Mount Fuji is taking another step toward curbing overtourism by doubling its entry fee this summer.
A bill passed last week set an entrance fee of ¥4,000 (about $26.66) for hikers wanting to traverse the UNESCO World Heritage Site’s four main trails when open between July and September only, according to Japanese media outlet Japan Times.
Visitors to Japan’s tallest peak have to book one of the time slots in advance online, with numbers having been capped to 4,000 per day. Officials are also cracking down on bullet climbing, or attempting to summit the mountain in one day, by closing the gate from 2 p.m. to 3 a.m. every day except for those with overnight hut reservations.
A tourist (L) poses in front of the gate of Fuji-Hakone-Izu national park near the Fuji Subaru Line 5th station, which leads to the popular Yoshida trail for hikers climbing Mount Fuji, ahead of its reopening for the season, at Narusawa, Yamanashi Prefecture.
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“There is no other mountain in Japan that attracts that many people in the span of just over two months. So some restrictions are necessary to ensure their safety,” Natsuko Sodeyama, a Shizuoka prefecture official, told Japan Times.
In 2024, officials implemented the first tourist tax of ¥2,000 (about $13.33) and a visitor limit for the iconic and sacred mountain due to an influx of human traffic jams and littering, USA TODAY previously reported. The restrictions led to a drop in visitor numbers from 221,322 in 2023 to 204,316 last year.
Many hikers who underestimated the mountain’s trails by wearing only sandals or not bringing enough water also caused a surge in rescues. Now people need to attend a short class with a video and pass a test on hiking safety, environmental protection and local rules.
Mount Fuji isn’t the only place in Japan that’s been struggling with overtourism. Since the pandemic, the number of tourists to Japan has skyrocketed from 1.37 million to 3.49 million between Dec. 2022 and 2024. Last year, Kyoto’s famous geisha district started fining misbehaving tourists and the small town of Fujikawaguchiko – which offers a stunning view of the mountain – put up a screen to stop people from overcrowding when trying to snap the perfect photo.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mount Fuji doubles its entry fee and bans late-night hikes
AloJapan.com