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Gate installed on Mount Fuji trail to control crowds, but governor says more measures needed

33 Comments
By Mari Yamaguchi

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“Overcrowding near the summit could lead to a major disaster, like people falling in a domino effect,” he said.

Domino effect, when he really climb that mountain. That's right if someone think that people just standstill while not maintaining its balance and not seeing that surrounding. That's why it never happened in Fuji, otherwise it will be over the news.

-11 ( +6 / -17 )

Climbed 4 times, and 3 of the climbs were bullet climbing from Gotemba, Shizuoka.

Bullet climbing is the only interesting way to climb Mount Fuji. Shizuoka’s side is much harder and still free from that measures, So will try again until those restrictive measures are implemented.

But the tons of trash left behind, including plastic bottles and food, have become a major concern.But the tons of trash left behind, including plastic bottles and food, have become a major concern.

It was more a concern 30 years ago when climbers and foreigners were much fewer.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

It is a prevention of overcrowded climbers, but probably (more or less) climbers would sneak in.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

'A QR code is sent to climbers' smartphones to be scanned at the gate, which is halfway up the mountain in an area known as the fifth station, where the Yoshida trail begins. There are 10 stations on the mountain.'

i'm a lifelong hiker, and i've never had a phone. can the wall be scaled?

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Just go around the gate. What are they going to do, put you in solitary confinement in a Nagoya prison?

-7 ( +4 / -11 )

I don't understand why people want to climb Mt Fuji. Looking at it is more satisfying.

-2 ( +5 / -7 )

Yes! Next will be a 4m high electric fence right around the perimeter of the mountain. Thats on top of making people pay a levy if they can see the mountain.

2 ( +7 / -5 )

Just go around the gate. What are they going to do, put you in solitary confinement in a Nagoya prison?

.

There are more than a few laws that could be used for an arrest.

Spending a night or two in a cell under the lackadaisical eyes of the local police might be more than the thrill of climbing to the summit of Fuji…

-5 ( +3 / -8 )

casadeoctaneToday  09:49 am JST

Welcome to a "tourism country" where qualified professionals earn the same here that minimum wage employees earn in the developed world

Yes but this is not the topic here. I climbed Mount Fuji 25 years ago when Japan was not a tourist destination. There were so many people during the last 45 minutes of the ascent that it felt like being in Shibuya on a Friday night! I can’t imagine what it must be like now with the hordes of tourists. It was necessary to do something.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Seems like reasonable measures that will likely help with the problem, may not solve it completely but they are a first step that fortunately is put in order before the season begins.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

After seeing pictures of how crowded Fuji apparently is, I think this seems reasonable. If it can improve the experience for everybody then great.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

There is no problem that cannot be solved when implementing smart management.

No need for walls fences, or barriers.

Bureaucrats, governors armed with taxpayers money are the problem here.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

Yes gates always help in crowds befsuse putting up a bottleneck is good for control. lol.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

Will they ban people without adequate equipment eg. trying to climb in sandals or flip flops (I personally saw people trying to climb Fuji like that)? Bullet climbing is not an issue, unprepared people are.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Manage tourism, whether it be climbing Mount fuji or visiting sensitive sites in Kyoto.

Don't breathe fire at a potential revenue stream, control it, researching the issues, collaborate with the local hospitality sector, direct the tourist to invest, spend accordingly.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Sandoval, make sure there are retailers on site to sell them the adequate equipment and canvassers to suss out the delinquents.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

This is all a bit ridiculous. Will I have to monitor the possible new restrictions for the ascent of Mt.Fuji daily until August? In the worst case, you can miss one new restriction and a one year preparation for the climb goes down the drain.

Just yesterday, by chance, I found a page that mentions watching a tutorial video about Mt.Fuji, and you confirm the viewing with a qr code on your phone when entering at the fifth station.

Also the various bookings on Japanese sites are not exactly a joy. Those who do not know the kanji for "English language" will not learn any information, let alone book anything.

In the end it will be easier to climb Mount Everest.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Mount Fuji, long a symbol of Japan, was once a place for pilgrimages. Today, it attracts tens of thousands of people who hike to the summit to watch the sunrise. But the tons of trash left behind, including plastic bottles and food, have become a major concern.

Come on! This isn't new or anything to do with foreign tourists or any real change.

This was a problem for several decades not years but decades!

I was a member of a mountaineering club and we participated in trying to clean up the mountain well over 20 years ago.

It was not foreigners that made the mess back then but the Japanese themselves.

And it was worse than today.

Human feces and toilet paper, food packaging, PET bottles camera film packaging, you name it we found it!

One big problem that still exists it the warring nature of the rest stations!

They are now responsible to pay for their trash to be brought down the mountain.

So they sell you a bottle of water at a eye gouging price knowing you are not going to drink it there.

Then when you reach the next station they refuse to take the empty bottle because it wasn't bought from them and say they only take bottles they sold.

So people need more water they buy another and again the next station won't take the now 2 bottles from lower stations and by the time you reach the summit you are carrying multiple empty bottles no place to get rid of them and on your way down you will buy more.

So Japanese and foreigners often end up just leaving the bottles any place they can.

The idea of "bring you trash home" isn't that practical in the situation like Mount Fuji climb.

If the authorities would force the stations to take all PET bottles regardless of where they were purchased, that would eliminate a big part of the problem!

-7 ( +2 / -9 )

i'm a lifelong hiker, and i've never had a phone. can the wall be scaled?

Maybe. It can be gotten around with a little bushwahacking.

This gate won't affect climbers coming from below the 5th station via the Satogoya hut. I suspect that old route will be popular with people who couldn't reserve a slot. Unless they put some restrictions there too.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

itsonlyrocknrollToday  01:39 pm JST

There is no problem that cannot be solved when implementing smart management.

No need for walls fences, or barriers. 

Bureaucrats, governors armed with taxpayers money are the problem here.

Smart Management is very vague? Concretely what could it be?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Yes! Next will be a 4m high electric fence right around the perimeter of the mountain. Thats on top of making people pay a levy if they can see the mountain.

Yamanashi is more conservative/protectionist than Shizuoka.

The entire East and north perimeter of Fuji is army training ground and mostly fenced off.

Shizuoka has the more challenging trails and is still free.

The most interesting climb is from the river mouth of Fuji River. Starts from sea level.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

If you or anyone you know is going to climb Mount Fuji here is a suggestion.

Get a Camel pack or a platypus pack 2L minimum.

They will not be sufficient to reach the top and you will probably need to buy more water.

But you buy water empty the pet bottles into your Camel pack or platypus and hand the empty bottles right away back to the seller, they cannot say no!

This way you have no pet bottles and it is far easier to carry and drink from the drinking tubes on Camel pack or platypus.

You also run less risk of running out of water!

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Rakuraku,

Tourism, is a business, leveraging is recognising tourists are customers is the key.

Services selling every product, climbing hiking equipment, most importantly health and safety, registered guides that groups, abiding with the necessary regulation in place, accompanying the "groups".

Such regulation means Mount Fuji becomes an attraction that can be controlled.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

I’ve climbed 8 times and day-climbed every time. I’m not staying in one of those huts.

But I will say that I’ve been shocked at the poor footwear and lack of clothing of some of these tours just starting out at 4-5pm as I’m descended to the 5th station.

Some of these foreign visitors just have no idea how strenuous it is.

I once encountered a German gentleman in a suit (that he’d already sweated through) just above the 6th station at about 4 pm. I told him “Sir, you really need to turn around. You’re not equipped or clothed for this. It only gets tougher from here.”

To his credit, he did.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

itsonlyrocknroll

Today 05:48 pm JST

Rakuraku,

> Tourism, is a business, leveraging is recognising tourists are customers is the key.

> Services selling every product, climbing hiking equipment, most importantly health and safety, registered guides that groups, abiding with the necessary regulation in place, accompanying the "groups".

> Such regulation means Mount Fuji becomes an attraction that can be controlled

Sure, everyone do the same thing, everyone stop and take the same, same photos, eat the same meals, 10 minutes for this activity, 20 minutes for that, move on follow the guide to the next stop!

This was how the Japanese travelled during the bubble and for some time after.

And that is why they all have the same photos of the same places and had near zero interaction with anyone from any of the countries or places they visited.

The number of times I have met Japanese that will say "oh I have been to Canada" and every single one will say the exact same thing and have been to the exact same places right down to the exact same stores, none ever going anywhere off the set tours.

Maybe this is why Japanese cannot understand foreign tourism, the old people making these decisions still living in the bubble mentality that visiting another country means following the set plan and not doing anything other than that!

-11 ( +1 / -12 )

And then the start of The Great Wall of Japan, began.............

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Antiquesaving, cheer up.

It could be worse, I am suggesting a means of holding back what many of these Governors/Mayors/officialdom believe is inevitable.

Over-tourism is the new "something" to sneer at, and "foreigner" is at its rotten core.

I give credence to the suggestion this pandemic has changed the way we once shared certain attitudes and interests in common.

The rules, the masks, the lockdowns, the social distancing has left an indelible immovable stain fracture in society.

Perhaps, in the necessity to construct walls fences. To look inward, insular, create barriers.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

It's a start. They need to add watchtowers and barbed wire to keep those pesky foreigners from climbing our sacred mountain.

-6 ( +1 / -7 )

Installing the gate may eventually become a problem

0 ( +0 / -0 )

but governor says more measures needed

To tackle overtourism in general start by removing visa on arrival to all tourists. Setup something like an esta.

Next, abolish duty free sales outside airports.

Then close all of these mountain climbing trails.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

I once encountered a German gentleman in a suit (that he’d already sweated through) just above the 6th station at about 4 pm.

Are you sure he was German? Germans tend to take mountaineering VERY seriously.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

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