Japan charges entrance fee to Mount Fuji to avoid "overtourism" crisis

Japan will introduce new restrictions on visitors to Mount Fuji this year in a bid to protect the site from overcrowding.

The measures will come into effect from 1 July 2024.

Japan charges entrance fee to Mount Fuji

The Yoshida Trail is the most popular route up the mountain due to its easy access from Tokyo and the many mountain facilities that provide accommodation and food.

Japan's Yamanashi prefecture, which oversees hiking activities at the UNESCO World Heritage site, said fees were needed to protect the environment.

They are also implementing a daily limit on the number of people allowed to climb the Yoshida trail to ease congestion.

Hikers will be limited to 4,000 people per day from July 1 this year, which marks the start of the 70-day summer climbing season.

Climbers will also be banned from climbing between 4pm and 2am the following morning.

Mount Fuji sees 'unprecedented number of tourists'

In 2023, a total of 221,322 people climbed Mount Fuji, with more than half choosing to use the Yoshida trail.

The surge in visitors has led to a build-up of trash along trails as well as traffic congestion leading to accidents and injuries.

There are also concerns about inexperienced hikers attempting the trail and getting into difficulty near the summit, where there are fewer facilities.

How much does it cost to climb Mount Fuji?

Officials have not yet disclosed how much the fee will be but said the amount will be announced in February.

Authorities said the proceeds will be used to build shelters along the trail for use in case of a volcanic eruption and maintain hiking trails.

Since 2014, climbers who ascend the mountain via any of the trails here have been encouraged to voluntarily pay 1,000 yen (about 165,000 VND) each for conservation.

Authorities said the proceeds will be used to build shelters along the trail for use in case of a volcanic eruption and maintain the hiking route.