When the climbing season starts in the summer, people hoping to climb Mount Fuji using its most popular route will soon have to pay a $13 fee.
Over 220,000 people ascended last year between July and September.
Mount Fuji Hikers to Pay $13 Fee
The packed routes up Japan's highest mountain, recognized as a Unesco World Heritage site since 2013, have prompted worries about littering and "bullet ascents," which include unskilled climbers attempting to reach the 3,776-meter summit without resting.
According to local guides, the mountain's limited restroom facilities are under unprecedented pressure due to congestion. The number of visitors on the hill also raises the risk of mishaps from individuals who misjudge the effort needed to reach the summit.
Kyodo news agency said that hikers who reach the summit along Yamanashi's Yoshida trail, which crosses two prefectures, will be charged starting in July. Daily entries will be restricted to 4,000, and access will be prohibited between 4 pm and 3 am.
Climbers are currently asked to contribute $6 for the mountain's maintenance.
"After Covid restrictions were lifted, we started seeing more people. We want them to dress appropriately for the mountain and be well prepared," Toshiaki Kasai, a local government official, said.
There are still three other free routes that hikers can use in neighboring Shizuoka prefecture. Officials are confident that the measures will limit overall numbers, as the Yoshida trail is convenient for climbers traveling from Tokyo, with about 60% using it.
Reaching the peak from the fifth stage typically takes five to six hours, but depending on the weather and the climber's ability, it can take up to ten hours.
The environment ministry reported that during the three-month climbing season last year, over 220,000 visitors passed the eighth of Fuji's ten stages, around the same amount reported before the pandemic. The limited hours of operation are expected to discourage individuals from arriving late in the day to begin their ascent from the fifth stage to reach the summit in time to watch the sunrise.
Furthermore, the Japanese media has reported on poorly equipped climbers who sleep on the trails instead of staying in mountain lodges.
"Keeping the number of climbers in check is urgent as we experience overcrowding," Yamanashi's governor, Kotaro Nagasaki, said.
Mount Fuji's Falling Rocks Kill Woman
On Monday, a woman near the summit of Mount Fuji was killed by falling rocks. The Russian woman, Anna Dubrovina, died while climbing with her husband. The distance to the top was roughly 200 meters.
The majority of the over 200,000 climbers who ascend Mount Fuji yearly do not wear helmets. Japan officials warned that climbing without proper equipment is quite risky.
The mountain climbing instruction center located at the sixth station on the Yamanashi Prefecture side trail offers free helmets for mountain climbing. The center says helmets are crucial for a safe ascent and loaned more than 100 after the mishap was reported on Monday.
According to guides, all climbers should know that Fuji is structurally vulnerable to falling rocks. Any movement can disturb the mountain's surface structure, as even a small stone can roll down a hill at lethal speeds.
