Japan is a magnet for tourists for so many reasons. It’s got brilliant cities, charming villages, some stunning beaches, and also some top-tier opportunities for those who love a good hike. But that is about to become a little bit spennier.
We reported early in 2024 that there were plans to introduce a fee to hike one of Mount Fuji’s most popular paths, the Yoshida trail. It’s a 14.5 km loop, considered one of the safer and most accessible ways to experience this iconic mountain, but a ¥2,000 ($14) was slapped on ahead of the summer climbing season.
Now, that figure has doubled. According to the Japan Times, local authorities passed a bill on Monday March 17 which means hikers keen to access the trail will now have to pay ¥4,000 for the privilege between July and September. The same will also apply to neighbouring Shizuoka Prefecture’s three hiking trails.
The mountain offers a range of hiking routes, each one for different capabilities and with different amenities, but the Yoshida trail’s proximity to Tokyo and suitability for less experienced climbers means it gets crowded.
There have been instances of congestion and logjams, and the safety implications are one factor that led to the implementation of this fee in the first place. However, since the restrictions were implemented in 2024, which included a cap of 4,000 people per day, numbers dropped from 221,322 in 2023 to 204,316.
So, what does the fee actually pay for? Well, it helps loosen the strain on local teams who need to rescue inexperienced climbers getting into trouble, and it contributes to the construction of shelters to protect visitors from an eruption (Fuji’s technically a volcano after all) as well as other bits of maintenance that the mountain needs.
Japan announced a slew of new tourism measures back in October 2023, and back in January the country’s ‘Spirited Away’ spa-town announced new caps on daily visitor numbers to curb overtourism.
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