1000 tourists per day

Japan introduces ticket system for climbing Mount Fuji

In the fight against the increasing number of tourists, the authorities in Japan are introducing a ticket system for climbing the sacred Mount Fuji.(Bild: Tjeerd - stock.adobe.com)

Mount Fuji in Japan is a popular tourist destination. However, overtourism is having a negative impact on the world heritage site. The Japanese government no longer wants to accept this and is now taking action.

In future, only 4,000 hikers per day will be allowed to climb Mount Fuji via the Yoshida Trail, the most popular route, as announced by the Yamanashi region administration on Monday. A ticket will cost the equivalent of around twelve euros.

Tickets for the season, which runs from July to September, can be booked online from May 20. At least 1000 tickets per day are to be reserved for daily bookings.

The 3776-metre-high summit of Mount Fuji is covered in snow for most of the year. In summer, more than 220,000 hikers jostle for position on its steep, rocky slopes every year. Many people make the ascent at night to see the sunrise from the summit.

To combat the increasing number of tourists, the authorities in Japan are introducing a ticket system for climbing the sacred Mount Fuji.(Bild: Tjeerd - stock.adobe.com)

The regions surrounding Mount Fuji are also suffering from the popularity of the Japanese national symbol and the onslaught of tourists who often come to take a photo of the summit.

Tourists trample through gardens, litter the area
At one particularly popular photo spot, where Mount Fuji appears to loom behind a supermarket, the authorities are now planning defensive measures: A huge black screen is to obscure the view of the mountain there in future. Local residents had complained that tourists were trampling over their properties in search of the perfect photo opportunity and littering the area.