The ukiyo-e artist Hokusai was famous for his “Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji,” woodblock prints that were deeply symbolic of Japan. But one famous view of the mountain, this time from modern times, has just been blocked.
Local authorities in Fujikawaguchiko, a holiday town in the shadow of the mountain, recently started building a barrier blocking the view of the monument that made it appear, from the right angle, to float above a supermarket, perhaps the ultimate illustration of traditional and modern Japan.
While it may have been worth its weight in gold for your Instagram, the influx of tourists was not appreciated by residents, who complained that visitors were creating litter, blocking access to services used by residents and trespassing dangerously on the roads in search of the perfect picture. The end result: now no one can enjoy the view anymore. It’s a solution to the problem that Mr. Burns from The Simpsons would be proud of.
