Registration for people planning to climb Mount Fuji this summer is underway to help ease congestion on Japan’s highest peak.
Yamanashi Prefecture in central Japan set up a gate at the mountain’s fifth station and launched an online registration system in 2024 to regulate the number of climbers. Those hoping to make the ascent are required to register in advance and pay a fee of 4,000 yen, or about 25 dollars, per person to pass through the gate.
This year’s registration for those who wish to climb from the Yamanashi side began on the Mt. Fuji Climbing Official Website on April 27. The website asks group representatives to enter the number of climbers in their party, when they plan to climb, whether they will stay in a hut, and other information.
Climbers are also required to follow rules such as preparing proper clothing to protect themselves from the cold, wearing shoes appropriate for climbing, and not attempting all-night “bullet” ascents.
Starting this year, people trekking up a section of the Yoshida Trail between the foot of Mount Fuji and the fifth station will be exempt from the hiking fee.
Yamanashi Prefecture’s Mt. Fuji Tourism Promotion Group says it hopes more people will enjoy climbing from the base of the mountain and help ease congestion above the gate.
Shizuoka Prefecture is also collecting a fee of 4,000 yen from each climber. Registration for people ascending the mountain from its Shizuoka side began on Friday.
AloJapan.com