Giant barriers planned in Japanese town to block view of Mount Fuji

A Japanese town has planned to install a large mesh barrier across the road leading to a popular Instagram-famous viewpoint of Mount Fuji.

This event, which was highlighted last month, was encouraged due to the complaints from the local authority following what they considered as inappropriate conduct of usually foreign tourists who caused hygienic nuisance, encroached on private property and violated traffic laws. Since then poles have been built for laying a 2.5*20 meter (eight by 65 foot high screen which actually blocks the view of Japan’s tallest mountain seen behind Lawson convenience store.

Tourism Pressures Prompt Installation of Barrier Blocking View of Mount Fuji

On Tuesday morning, an AFP reporter observed workers in hard hats completing the installation of metal poles, preparing to attach the barrier at the popular photo spot in Fujikawaguchiko town. Images capturing this striking view from a narrow sidewalk across a busy road from a Lawson convenience store, part of a widespread Japanese chain, have been extensively shared online.

However, its construction is now set to begin sometime in the next few days as logistics of construction material is cited as having delayed the construction of the barrier in the first place and granted tourists some more days to immortalize a pic-worthy shot. While mayors and citizens benefit from tourists, they complain when numerous walkers cross the street when the signal light beam is red, helmet-less bikers ride wrongly in the streets; cars park where they shouldn’t, and people who smoke outdoors disrupt others.

A town official informed AFP in April that traffic signs and warnings from security guards had not succeeded in improving the situation and said “It’s regrettable we have to do this, because of some tourists who can’t respect rules.”This measure is also intended to safeguard a nearby dental clinic, where tourists occasionally park without permission and have even been spotted climbing onto the roof to take pictures.

 Japan recorded more than three million foreign tourists in March for the first time and repeated the feat in April this year. Despite highlighting the benefits of increased inbound tourism such as increased consumption, international flow of currency, and establishment of new businesses, similar to Venice that has recently started trialing the entry charges for the day-trippers, the rise of tourist has not been welcomed by all parties.

 In Japan’s historic capital, Kyoto, residents have reported issues with tourists harassing the city’s renowned geisha.

And hikers using the most popular route to climb Mount Fuji this summer will be charged 2,000 yen ($13) each, with entries capped at 4,000 to ease congestion.

A new online booking system for the mountain’s Yoshida trail opened on Monday to guarantee hikers entry through a new gate, although 1,000 places a day will be kept for day-of entries.Mount Fuji, typically snow-covered for most of the year, attracts over 220,000 hikers to its steep, rocky slopes during the July-September season. 

Hikers many times trek through the night to catch the first rays and some of the climbers try to reach the peak of 3,776-meter (12,388-foot) without rest and in the process they get either suffer from fever or met with accidents.

Authorities have raised issues of safety and environmental issues as a result of this overcrowding at the active volcano which is one of the most recognizable landmarks of Japan as well as a traditional site of spiritual retreat.

Residents near other popular photo spots in the area, such as the Fuji Dream Bridge, have also recently voiced complaints about overtourism.

A tour operator that provides day trips from Tokyo to the Mount Fuji region mentioned to AFP that they are redirecting visitors to another Lawson store close by, offering a comparable view but with fewer local residents nearby.

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