Japan doubles Mount Fuji climbing fees

The 4,000 yen (US$29.90) fee for climbing Mount Fuji was approved on March 17 and will take effect this summer, before the climbing season begins in July. The previous fee was 1,000-2,000 yen. The Shizuoka and Yamanashi prefectures increased the fee to curb overtourism and waste that affect the environment.

Shizuoka Prefecture currently manages three of the four main trails to the top of Mount Fuji: Fujinomiya, Gotemba and Subashiri. The remaining Yoshida trail is overseen by Yamanashi Prefecture. Local authorities said that visitors will be closed during the day from 2 p.m. to 3 a.m. for safety reasons, except for those who have booked mountain huts. Security personnel will be stationed at the 5th Station on each route.

Revenue from the climbing fee will be used to pay staff salaries and maintain safety measures for climbers. The prefecture has also stopped asking visitors to donate 1,000 yen, a plan that began in 2014 to preserve the UNESCO-listed site.

Mount Fuji is over 3,700 m high and is the highest mountain in Japan. Recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 2013, the mountain attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors to visit, trek, and camp every year, especially during the climbing season from July to September.

Japan is experiencing a boom in tourist arrivals, with nearly 37 million expected in 2024, up 47% from 2023 and 15% from 2019. The record number of visitors has raised concerns about the huge amount of waste and the lives of local residents. Japan has implemented a number of measures to control tourism since last year, including banning visitors from some alleys in the geisha district of Gion, erecting barriers in the town of Fujikawaguchiko near Mount Fuji to prevent photography, and introducing new regulations and tourist taxes for climbing Mount Fuji.