Mount Fuji introducing visitor cap and entry fee to target overcrowding issues

By Lilit Marcus, CNN

Published 11:07 PM EST, Tue March 5, 2024

Mount Fuji, a UNESCO World Heritage site and an icon of Japan, is putting new regulations in place for climbers amid concerns about overcrowding.

Human traffic jams, foothills littered with garbage and inappropriately attired hikers – some attempting the ascent in sandals - are among the issues plaguing the popular Japanese site.

To ease congestion on the mountain, the Yamanashi prefectural government, which manages Fuji, voted this week to charge 2,000 yen ($13) per climber going forward.

“By strongly promoting comprehensive safety measures for climbing Mount Fuji, we will ensure that Mount Fuji, a treasure of the world, is passed on to future generations,” said Koutaro Nagasaki, governor of Yamanashi Prefecture.

Toshiaki Kasai, from Yamanashi Prefecture’s World Heritage Fuji Division, told CNN that the local prefecture will also impose a daily limit of 4,000 climbers.

In addition, there will be new guides who manage safety on and around the trails. They will inform climbers when they’re violating etiquette on the mountain, such as sleeping by the side of the trail, starting a fire or wearing the wrong clothing.

While Kasai did not use the term “overtourism,” in recent years it has become clear that too many pairs of feet are causing issues on the 3,776-meter (12,388-foot) mountain.

This 2023 photo shows a crowd of visitors beginning their Mount Fuji ascents.

According to prefectural data, five million people hiked Mount Fuji in 2019, a rise of three million from 2012.

“Overtourism – and all the subsequent consequences like rubbish, rising CO2 emissions and reckless hikers – is the biggest problem facing Mount Fuji,” Masatake Izumi, a Yamanashi prefectural government official, told CNN Travel last year.

In 2023, a volunteer named Tomoyo Takahashi told CNN she would ask visitors to voluntarily contribute 1,000 yen ($7.50) toward maintaining the mountain.

“Not everyone pays the 1,000 yen, and it makes me sad. There should be a mandatory entrance fee that’s much much higher so only visitors who truly appreciate Mount Fuji’s heritage come,” she said at the time.

Now, Takahashi will get her wish.

Japan’s tourism headaches

Overtourism has become a bigger issue in Japan since the country reopened following the pandemic.

In Kyoto, locals in the historic Gion quarter have expressed their concern with tourists who flock there to photograph and sometimes harass the geisha who live and work there, earning the nickname “geisha paparazzi.”

While the city has put up signs and placards asking visitors not to photograph geisha, some locals told CNN Travel that it wasn’t enough. One suggestion offered by the neighborhood council is issuing fines or tickets.

And the town of Hatsukaichi, in Hiroshima prefecture in southwestern Japan, has been affected too. The small town is home to the famous orange “floating shrine” torii gate, which is part of a 1,400-year-old Shinto complex.

In October 2023, the town began charging 100 yen (33 cents) per visitor to the shrine. The money from the “tourist tax” goes toward maintaining the site and its infrastructure.

Mount Fuji introducing visitor cap and entry fee to target overcrowding issues

富士山引入游客上限和入场费机制，以解决游客过度拥挤的问题

Mount Fuji, a UNESCO World Heritage site and an icon of Japan, is putting new regulations in place for climbers amid concerns about overcrowding.

联合国教科文组织世界遗产、日本的标志富士山将为登山者制定新的规定，以应对过度拥挤的问题。

Human traffic jams, foothills littered with garbage and inappropriately attired hikers – some attempting the ascent in sandals - are among the issues plaguing the popular Japanese site.

人挤人，山上垃圾遍地，穿着不当的游客——有些人穿着拖鞋上山，这些都是困扰这一受欢迎的日本景点的问题。

To ease congestion on the mountain, the Yamanashi prefectural government, which manages Fuji, voted this week to charge 2,000 yen ($13) per climber going forward.

为了缓解山上的拥堵，管理富士山的Yamanashi县政府本周通过投票决定向每位前来的登山者收取2000日元（13美元）的费用。

“By strongly promoting comprehensive safety measures for climbing Mount Fuji, we will ensure that Mount Fuji, a treasure of the world, is passed on to future generations,” said Koutaro Nagasaki, governor of Yamanashi Prefecture.

“通过大力推动攀登富士山的综合安全措施，我们将确保富士山，这一世界宝藏，传给后代”，Yamanashi县长Koutaro Nagasaki说道。

Toshiaki Kasai, from Yamanashi Prefecture’s World Heritage Fuji Division, told CNN that the local prefecture will also impose a daily limit of 4,000 climbers.

来自Yamanashi县世界遗产富士分部的Toshiaki Kasai告诉CNN，该县将会限制每天4000名登山者。

In addition, there will be new guides who manage safety on and around the trails. They will inform climbers when they’re violating etiquette on the mountain, such as sleeping by the side of the trail, starting a fire or wearing the wrong clothing.

此外，还会有一些向导负责步道和周边的安全管理。如果山上有人违反规则，比如在步道边睡觉，烧火或者穿着不当，他们会提醒这些登山者。

While Kasai did not use the term “overtourism,” in recent years it has become clear that too many pairs of feet are causing issues on the 3,776-meter (12,388-foot) mountain.

虽然Kasai没有使用“游客过度”一词，但近年来，很明显，太多的游客正在给这座3776米（12388英尺）的山带来问题。

According to prefectural data, five million people hiked Mount Fuji in 2019, a rise of three million from 2012.

根据该县的数据，2019年有500万人登上富士山，比2012年增加了300万人。

“Overtourism – and all the subsequent consequences like rubbish, rising CO2 emissions and reckless hikers – is the biggest problem facing Mount Fuji,” Masatake Izumi, a Yamanashi prefectural government official, told CNN Travel last year.

“游客过量以及随之而来的后果，比如垃圾，二氧化碳排放量上升，以及鲁莽的旅行者，是富士山面临的几个最大的问题”，去年一名Yamanashi县官员告诉CNN Travel。

In 2023, a volunteer named Tomoyo Takahashi told CNN she would ask visitors to voluntarily contribute 1,000 yen ($7.50) toward maintaining the mountain.

2023年，一位叫Tomoyo Takahashi的志愿者告诉CNN，她会要求游客自愿提供1000日元（7.5美元）用于维护这座山。

“Not everyone pays the 1,000 yen, and it makes me sad. There should be a mandatory entrance fee that’s much much higher so only visitors who truly appreciate Mount Fuji’s heritage come,” she said at the time.

“不是每个人都会付这个1000日元，这让我很伤心。就应该要有一个高得多的强制入场费，这样只有真正欣赏富士山遗产的游客才会来”，她当时说道。

Now, Takahashi will get her wish.

现在，Takahashi的愿望将要实现了。

Japan’s tourism headaches

日本旅游业的困境

Overtourism has become a bigger issue in Japan since the country reopened following the pandemic.

在经历了疫情重新开放后，游客过量成为日本一大问题。

In Kyoto, locals in the historic Gion quarter have expressed their concern with tourists who flock there to photograph and sometimes harass the geisha who live and work there, earning the nickname “geisha paparazzi.”

在京都，历史悠久的Gion区的当地人表达了他们的担忧，游客们蜂拥到那里拍照，有时还会骚扰在那里生活和工作的geisha，因此获得了“geisha paparazzi”的绰号。

While the city has put up signs and placards asking visitors not to photograph geisha, some locals told CNN Travel that it wasn’t enough. One suggestion offered by the neighborhood council is issuing fines or tickets.

虽然该市已经张贴了一些提示和标语牌，要求游客不要拍摄geisha，但一些当地人告诉CNN Travel，这还不够。社区委员会提出的一个建议是罚款或开罚单。

And the town of Hatsukaichi, in Hiroshima prefecture in southwestern Japan, has been affected too. The small town is home to the famous orange “floating shrine” torii gate, which is part of a 1,400-year-old Shinto complex.

日本西南部Hiroshima县的Hatsukaichi镇也受到了影响。这个小镇是著名的橙色“floating shrine”鸟取门的所在地，鸟取门是一个有1400年历史的Shinto建筑群的一部分。

In October 2023, the town began charging 100 yen (33 cents) per visitor to the shrine. The money from the “tourist tax” goes toward maintaining the site and its infrastructure.

2023年10月，该镇开始向每位游客收取100日元（33美分）的费用。这些来自“旅游税”的钱用于维护场所及其基础设施。