Town swamped by littering tourists crowding road for selfies BLOCKS iconic view of natural wonder… with simple 8ft fence
A TOWN swamped by selfie-obsessed tourists has blocked its iconic view of a natural wonder with an 8ft fence.
Locals of Fujikawaguchiko, a Japanese town in the northern foothills of Mount Fuji, have taken matters into their own hands to deter visitors from littering, trespassing and breaking traffic rules.
Undoubtedly Japan’s most famous sight, the active volcano can be seen for miles around and attracts hundreds of tourists each day looking to grab the perfect photo.
But many visitors to Fujikawaguchiko park illegally and ignore a smoking ban to cram a pavement in front of a convenience store, where the snow-capped mountain soars into the sky from behind.
And for those living in Yamanashi prefecture’s picturesque location, the every day antics have become a living nightmare.
Now, workers have installed black netting measuring 8ft by 65ft to deter tourists from visiting the town.
According to AFP, workers started on the fence early Tuesday morning and were finished by midday, France24 report.
One resident, who runs a traditional Japanese sweet shop in Fujikawaguchiko, told AFP: “I hope that the net will prevent dangerous activities.”
The decision is expected to cause uproar amongst tourists but one of them, at least, has sympathised with the Japanese locals.
Christina Roys, 36, from New Zealand said: “I think it’s disappointing that they are putting it up. It’s obviously an iconic shot.
“But it’s completely understandable. We were here last night, managing to get the last shot before they were putting up the wall, and there were so many people,” she said.
“It’s quite dangerous because of the traffic coming through. There are other spots where you can get the shot of the mountain.”
Japan has actually boasted its record number of overseas tourists in recent months after visitor numbers exceeded three million in March and April.
As with many places, however, the influx has not been universally welcomed.
In an effort to ease congestion at Mount Fuji this summer, entries will be capped at 4,000 and hikers will be charged 2,000 yen (£10) each to climb the mountains most popular route.
On Monday, a new online booking system for the mountain’s Yoshida trail opened to guarantee hikers entry through a new gate, although 1,000 places a day will be kept for day-of entries.
More than 220,000 visitors trudge up its steep, rocky slopes between July-September, with many climbing through the night to see the sunrise.
Some of the most daring hikers even try to reach the 12,388ft summit without breaks, which often leads to them becoming sick or injured as a result.
Capping visitors numbers on the once-peaceful pilgrimage site also comes after regional officials raised safety and environmental concerns linked to overcrowding.
Residents in Japan’s ancient capital of Kyoto have also complained of tourists harassing the city’s famed geisha.
And locals near other popular photo spots in the Fuji region, including the so-called Fuji Dream Bridge, have also reportedly complained about overtourism in recent weeks.