New fences installed at Mount Fuji photo spot to curb jaywalking

"The site in Fujikawaguchiko has drawn many foreign tourists seeking to capture images of the iconic mountain perching above the Lawson convenience store."

Ummm... excuse me, but I believe the LAST time this site made the news it was pointed out how racist the people installing all of this "foreign-tourist prevention" methods was, when the security guard screamed at a JAPANESE TOURIST in English, then the Japanese tourist pointed out to the guard that he was Japanese and the guard could only say, "Well... uhhhh... you can't be because Japanese people know better!" (to which the Japanese guy slammed the guard for not using Keigo when addressing him, you know, like a Japanese should).

So, you can drop the "foreign tourists" excuse.

Just move the crossing. Drama at its finest.

All they need is a sign in English and Chinese stating " If you jaywalk here and get hit, YOU will be responsible for ALL damages to property and vehicles."

Right, that you can just step over...

This is so ridiculous. Just put something on top of the Lawson to block the view.

MattToday 05:45 pm JST

This is so ridiculous. Just put something on top of the Lawson to block the view.

Perhaps they can put up a giant photo of Mount Fuji and claim they are just getting in on the spirit of the the thing.

Everyone's looking at this the wrong way.

We should be convincing influencers to tell their mindless followers that Mt. Fuji is no longer cool, nor is it The Thing To Do in Japan.

Instead, the influencers can make themselves useful and tell everyone that the new hip thing to do in Japan is to grab a selfie on the edge of the caldera of Sakurajima. The windier it is and the less sure the footing, the more likes you'll get.

The whole thing is ridiculous. The local government should be making the most of it. Close the street to traffic, plant some trees, put in some benches, turn it into a place people would like to go, and rake in the tourist dollar

Ideal but not really feasible. It's the eki-mae street, a main thoroughfare. You'd have to redesign half of the town.

Just put something on top of the Lawson to block the view.

I suggested that they put a couple of gnarly utility poles up behind it, ruin it completely but in a uniquely Japanese way.

I wonder how happy Lawson are about having half of the vehicle entrance to their carpark blocked off.

I wonder how happy Lawson are about having half of the vehicle entrance to their carpark blocked off.

Exactly! I drove past it today, thought the same.

It's unnatural and somebody is going to slam into it sooner rather than later I reckon.

Or they could knock down the store and turn it into a big car park, with a viewing platform

Appears they are blocking an approved street entry point. Strange they would do it there and not on the other side

Or they could knock down the store 

Who are, ‘they’? This isn’t China or Russia you know.

How about Lawson moving to another place?

Maybe ‘they’ can force them to relocate to a less wildly lucrative spot.

Why doesn't the authorities', police etc where in the name of public safety simply issue a warning move the "tourists" along or, failure to respect such a request, an on the spot fine and/or confiscation of smart phones/camera equipment to be returned following a further "administration fee" at the local police station?

Talk about creating a mountain out of molehill.

I can't believe this has been in the top national news so many times.

You'd think they could figure out how to solve such a minor problem.

Fences so low they can be stepped over and encourages loitering by the tourists they wish to repel. Bravo.

Tourists being made to feel more and more welcome by the day…

I want to get my photo with the new fence at the famous konbini.

Be aware, this influx of "over tourism" could provoke the spiritual inner Mount Fuji demon diva to suddenly flare-up triggering temperamental eruptive hissy fits demanding exclusive copyright and image rights.

Move on now.....

I bet you a million bucks that if you look back at this particular Lawson's ads/site info, etc., you'll find somewhere that they actually advertise the view of Mt. Fuji as a selling point for going there.

I wasn't advocating such harsh treatment, ClippetyClop just pointing out patience can have limits.

Could the local authorities be close to reaching those limits?

It so, harsh action, whether warranted or not, could soon be forthcoming.

I bet you a million bucks that if you look back at this particular Lawson's ads/site info, etc., you'll find somewhere that they actually advertise the view of Mt. Fuji as a selling point for going there.

Would you, though.

Should have informed yourself that individual franchises don't have their own homepages.

...We wont be respecting Japan's special carbrain rules.

There are statistically more civilised, developed and safer countries than Japan when it comes to highway and public space use.

Not long until the beg to cross flags now. Have you bowed and raised your hand to a car today?

The whole thing is ridiculous. The local government should be making the most of it. Close the street to traffic, plant some trees, put in some benches, turn it into a place people would like to go,

Not so ridiculous for locals dealing with trespassing, litter, jaywalking...

Turn it into a place people would like to go

It is. That's the problem.

smithinjapan has a interesting point, apart from the local council erecting barriers, sending out the odd private officer dibble, Lawson deafening silence, a sort of perverse J/ Ferengi Rules of Acquisition have prevailed,, Rule 9: Opportunity plus instinct equals profit.

One way or another those tourist have cash to spend, so why not take advantage.

Be aware, this influx of "over tourism" could provoke the spiritual inner Mount Fuji demon diva to suddenly flare-up triggering temperamental eruptive hissy fits demanding exclusive copyright and image rights.

Evidently some readers, unhappy with this post, are unfamiliar with irony/sarcasm.

The thing about this Japan Today site, I never read the articles. The comment section is way better. Really though, if the Japanese are so turned off about this and it is such a pain then use some of the millions of yen people have spent as tourists and build a structure of some type. The indigenous people and tourists can both enjoy it.

build a structure of some type. The indigenous people and tourists can both enjoy it.

Build a structure? In this particular instance you suggest..?

Locals enjoyed Fujikawaguchi-ko just fine until scofflaw tourists showed up.

Indigenous people

Locals- rather than Ainu, or those of Ryukyu heritage.

@Japan Glimpsed.

Bullseye.....to further smithinjapan point.

Foreign tourists spent a total of 5.29 trillion yen ($35.7 billion) in 2023, up 10% from four years earlier 

Spending per capita rose 34% 

The most spent item was accommodation, followed by shopping and eating and drinking.

This was a more than 20 million increase from 2022, when the country's borders were mostly closed to tourists 

It was 79% of the pre-pandemic level of 2019 

It was the largest number of visitors since 2019 

The most visitors came from South Korea, Taiwan, China, Hong Kong, and the United States 

December 2023 saw the most visitors on a single month basis since the pandemic 

Mount fuji is erupting cash.

Over tourism? simply a whisper.,

..We wont be respecting Japan's special carbrain rules.

Explication of this obscure phrase would be welcome.

I wasn't advocating such harsh treatment,

No, your ironic post did nothing of the sort.

Tourists being made to feel more and more welcome by the day…

Perhaps you haven't been paying attention to what's happening in Venice, Barcelona, throughout Europe... Over-tourism is a scourge.

There is one sign near the station pointing the way to Mt Fuji. On the way back there’s one sign indicating the way to the station. I got lost, walking around for more than an hour. I tried to ask people for directions. They either didn’t bother to stop or if they did they didn’t know or didn’t understand my question: Station please? All street signs are in Japanese. At Lawson a friendly shop person called a taxi.

At this point, it seems that those who've decided they don't want people taking pictures of the mountain are just trying to save face.

They should buy some of the US-Mexico border wall that Biden is giving away for pennies on the dollar!

Seriously though, I think this fence is not a solution. Most small towns would love to have a tourist destination. I really think they need to change their thinking from "how do we stop this" to "how do we make this safe for everyone". They'll come up with a creative answer then.

You'd think they could figure out how to solve such a minor problem.

Erect a screen, barriers, signs and traffic wardens... Short of banning (foreign) tourists, the municipality has done what it can.

Not a minor problem for locals (again, not indigenous people).

Tourists being made to feel more and more welcome by the day

Yes, as the upper limit on duty-free purchases is set to be rescinded. Among other measures to spur tourism.

They should buy some of the US-Mexico border wall that Biden is giving away for pennies on the dollar!

Okay, Bret T. Seriously, though, let's have some proof of that.

I can’t believe this is the Top Story

Erect a screen, barriers, signs and traffic wardens... Short of banning (foreign) tourists, the municipality has done what it can.

Agreed. I pass through this place several times a week. Some local official called it 'lawless', which is an astonishing claim. A few dozen young people taking pictures, the odd few darting across the road, a bit of gomi tucked away behind a sign. Nothing to get so alarmed about. It's quite a nice vibe there, people enjoying their holidays.

There are often TV crews hanging out there, eager to film the 'lawless' hordes occasionally running across the road. A local guide friend of mine who is there every day got chatting to a TV crew, asked them why they don't film the cars failing to stop at the two very nearby odanhodo crossing points.

It would be really helpful if drivers obeyed the law too.

The laws in place already should be enough to solve this problem. If people are jay walking ticket them. Taking photos, while possibly annoying to some, is not illegal.

Foreigners revolt! Take hundreds and thousands of photos!

this is where i get excited, finding opportunities for 200 volt electricity and a video camera.

Darn way of making a street with a spectacular view of Mount Fuji look like a military bunker.

There are many ways to take advantage of such a strategic viewing street into a tourist- friendly corner that will make everyone happy instead of making the place look like little Kursk.

People who have visited to photograph the other screens will now have to visit again to photograph the new ones.

7-Eleven across the street has heavy loitering but Lawson is the only one targeted

I hope that Lawson hires executives with intelligence enough to make this case a top case for transforming a problem into an opportunity. They should hire architects to draw a store with multiple floors, cafe, restaurant and a terrace with the best viewpoint to Fuji-san. When I lived in Yokohama, I went several times to the top of Landmark Tower to see the marvelous view of Mount Fuji from there, the sunset, the city lights. There they built places for people to sit and enjoy the scenery, and there is a bar to buy drinks, ice cream and beverages. Oh, yes, there was a charge to access this floor via a high-speed elevator. Unfortunately, there is a narrow thinking and short view of the privileged location that they have and could make a top case of marketing (positive)

The fence will let the tourists sit and loiter. The exact opposite of their aim. Talk about kicking an own goal.

At some point, the fade will wear off and the tourists will stop coming.

The fence will let the tourists sit and loiter. The exact opposite of their aim. Talk about kicking an own goal.

Or it might stop folks jumping over it and cars crashing into it. We'll see.

They should hire architects to draw a store with multiple floors, cafe, restaurant and a terrace with the best viewpoint to Fuji-san.

The point of the picture is to have the store and Fuji in / on it. No Lawson, no picture.

Sometime a problem doesn't have a satisfactory solution and just needs to be managed as well as possible.

Typical Japanese technofix, which fixes nothing. Similar to the way Tokyo fights parked bicycle.... they just fence the areas off, with he result that the bikes appear outside the fenced area, taking even more space.

Why can´t they just place a police box there? That would cut down on the problem and keep the omawari busy.

Why can´t they just place a police box there? 

There’s already one right next to it.

So you’ll have to find another complaint vector.

From just reading the headline I was skeptical but after seeing the new fences, in the photo

Reading most of the comments, I am not surprised at the usual folks getting in their potshots at Japan. These people never take the side of Japan in anything. Tourists behaving badly is a very serious concern not only in Japan, but around the world. I guarantee you some of these same people mocking Japanese here would then be angrily demanding action if tourists in their native countries did the same thing. I've seen videos of this area and you see tourists from certain asian countries ignore all safety rules and cross back and forth across the street wherever they want, and then feign ignorance when local workers tell them to use proper crosswalks.

Makoto ShimizuDec. 18 06:51 am JST

I hope that Lawson hires executives with intelligence enough to make this case a top case for transforming a problem into an opportunity.

This is the voice of reason right here. If people like something you lean into it and make money as well as make people happy. Who cares about a stupid grocery store anyway.

oldman_13Dec. 18 10:15 pm JST

Reading most of the comments, I am not surprised at the usual folks getting in their potshots at Japan.

As if Japanese citizens never went around flaunting their wealth in the 90s, buying up foreign property, booking all the cruises. They used to walk into my yard as a kid and take pictures of everything. It was a stereotype for a while, the Japanese rich tourist with the huge expensive camera around his neck. Oh what, we're not supposed to be here? Sorry we don't speak english!

As if Japanese citizens never went around flaunting their wealth in the 90s, buying up foreign property, booking all the cruises. They used to walk into my yard as a kid and take pictures of everything. It was a stereotype for a while, the Japanese rich tourist with the huge expensive camera around his neck. Oh what, we're not supposed to be here? Sorry we don't speak english!

Classic red herring comment by the anti Japan crowd. What does what Japanese tourists supposedly did in the 90's and buying up real estate in Western countries have anything to do whatsoever with this topic.

This is about foreigners misbehaving and ignoring rules in Japan just so they can get that perfect photo op. Nothing whatsoever to do with Japanese behavior in other countries, and it's typical mentality of this anti J crowd that Japanese people are not allowed to be upset at anyone acting badly in Japan, due to some Japanese people behaving badly abroad. Some 'logic' there.

And hypocritical since these people would get outraged if foreigners behaved badly in their native countries. In that case they aren't going to sympathize with the foreigners and demand that the local businesses build new structures and do everything they can to accommodate them. So ludicrous