1,000-yen Mt Fuji climbing fee begins on voluntary basis

How exactly will giving a badge and a piece of paper to a climber help preserve Fuji's natural beauty?

Kurisupisu, you missed this part maybe?

"The fee will be used to help preserve the area’s natural beauty."

around 10,000 mountaineers will pay the entrance fee over the 10-day period

Ugh, similar to the Japanese habit of standing in a massive queue for entry into a restaurant that was recently featured on TV rather than going to other identical ones nearby without a queue.

The whole point of going out to nature should be to get away from it all. There are 20 other mountains over 3000m in Japan, where you can avoid that spirit-crushing feeling (that I get at least) that pervades when entering into 'zones of Japanese tourism', full of people wearing identical hats and carefully packed rucksacks, and following guides holding up flags. [rant over]

How does it cost money to preserve 'natural beauty'?

Triple it or more to pay for the clean-up of the whole area. Also, charge a non-refundable 100000 yen fee for a permit to climb in the off or unofficial season and pay it into an account just for rescue of any stranded person. Taxpayers should not pay for someone's recreational "privilege."

1000 yen is not a bad start. I hope they will put that money in good use and not dump it on any infrastructures that can destroy the beautiful mountain scenery.

Depends on what the money is going to be use for. Cleaning up Mt. Fuji and keeping it clean = yes. Padding the wallets of the government officials = No

I would happily pay that fee IF IF IF I was confident that it would indeed be spent on maintaining Mount Fuji. But we have seen so many times, not least concerning Tohoku, that officials can't be trusted.

JT, would be nice to get an update on how many people actually pay this money in the next few days.

This is quite in the nature of things.

kurisupisuJul. 25, 2013 - 12:49PM JST

How does it cost money to preserve 'natural beauty'?

They use the money to pay for cleaning up the litter people leave behind.

This is a donation, not a fee.

The Yamanashi prefectural government estimates that around 10,000 mountaineers will pay the entrance fee over the 10-day period.

Ummm....how do you estimate 10,000 climbers paying a fee that's voluntary?

I fear the receipt will just be thrown along the trail and the money will go to more roads and more concrete.

Ugh, similar to the Japanese habit of standing in a massive queue for entry into a restaurant that was recently featured on TV rather than going to other identical ones nearby without a queue.

Flashbacks to iRobot. Let's hope these funds are used as intended and not squandered on unrelated projects.

I would happily pay that fee IF IF IF I was confident that it would indeed be spent on maintaining Mount Fuji. But we have seen so many times, not least concerning Tohoku, that officials can't be trusted.

Hatsoff - exactly so! Is this money going to Fuji-san? I doubt...

somehow i have a sinking feeling that I dont trust this. The money will go to drinking party, official pockets and if it is used for mount fuji cleaning, very little will go to it. Sorry.

Mirai Hayashi nails the problem. IF officials could be trusted, I'd gladly pay 10 times as much to help clean up Mt Fuji. The problem is, they can't. Perhaps an For every 1000 yen, no doubt 900 yen would be spent on "administrative fees".

The "natural beauty" of Mt. Fuji consists of a dry, rocky, dust-blown, brown landscape peppered very liberally with a smattering of stunted shrubs and weeds -- a landscape reminiscent of, well, the slope of a dormant volcano. While keeping the trail clear of rubbish and debris from hikers is important, the *"natural beauty" angle seems a bit overly generous.

Just 1,000 yen ?

Badge, receipt, and questionaire, plus cost of staff and electric. There goes the ¥1,000 fee. What's left to preserve a mountain of rock and ash? I'll enjoy MT. Fuji's beauty from a distances. All ready seen it close up, up to the top. Wasn't really impressed. North Alps here I come. Beauty up close.

J-tv reported today that on the first day they collected the fees, 38% of the people who climbed that day payed. I don't know what to think of this figure, but maybe we can trust the people a bit more? Of course they would have to be careful they don't run out of badges!

Examples of the ones who weren't paying were people from bus tours (maybe because of their schedule?), and some girls openly answering to the interview that if it was obligatory, yes they would pay, but voluntarily... it doesn't mean they have to.... blah blah.

Hmm... maybe 10% is a good estimate.

LOL. The fee is 'voluntary' in the same way when your boss says, 'It would be a good idea if you....'

The Japanese will pay; the smug gaijin resident in Japan who are trying to be Japanese (i.e. most of you in this site) will pay, begrudgingly, because it would be 'un-Japanese' to do so, and you really want to be Japanese....don't you?; foreign visitors might or might not pay, but will not feel obliged to even of they don't, because it's a 'choice'...right?

The fee is 'voluntary' in the same way when your boss says, 'It would be a good idea if you....'

No. While many will volunteer to pay, it is not the same as a boss telling you to do something as in this case there are no repercussions of you do not.