With a significant number of hikers requiring medical assistance while climbing Mount Fuji every year, Shizuoka Prefecture officials have decided to make sure that people are better prepared before starting the ascent. From this year, climbers on the Shizuoka side — which includes the Fujinomiya, Gotemba and Subashiri trails — will have to take a short test after participating in a brief class with a video. The test covers safety issues and environmental protection. It is hoped this new measure will help to protect Mount Fuji’s fragile ecosystem and make accidents less likely.
Hikers To Be Charged ¥4,000 To Climb Mount Fuji
In an attempt to discourage overcrowding, the Shizuoka Prefectural Assembly recently passed an ordinance to scrap its voluntary ¥1,000 conservation fee for those planning to climb the volcano and replace it with a mandatory ¥4,000 entry fee for all climbers. It parallels Yamanashi Prefecture’s plan to charge ¥4,000 on the popular Yoshida Trail. A ¥2,000 fee was introduced last year. However, in December, the prefectural assembly announced that the price would be doubled. Also, to prevent “bullet climbing,” access to all four trails will be limited to only those with mountain hut reservations between 2 p.m. and 3 a.m.
Overcrowding Concerns
The total number of hikers who climbed Mount Fuji in 2024 was 204,316, a 7.7% decrease from the previous summer. This, though, is still a concerning amount of traffic for Japanese authorities. Also, the number of climbers on the Fujinomiya, Subashiri and Gotemba trails increased by 6.4%. “There is no other mountain in Japan that attracts that many people in the span of just over two months. So, some restrictions are necessary to ensure their safety,” said Natsuko Sodeyama, a Shizuoka prefecture official.
