Starting next summer, the toll fee for Mount Fuji’s most popular trail will double from ¥2,000 to ¥4,000 in an effort to discourage overcrowding. The Yamanashi prefectural government also plans to close the entrance gate at the trail’s 5th station two hours earlier, at 2 p.m., to prevent overnight “bullet climbers.”
This plan parallels Shizuoka Prefecture’s plan to charge a ¥4,000 climbing fee and restrict access from 2 p.m. to 3 a.m. for their three trails to Mount Fuji’s peak. The governors of both prefectures are working together to curb overtourism for the summer climbing season.
Mount Fuji is a designated UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site, and attracts thousands of climbers every year during its peak climbing season from July to early September. Yamanashi Prefecture has announced that the increased fees will cover necessary costs for staffing and safety measures.
The Issue of Overtourism at Mount Fuji
Some preventative measures to combat overcrowding were already implemented by Yamanashi Prefecture back in July, when a gate was installed at the fifth station along the popular Yoshida Trail. Other changes included capping the amount of climbers per day to 4,000, closing trail hours between 4 p.m. and 3 a.m. and adding a ¥2,000 toll fee per person.
While it is not uncommon for restrictions like these to be put in place at popular tourist destinations, the new system confused some regular visitors of Mount Fuji. A local man in his 60s told NHK that he was shocked to be charged ¥2,000 just to go on his periodic walk around the area. Others remarked that the stricter rules were understandable and necessary to preserve a World Heritage Site.
Several netizens have posted in outrage in reaction to today’s announcement about a further spike in fees next year. One Japanese X user commented, “What’s the point of public assets that Japanese citizens can’t use unless they pay? […] Soon you won’t be able to use toilets, parks, or libraries without paying.” Another user suggested that “foreigners should pay about three times as much as Japanese people.”
The Growing Problem of “Bullet Climbing”
“Bullet climbing” refers to hikers who attempt to reach the mountain’s peak overnight. These climbers often sleep in complete darkness along the trail. Yasuhiko Ota, a long-time guide at Mount Fuji, informed NHK about the dangers of bullet climbing.
In addition to the health risk of sleeping in single-digit temperatures even during the summertime, he notes that the bonfires that climbers light to stay warm often lead to fires. The sleeping climbers were also prone to getting seriously injured by rocks falling down the trail as other climbers ascended the mountain.
As the number of visitors increases, bullet climbers and other cases of improper etiquette have been inconveniencing climbers and staff. With the introduction of increased entrance fees and reduced hours, Yamanashi Prefecture hopes to lower the frequency of such accidents and disturbances.
