Yamanashi Prefecture will begin charge an entrance fee of ¥2,000 to all climbers I want to climb the most popular route to Mount Fuji as the climbing season starts on Monday. The new fee is part of an effort to reduce traffic congestion and prevent unsafe climbing.
The measure against overtourism, which also means a maximum of 4,000 people are allowed to climb per day, is the first time that climbing one of Japan’s most enduring symbols has cost money.
“As more and more climbers visit Mount Fuji, it has long been plagued by the danger of accidents from overcrowding near the summit, increased environmental impact from illegal dumping of waste and bad manners from spontaneous climbers,” Governor Kotaro Nagasaki of Yamanashi told reporters in June during a test run of the new system.
