Japan’s Mount Fuji to Introduce Visitor Caps and Climber Fees

Japan’s Mount Fuji is imposing a daily visitor cap and charging fees to limit visitor access to the popular attraction.

According to CNN, this beautiful mountain, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is just a few hours away from Tokyo and will now be limited to 4,000 climbers per day. The local Yamanashi prefectural government also voted to charge climbers 2,000 yen ($13.50) per person.

The government will also place new guides on the hill to manage safety and strengthen etiquette, such as ensuring that people do not sleep on the side of the road or light fires.

Yamanashi Prefecture Governor Kotaro Nagasaki told CNN, “By vigorously promoting comprehensive safety measures for climbing Mt. Fuji, we will ensure that Mt. Fuji, a treasure of the world, can be passed on to future generations.” ”

In total, about 5 million people hiked Mt. Fuji in 2019, according to the network. Last year, the Mt. Fuji World Heritage Council encouraged would-be hikers to avoid weekends and instead choose to visit on weekdays or after sunrise when there are fewer crowds.

The climbing season on Mount Fuji usually lasts from July to September.

Mt. Fuji is a stratovolcano that stands alone and can often be seen covered with snow. The site was inscribed on the UNESCO list in 2013 and has a height of about 12,388 feet.

Climbing this popular mountain isn’t the only thing visitors to Japan need to spend more money on. Japan has also increased the price of the popular Japan Rail Pass, which now costs 50,000 yen ($337.30) when purchased from an authorized retailer. This increase was made possible by improvements in train services, including the extension of lines and the renewal of the reservation system.

The country has also launched a digital nomad program that allows foreigners to work while traveling to Japan to expand tourism. This visa will be available to visitors from 49 countries and territories, including the United States.