Hikers wanting to climb Mount Fuji in Japan will soon have to pay an entrance fee. That Japanese media report this week. The Japanese government hopes to protect the mountain and improve the safety of hikers. Fuji is the highest mountain in Japan and is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
People who visit the mountain often start the hike unprepared, according to local authorities in the Japanese city of Yamanashi, where Fuji is located. For example, visitors would not wear the correct clothing or carry appropriate equipment. This means that more and more people are injured during the hike to the top of the mountain. They suffer from altitude sickness or hypothermia, among other things.
Walkers are also said to leave too much rubbish on the paths, and mass tourism is causing the walking paths to become overcrowded. As a result, the area is facing “a real crisis” and the problems are “out of control,” said Yamanashi Prefecture official Masatake Izumi. last September.
To avoid problems, it is also forbidden to climb the 3,776 meter high mountain between 4:00 PM and 2:00 AM. Between that time, hikers try to reach the top in one go. In addition, no more than four thousand people are allowed to climb the path per day. The new rules were approved by the Yamanashi regional government on Monday. From July 1, visitors must pay 2,000 yen (12 euros) to climb the mountain.