overrun with selfie-taking tourists that it is putting up a barrier to block the picturesque vista of the sacred mountain.
Fujikawaguchiko, at the foot of the Yoshida Trail to Mount Fuji, is inundated with foreigners seeking the perfect picture of the mountain, CNN reported.
The most sought-after shot is in front of a large Lawson — a Japanese convenience store chain — with the mountain looming in the background, highlighting the stark contrast between the fluorescent-lit shop and the gorgeous natural landscape.
Town officials sick of the tourists throngs have decided to erect a giant mesh barrier to block the view in the hopes of dissuading overeager shutterbugs from swarming the location.
One official, who did not wish to be named, told CNN that the droves of tourists leave trash in their wake and have issues following traffic instructions.
Efforts like posting signs and deploying security guards have proved useless, the official said.
“It is regrettable that we had to take such measures,” the official said.
The 8-foot by 66-foot net will be installed next week, CNN reported.
Fujikawaguchiko, in Japan’s Yamanashi prefecture, lies just to the north of Mount Fuji and about 62 miles west of the capital Tokyo.
Since the pandemic ended, Japan has seen an unprecedented number of tourists. Just last month, more than three million foreigners entered the country, setting an all-time record, according to CNN.
Mount Fuji, a national symbol of Japan and an UNESCO world heritage site, is among the most popular destinations for visitors.
But the hordes of tourists have been rough on Japan’s tallest peak, causing erosion and leaving so much trash behind that locals have derisively begun referring to Mount Fuji as “trash mountain,” according to CNN.
“Overtourism – and all the subsequent consequences like rubbish, rising CO2 emissions and reckless hikers – is the biggest problem facing Mount Fuji,” Masatake Izumi, a Yamanashi prefectural government official, told CNN Travel last year.
To help protect the mountain, Yamanashi officials have established a slew of new restrictions for tourists, including limiting paths to 4,000 hikers per day and charging a fee of $13, which was previously optional.
Overtourism has become a serious problem for high-demand tourist destinations the world over, some of which are taking similar measures to curb the deluge of visitors.
Venice, Italy recently imposed a 5 euro ($5.36) fee for day trippers visiting the City of Canals. And while the city raked in $30,000 on the first day of the controversial program, critics say that the fee won’t even scratch the surface of the real environmental problems facing Venice.
In the United States, travelers flocking to the country’s top national parks now need to make reservations or risk being denied entry due to overcrowding.
