Yamanashi Prefecture succeeds in restricting climbing Mt. Fuji - Reducing congestion on mountain trails and ensuring safety, what are the challenges for next summer?
On September 11, 2024, Yamanashi Prefecture announced at its regular governor's press conference that the Mt. Fuji Yoshidaguchi Climbing Route was closed for the season on the 10th of the previous day, and that the nation's first mountaineering regulations were implemented this summer, resulting in the success of alleviating congestion and ensuring safety on mountain trails, as well as new challenges. (Photo courtesy of Yamanashi Prefecture)
The mountaineering restrictions were implemented on July 1 to address problems such as deterioration of mountaineering etiquette, congestion on mountain roads, and bullet mountaineering to reach the summit overnight caused by overtourism due to the rapid increase in the number of foreign tourists visiting Japan, and became a hot topic in Japan and overseas.
Specific climbing regulations include the installation of an entrance gate, the collection of a new entrance fee of 2,000 yen, the limit on the number of climbers to 4,000 per day, and the closure of the gate at 4 p.m.
As a result, there was no day when the number of climbers exceeded 4,000, the number of climbers was 125,287, a decrease of 18% from last year, and the number of night climbers was 708, a decrease of 95.1% from last year. In addition, Yamanashi Prefecture said, "Nighttime nuisances decreased throughout the season, and mountain huts gave positive feedback on the quietness at night and the reduction in garbage."
On the other hand, it is necessary to take measures for the next fiscal year and beyond, such as "rush-in climbing" to reach the summit without using a mountain hut by passing through the gate just before the 4 p.m. regulation time, and "light mountaineering" wearing T-shirts and shorts. In addition, there is a growing demand from climbers for the implementation of uniform regulations with the trailheads on the Shizuoka Prefecture side, and efforts are expected for the next fiscal year.
In addition, at a press conference on the 11th, the Governor of Nagasaki answered questions from local media and said, "I would like to exchange opinions with the relevant parties and make adjustments for next summer" regarding the re-examination of the number of people who can climb the mountain and the gate closing time. He also expressed his intention to consider the entrance fee from the perspective of the burden on beneficiaries such as mountain climbers.
