KOFU: The climbing season for Mount Fuji commenced on Monday with the opening of one of the four main hiking trails.
For the first time, local authorities have introduced entrance fees and restricted the number of climbers to alleviate congestion.
Yamanashi Prefecture now allows a maximum of 4,000 climbers per day on the Yoshida Trail, the most popular route up the 3,776-metre mountain and has imposed a fee of 2,000 yen (US$12).
According to the Kyodo news agency, the route to the summit is expected to remain open until Sept 10.
To manage the flow of climbers, a gate has been established at the 5th station, which closes the trail between 4 pm and 3 am for those without a prior overnight reservation in a mountainside hut.
This measure aims to deter “bullet climbing,“ where climbers attempt to reach the summit and return without sleeping.
Last year, approximately 160,000 people used the Yoshida Trail, according to the city of Fujiyoshida in Yamanashi Prefecture.
Designated as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site in 2013, Japan’s highest peak, straddling Yamanashi and Shizuoka prefectures, remains a popular tourist destination.
The new measures aim to address the congestion caused by the increasing number of climbers.
The official climbing season for the other three trails on the Shizuoka Prefecture side is scheduled to begin on July 10. - Bernama, Kyodo
