Japan's Mt. Fuji begins charging admission

Japan's tallest peak opened for the 2024 climbing season on Monday with one crucial change: now it's for ticket holders only. - REUTERS

Transcript

00:00Japan's Mount Fuji, an icon of the country and its tallest peak, is now for ticket holders only.

00:08This new gate at the trailhead opened for the first time at 3 a.m. on Monday.

00:13It's a reaction to what local authorities say is a recent surge of inbound tourists from overseas

00:21that's led to both harm to Fuji's environment and, they say, an uptick in the number of underprepared climbers in need of rescue.

00:28Now, if you want to journey up the mountain, you'll need to pay a 2,000 yen fee, about $12.

00:34That nets you a wristband granting access between 3 in the morning and 4 p.m.

00:39But once 4,000 people pass through the gate, entry is restricted.

00:43On Monday, Japanese hikers were supportive of the move.

00:48I think Mount Fuji will be very happy if everyone is more conscious about the environment

00:52and things like taking rubbish home with them.

00:55I think having a system where you reserve in advance is good.

00:58I think it'd get dangerous if there were too many people.

01:02Authorities say there are exceptions to the limit.

01:05Those with reservations for mountain huts closer to Fuji's peak,

01:09where people often rest if they split the hike over two days, will be able to pass outside those hours.

01:14In explaining the fees, Yamanashi Prefecture Governor Kotaro Nagasaki told reporters last month

01:21that the country should focus on attracting, quote,

01:24higher spending visitors over sheer masses of people.

01:27Japan has seen a record pace of inbound tourism.

01:30This last May saw a surge in arrivals, some 60 percent up from the year before,

01:35and nearly 10 percent higher than May 2019.

01:39The country's currency is the weakest it's been in decades,

01:42enticing visitors pent up from years of lockdowns and eager to get more for their money.

01:47This surge has raised worries of over-tourism at hotspots around Japan.

01:51And this week isn't even the first measure taken tied to Mount Fuji.

01:55In May, officials set up an eight-foot-high barrier to block sight of the mountain

01:59behind a Lawson's convenience store,

02:01which had gone viral for views of it set against Fuji as a backdrop.

02:05Locals had complained that visitors refused to obey rules on littering and parking.