The 66-foot-long barrier is placed across from the viral photo spot near a Lawson convenience store that has Mount Fuji in the background
After it gained popularity on Instagram, the view of Mount Fuji now has a 66-foot long, 8-foot tall black mesh barrier placed across the street from a convenience store that has the tallest peak in Japan in the background.
The town of Fujikawaguchiko decided to erect the barrier to deter tourists from overcrowding the area.
Spearheaded by locals, the mesh (erected yesterday) is a response to residents’ frustrations as visitors litter, ignore traffic rules and park illegally. Some tourists even climb on private roofs to get the perfect shot of the mountain.
Since Japan reopened post-pandemic, Fujikawaguchiko has struggled with a surge of “revenge travelers” compensating for lost vacation time during lockdowns.
To manage the tourist influx, the Yamanashi prefecture, home to the primary route for climbing Mount Fuji, has implemented a reservation system for the upcoming climbing season, limiting daily climbers on the Yoshida Trail to 4,000 with an approximate fee of $18.
Japan received 25 million tourists in 2023 and is expected to get over 32 million this year, breaking 2019’s record, as per the Japan National Tourism Organization.