Mt. Fuji opened its first full-scale climbing season last year after the pandemic, and the influx of tourists caused congestion on the trails and piles of garbage.
A source in Japan's Yamanashi Prefecture** said on February 1 that Yamanashi Prefecture plans to levy a 2,000 yen (about 98 yuan) climbing toll per person for tourists climbing Mt. Fuji along the mountaineering route in Yamanashi Prefecture from this summer's climbing season to ease congestion and fund related safety measures.
Mount Fuji. Source: GJ
According to Kyodo News, the prefecture is considering using the money collected to prevent congestion and build evacuation facilities in the event of a volcanic eruption.
Mt. Fuji is 3,776 meters above sea level and is located on the border of Yamanashi and Shizuoka prefectures in eastern Japan. There are four main routes to climb Mt. Fuji, three of which are located in Shizuoka Prefecture and one in Yamanashi Prefecture. The Yoshida Route in Yamanashi Prefecture has a gentle slope and is a classic mountaineering course with a number of recreational platforms along the way.
The 5th station, located halfway up the mountain, is the highest leisure platform that can be reached by sightseeing cars. Yamanashi Prefecture plans to set up a gate at the 5th station trailhead and levy a toll, initially considering levying it in addition to the current non-mandatory 1,000 yen (49 yuan) per person. The draft will be submitted to the county council this month.
Mt. Fuji is usually closed to snow and is usually only open to climbers during the opening period from July 1 to September 10 each year, with the peak concentration of climbers from mid-August to early September.
Mt. Fuji was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2013 and is a popular tourist destination. Mt. Fuji opened its first full-scale climbing season last year after the pandemic, and the influx of tourists caused congestion on the trails and piles of garbage.
According to Japan's Ministry of the Environment, more than 220,000 climbers reached the 8th station on different routes during the opening of Mt. Fuji last year, and more than 60 of them took the Yoshida route.
Yamanashi Prefecture said in December last year that it would prohibit people from climbing the mountain overnight by prohibiting traffic from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. during the opening period unless a mountain hut is booked, while setting a limit on the number of climbers per day.
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Written by Xinhua News Agency.
Edited by Deep Sea Salt.