The town of Kusatsu in Gunma Prefecture, north of Tokyo, has closed off the area around a scenic crater lake due to overcrowding less than a week after it had reopened.
The town lifted entry restrictions around the Yugama crater lake on Mount Kusatsu-Shirane on October 13, after the eruption alert level was lowered to one in May of this year.
The area was soon crowded with far more tourists than expected, all eager to see the emerald green lake for the first time in eight years.
The town says about 4,000 vehicles visited over the weekend. On Sunday, a traffic jam stretched about 7 kilometers.
The town initially planned to keep the restrictions lifted through November 8, but on Monday it announced the area will be made off-limits again. It cited the difficulty in ensuring visitors’ safety in the event of an eruption.
On Tuesday, the parking lot was closed and the observation spot inaccessible.
The town says it does not know when the restrictions will be eased again.
AloJapan.com