A Japanese resort town is taking action to deter inconsiderate tourists from an iconic photo spot with views of Mount Fuji.
Fujikawaguchiko town in Yamanashi Prefecture has several scenic points from where people can gaze at the beauty of Japan’s highest mountain. The particularly charming composition of Mount Fuji rising from behind the shopfront of a Lawson convenience store, which are ubiquitous throughout the country, have led to that particular area becoming a hotspot for littering, overcrowding and illegal parking by mostly non-Japanese tourists. A nearby dental clinic has also been affected with reports that tourists were seen climbing on to its roof in search of the perfect photo.
Despite pleas by security guards and traffic signs warning against gathering at the spot, tourists continued to do as they pleased which has now forced the local authorities’ hand. This week will see the construction of a mesh net 2.5m high and 20m wide—the length of a cricket pitch—which will block the mountain from view. The local government hopes this will bring calm to residents and businesses.
This measure comes on the heels of Kyoto banning tourists from entering the geisha district in April. Similarly, Venice has begun imposing an entry fee for day-trippers to its famed sites in a bid to curb overtourism.
