Japan blocks Mount Fuji view, nearby selfie spot to curb tourist misbehaviour

Officials in Japan’s Fujikawaguchiko town have blocked panoramic views and a popular selfie spot near Mount Fuji. A mesh net, approximately 2.5m high and 20m long, will also be placed at the site, media reports said.

The decision to block the view was taken to tackle unruly behaviour by tourists who visit the place to take pictures of the iconic mountain peak, a report with the Independent stated.

The construction of the mesh net will start next week, the report quoted a local official as saying.

Photo spots, particularly one offering a view of Mount Fuji behind a Lawson convenience store in Yamanashi prefecture, off late been seen flooded with badly behaved tourists.

Speaking to The Japan Times, a Fujikawaguchiko official termed the move “regrettable”, and said they were forced to do this “because of some tourists who can’t respect rules”.

The official complained that the tourists leave litter behind and ignore traffic regulations despite warnings.

The decision to install the net will protect the town’s infrastructure and preserve the tranquillity of the area, the official added.

In March this year, it was reported that Japan would start collecting an entry fee of å2,000 (Rs 1,041.54 in Indian currency) per person to limit the number of trekkers to Mount Fuji.

The fee for climbers was expected to begin from July 1, this year, when the year’s climbing season begins.

Earlier, officials in Japan’s Geisha district in Kyoto had announced they would shut down access to “paparazzi” tourists who harass and trouble globally recognised Japanese women artists.

Also, the historic Gion district’s local council last month said it was banning sightseers and tourists into the alleys and streets housing geisha and maiko (teenage trainee geisha) after facing years of complaints over the growing buzz of photography.