Amid growing concerns about the safety of climbers and the protection of the mountain itself, Japan’s Yamanashi Prefecture plans to impose a fee on anyone wanting to climb the popular Mount Fuji. As the “Japan Times” According to reports, mountaineers will have to pay 2,000 yen from summer onwards, the equivalent of just under 13 euros.
The most popular route to Japan’s highest mountain is the Yoshida Trail in Yamanashi Prefecture. As the “Japan Times” further writes, the fee will be collected at a barrier that will be erected at the 5th station of the path.
The proceeds are intended to help finance safety measures and reduce congestion on the mountain. In addition to preventing risky climbing practices such as so-called “bullet climbing,” the funds will also be used to build a shelter in the event of an eruption of the active volcano Fuji.
Yamanashi Prefecture plans to close Mount Fuji between 4 p.m. and 2 a.m
The Yoshida Trail is particularly popular among mountaineers, with more than 60 percent, or 137,236, of the 221,322 climbers who climbed the mountain last summer using this trail. Additionally, to avoid overcrowding, Yamanashi Prefecture plans to limit the number of climbers to 4,000 per day and close the trail between 4 p.m. and 2 a.m.
The proposed fee is different from the current 1,000 yen voluntary fee that helps support the preservation of the mountain, which was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2013. As The Japan Times reports, the proposal for the fee is expected to be presented to the prefectural assembly this month.