Mount Fuji climbing season starts with fees doubled to 4,000 yen

KOFU, Japan (Kyodo) — Mount Fuji’s climbing season commenced on Tuesday, the first day of July, as the mountain’s most popular trail opened with local authorities charging a doubled fee of 4,000 yen ($28) to ease overcrowding and the impact on the environment.

Yamanashi prefecture is accepting a maximum of 4,000 hikers per day on the Yoshida Trail, the most commonly used route to the summit rim of the 3,776-meter mountain, and is scheduled to remain open through Sept. 10.