Japan city begins blocking Mt. Fuji view from ‘dangerous’ vacationers

A vacationer poses in entrance of a comfort retailer with Mount Fuji on Might 3, 2024, earlier than an enormous black barrier which will probably be put in to dam Mount Fuji from view, within the city of Fujikawaguchiko, Yamanashi prefecture. (AFP)

FUJIKAWAGUCHIKO, Japan – Work has begun in a small Japanese city to erect a barrier blocking views of the nation’s most well-known sight, Mount Fuji, after locals complained of dangerous behaviour by photo-hungry vacationers.
Fujikawaguchiko city started constructing panels of mesh netting at a spot the place never-ending flows of principally overseas vacationers go to every day to take photographs of the majestic mountain sitting behind a Lawson comfort retailer.
Pictures taken from a slim stretch of pavement throughout a busy highway from the Lawson retailer — that are ubiquitous in Japan — are broadly shared on-line.
Native officers and residents say whereas the city welcomes guests, they should cease vacationers from repeatedly crossing the road, ignoring crimson lights, littering, trespassing, illegally parking and smoking outdoors of designated areas.
“It turned not unusual for individuals to yell at us after we requested them to maneuver their vehicles, and for them to throw their lit cigarettes (on the bottom),” a dentist’s workplace situated throughout the road from the Lawson store stated in a press release.
By the center of this month, the city plans to finish the barrier, which can stand 2.5 metres (8 toes) excessive and stretch greater than 20 metres lengthy to dam the view of the mountain, with hopes that it’ll discourage vacationers from loitering there.
The city’s transfer has prompted nationwide and worldwide headlines, as Japan experiences rising issues of overtourism, significantly at common websites just like the slim non-public alleys of Kyoto, and even trails on Mount Fuji itself, the place vacationers like to {photograph} themselves and submit on social media.
The Fujikawaguchiko city corridor has been inundated with phone calls from Japanese individuals, a lot of them non-local residents, who’ve criticised the transfer to dam the view.
“It’s not that we are not looking for individuals to see Mount Fuji. The problem is that there are such a lot of people who find themselves not in a position to observe fundamental guidelines,” a city official advised AFP.

‘Primary manners’

Having the online barrier is unlucky however maybe needed, space residents say.
“We welcome foreigners for the revitalisation of the neighborhood, however there are such a lot of violations of fundamental manners, like crossing the highway, dumping rubbish and trespassing into individuals’s properties,” a 60-year-old resident advised AFP.
“In any case, they’re right here for Mount Fuji, so having that barrier could be very unlucky,” stated the lady, who recognized herself as Watanabe.
“There might need been different methods to cope with it, however for now I really feel it can’t be helped,” she stated.
Some vacationers expressed understanding and voiced hopes that the city would create a delegated picture spot.
However others speculated that the barrier might solely make issues worse.
“Cease individuals? I don’t suppose so as a result of when there’s a will there’s a manner. Individuals will simply be on the left aspect of it or proper aspect of it,” stated 29-year-old Australian vacationer Trinity Robinson.
“There positively will probably be a option to nonetheless get the shot. It’s going to simply be extra harmful, actually.”
As a potential answer, a 37-year-old native man, who gave his identify as Ama, known as on guests to take a look at different scenic places within the space.
“Mount Fuji from right here (close to the Lawson store) is implausible. However there are such a lot of different locations round right here the place you possibly can go to and see stunning views,” he stated.