Beautiful volcano brings in drastic new rules after being overwhelmed by 220k tourists

Staff at one of the most popular volcanoes in the world is bringing in new regulations to curb its overwhelming tourist numbers.

Mount Fuji is the tallest point in Japan, reaching a massive 3,776 metres. The UNESCO World Heritage site has long been revered for its natural beauty as well as its spiritual significance.

The volcano is one of the country’s Three Holy Mountains – drawing thousands of people to visit it.

However, the legions of tourists attending the mountain leave behind litter, cause human traffic jams, and need assistance when they get injured after hiking in clothing not appropriate for the climb.

Over 220,000 visitors took the journey between July and September, while 61 rescue calls for injured hikers were made at the same time, Reuters reported.

New stipulations will be now introduced for people looking to climb the mountain, the Yamanashi prefectural government voted this week.

These include a fee and a cap on how many are allowed to make the ascent every day.

Government official Toshiaki Kasai said: “After Covid restrictions were lifted, we started seeing more people.

“We want them to dress appropriately for the mountain and be well prepared.”

Tourists will now need to fork out a 2,000 yen ($13) fee per climber for entry. The mountain will also use a cap of 4,000 visitors per day.

Climbers will also be under greater supervision. Official guides will watch the trails to advise people who are acting dangerously or inappropriately – such as sleeping right on the side of the path.

Koutaro Nagasaki, governor of Yamanashi Prefecture, said: “By strongly promoting comprehensive safety measures for climbing Mount Fuji, we will ensure that Mount Fuji, a treasure of the world, is passed onto future generations.”

The new rules will be introduced on July 1 this year.

A post-Covid travel surge has prompted Japan to introduce several countermeasures to combat over-tourism in recent years.

Its tourism industry announced plans late last year to combat the issue. This included Bolstering public transportation fleets in popular areas, charging higher fares during peak travel times, herding visitors away from already overcrowded areas, charging entry fees to more locations and offering more support to local governments dealing with the onslaught.

More than 2.5 million tourists have already headed to Japan as of January 2024, the Japan Tourism Agency reported.

Between January and November of last year, more than 22.3 million travellers came to the country, the closest Japan has come to returning to pre-pandemic numbers – with more than 31.8 million visiting in 2019.