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New guidelines have been positioned of anybody who needs to climb one of many world’s most well-known mountains.
Amid overtourism and littering those that wish to climb probably the most well-liked trails of the long-lasting Japanese Mount Fuji will now have to order forward and pay a price.
The picturesque stratovolcano has additionally not too long ago struggled with those that try rushed “bullet climbing,” placing lives in danger.
The Yamanashi prefecture stated it has launched new guidelines for the climbing season, beginning July 1 to September. 10 for these climbing the Yoshida Path on the Yamanashi facet of the 3776 meter- (practically 12,300 feet-) excessive mountain, designated a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage website in 2013.
It comes because the close by Japanese city of Fujikawaguchiko constructed a big black display screen on a stretch of a sidewalk to dam the view of the mountain and postpone unruly vacationers collaborating in a social media phenomenon referred to as “Mt. Fuji Lawson.” This has inconvenienced locals and disrupted their companies and highway site visitors.
Solely 4,000 climbers shall be allowed to enter the path per day; 3,000 slots shall be obtainable for on-line reserving at a price of two,000 yen (about $18), and the remaining 1,000 could be booked in particular person on the day of the climb.
Climbers can guide their slots through Mount Fuji Climbing’s official web site, collectively run by the Setting Ministry and Mt. Fuji’s two residence prefectures Yamanashi and Shizuoka.
Mt. Fuji is split into 10 stations, and there are 4 “fifth stations” midway up the mountain from the place the 4 trails — the Yoshida, Fujinomiya, Subashiri, and Gotemba — begin to the highest.
Beneath the brand new system, climbers want to decide on whether or not they’ll do a day hike or keep in a single day on the a number of obtainable huts throughout the path. As soon as they enter their info and the day of the climb, they’re given a QR code to be scanned on the fifth station. Those that haven’t booked an in a single day hut shall be despatched again down and never allowed to climb between 4 p.m. and three a.m., primarily to cease climbers who rush to the summit with out ample relaxation, elevating security issues, authorities stated.
Yamanashi Gov. Kotaro Nagasaki thanked individuals, in an announcement, for his or her understanding and cooperation in serving to preserve Mt. Fuji.
The Shizuoka prefecture, southwest of Mt. Fuji, the place climbers may entry the mountain, has sought a voluntary 1,000-yen ($6.4) price per climber since 2014 and is contemplating extra methods to stability tourism and environmental safety.
The variety of Mt. Fuji climbers in the course of the season in 2023 totaled 221,322, based on the Setting Ministry.
Over-tourism has additionally change into a rising subject at different well-liked vacationer locations similar to Kyoto and Kamakura as overseas guests have flocked to Japan in droves for the reason that Coronavirus pandemic restrictions had been lifted, partially as a result of weaker yen.
Final yr, Japan had greater than 25 million guests, and the figures in 2024 are anticipated to surpass practically 32 million, a document from 2019, based on the Japan Nationwide Tourism Group.
