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In April, a Lawson convenience store in the town of Fujikawaguchiko, Yamanashi Prefecture, made news around Japan after tourists descended upon the area in great numbers to snap a photo of it looming large in front of Mount Fuji.
The residential area was never set up to be a famous tourist site, and after locals complained about sightseers littering, jaywalking, and gathering on private property at a dental clinic across the street, the local municipality stepped in to set up a blackout screen to block the view and deter tourists.
▼ The screen was installed in front of the dental clinic in May.
When the situation improved, albeit with some visitors poking holes in the screen’s fabric, the blackout screen was taken down in August. However, now, roughly three months later, media reports from the site reveal that bad-mannered tourists are back, and they’re turning the area into what’s being described as a "lawless zone," with security guards bearing the brunt of insults from angry visitors.
These security guards have been employed by the town to oversee the site and stop people from jaywalking and running out into traffic, which is a safety issue as large vehicles often pass through the narrow, two-way street. Although the guards are on hand to help keep people safe, visitors appear to have little regard for them, with one saying he’s been yelled at by foreigners using broken Japanese, with words that translate as “idiot,” “die” and “go away.”
▼ An example of the lengths people are going to to get the perfect shot of themselves at the convenience store.
The language hurdle adds to the stress, because on one occasion, when the guard used English to stop someone from running out onto the street, they angrily told him, “I’m Japanese!” The guard then told him that if he was Japanese, he should cross the street properly — in Japan it’s commonplace to always use crosswalks and refrain from jaywalking or going against pedestrian signals — to which the person told him to use honorific language when addressing him.
▼ This photo, taken at the site when the screen was up earlier this year, shows how little space there is between footpath and heavy vehicles.
With tensions running high at the site among locals, tourists, and security guards, there are fears that more security measures may need to be taken to keep the peace and prevent a major accident from occurring. On days when Mount Fuji isn’t covered by clouds, things are even more hectic as the number of tourists increase dramatically, and with everyone jostling to get the best shot, running back and forth across the road against local laws, it becomes difficult for the security guards to do their job properly.
▼ Though the screen is now down, the signs reading “Do not run out into the roadway!” still remain.
If visitors didn’t ignore the signs posted on sidewalks and at Lawson that read “Do not run out into the roadway”, the guards wouldn’t need to be hired at the cost of taxpayers at all. However, with security concerns paramount, they won’t be going anywhere until the situation improves. While Lawson is yet to take any major measures to address the situation, here’s hoping that people show a little more respect for the guards simply trying to do their jobs, or else the blackout screen may have to be installed again.
*Source: Livedoor News via *Jin
Photos ©SoraNews24
Read more stories from SoraNews24.
-- Tourists damage Mt Fuji Lawson blackout screen that was meant to stop bad-mannered visitors
-- Has the Mt Fuji Lawson blackout screen really stopped tourists from taking photos?
-- Tourist ban now in effect in Kyoto’s Gion geisha district…but are visitors obeying the rules?
- External Link
- https://soranews24.com/2024/11/27/mt-fuji-convenience-store-becomes-lawless-zone-as-tourists-hurl-abuse-at-security-guards/
22 Comments
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Fighto!
Imagine going to Japan, with all the millions of vistas to photograph, and going out of your way to replicate an influencer-inspired photo of a convenience store with Fuji in the background.
These people are dumb. Yep - its as simple as that.
Daniel Neagari
At this pace, what it may happen is that the familymart closes (chages of place) and they build something in there and the view is lost forever
Asiaman7
Remove the security guards! Just like the blackout screens were removed. Get them out of there!
finally rich
They walk among us. Just drove through Meiji Jingu Gaien this morning and I was very relieved I was the 3rd car passing through after the lights turned green, the first 2 cars were honking viciously, that's when I saw some 5, 7 people all unknown to each other standing in the middle of the road as if its no big deal, not even approaching cars were enough for them to get the hell out of the way, my gingko picture first. They all looked like they come from the same country.
ifd66
The black screen was such a poor idea.
Just put up a wind proof screen on the flat roof of the convenience store itself to block the view of Fujisan behind the store.
Job done.
People will no longer want to take pictures from there.
tamanegi
It might be time to place a permanent riot squad there on site 24 hours a day as some have suggested. Arrests and incarceration would be the following procedures.
Some dude
The Era of the Entitled Moron continues.
Jennie
@finally rich,
was there a few days back, not driving but walking and saw a bunch of tourists seriously laying down and jumping up and down in front of ginko trees taking pictures. Why are they lying down on the ground..?
finally rich
No need. Believe it or not there is kouban right next to this Lawson. What are they doing??
https://maps.app.goo.gl/vnCpGnn6bBciML716
This happens pretty much anywhere else in the world, it almost makes you wonder if the Chinese actually memorize cursing words before going visit a country.
"Idiot" "go away" and "die" are all monosyllabic words in mandarin that can be written with a single kanji, they are used everyday in China.
ertyqwerty
Yeah, sure buddy, in your dreams at best! :D Or maybe come to Tokyo, or even to Kawasaki and you will learn the true Japanese manners! Haha
SwissToni
Jaywalking is illegal. If it’s becoming antagonistic, maybe it’s time for the local police to visit occasionally and enforce the law.
Nicolò
Why aren't police officers being sent out to crackdown on them? They are simply violating the traffic laws, aren't they?
The_Beagle
Just hire a couple of guys like the roadwork crews use to stop and start traffic with their batons and whistles. Every few minutes they could stop traffic briefly to let tourists safely cross over.
iron man
what about a bit of a business solution. Set up a line of screens showing the shot with with a download facility, 100yen?? in a parking lot 2-3km down the road. or set up a permanent webcam, that livestreams??
dunno
Thunderbird2
This all seems totally barmy.
If littering in the problem, supply a bin, if it's people getting in the way of traffic, that's their problem... this whole thing just seems to have been blown out of all proportion.
kohakuebisu
First step should be to ensure no bus trip is visiting this site or stopping conveniently near and telling customers to go there. There were at least two earlier this year. Give them a "cease and desist" and threaten them with cancelling their business license.
Wherever they are from, it should be understood that they are trouble and not welcome at this spot. It is incorrect/unfair to claim, as many have done, that it is this spot's fault for failing to accommodate what is then claimed to be a reasonable amount of reasonably behaved tourists. The same goes for people walking in the middle of the road at that flyover in the same town.
DanteKH
This is the most callous and ignorant remark I have ever read on JT.
First, a lot of those picture 'tards are Japanese so they might be right calling on the rude guard, secondly, definitely the Japanese are NOT the one to be given example on how to cross the street "properly".
As a gaijin that lived here for more than 20+ years, I can confirm right away, that everybody is crossing the street whatever, not only on crossing ways, but worst, they cross the street very entitled, and expect the cars to stop for them, or not run them over, because they have priority either way.
And truth be told, even the Japanese Law takes their side in case you him them on the street on any place. They will never be found 100% responsabile, by "Law" .
The_Beagle
They could put one of those pedestrian bridges where you climb the stairs and cross above the roadway. Tourists could cross safely and no need to stop traffic.
ClippetyClop
There are two pedestrian crossings either end of the Lawson. One requires a button to be pressed to stop the traffic, which most tourists don't notice and therefore have to wait forever until someone does. The one on the other side is a regular odanhodo, i.e. the chances of two vehicles being courteous enough to stop at the same time is slim.
The problem is a mixture of impatient tourists and crap drivers.
They could possibly make the entire length of the road in front of Lawson a pedestrian crossing, or paint one of those boxes on the road like they have outside fire & police stations.
But let's be honest, the local drivers will just ignore those like they do the normal ones.
ClippetyClop
Not a bad idea, but it's a very tight road and those bridges need a bit of room to work in.
Also its 40 seconds via the bridge or 5 seconds running across the road.