FUJI-YOSHIDA, Yamanashi Prefecture—The climbing season on Mount Fuji kicked off on July 1 with the opening of the Yoshida trail in Yamanashi Prefecture.
To prevent overtourism and dangerous climbs on Japan’s highest peak, the entrance fee was raised to 4,000 yen ($28) this season, and measures against lightly dressed climbers were strengthened.
The three trails on the Shizuoka Prefecture side of the 3.776-meter mountain, which will open on July 10, will also be subject to new restrictions.
At 3 a.m., the newly installed steel gate at the fifth station of the Yoshida trail opened, and climbers walked through in succession, shining their flashlights into the darkness.
According to Yamanashi prefectural officials, 1,009 people had made climbing reservations for the first day of the season, about 60 percent of whom were international visitors.
A 79-year-old man from Hyogo Prefecture was the first to pass through the gate.
“I am looking forward to the view from the summit,” he said.
This is the second year that Yamanashi Prefecture has imposed regulations to prevent overcrowding and dangerous climbing attempts.
This year, in addition to the increased entrance fee, a procedure has been added requiring climbers to check whether they have the necessary equipment when making hiking reservations online.
The gate will also close two hours earlier than last year, allowing hikers to enter from 3 a.m. to 2 p.m.
In addition, Yamanashi Prefecture has given new authority to the “Mount Fuji rangers,” prefectural employees who instruct climbers at the gate. The rangers can refuse passage to climbers who are too lightly dressed for the conditions.
The daily limit of 4,000 climbers remains unchanged from last season.
The three trails on the Shizuoka Prefecture side of the mountain—Fujinomiya, Gotemba and Subashiri—will also require advance reservations via a dedicated app.
Climbers will also be required to complete a safety study and pay a 4,000-yen entrance fee, making the fees and regulations consistent across both prefectures.
The mountain will remain open for climbing until Sept. 10.
AloJapan.com