Beginning on July 1, the Yamanashi prefecture in Japan, which serves as the primary starting point for thousands of hikers to Mount Fuji each year, will charge an admission fee of ¥2,000 (S$18) per person. The broadcaster NHK said that the action is intended to reduce traffic around the summit. In addition to the ¥1,000 climbers presently pay to assist the site’s conservation efforts, there will be an additional entry fee. The Yamanashi authorities, located to the west and north of Mount Fuji, passed the law on March 4. At the fifth station, which is the Yoshida Trail’s entry on the Yamanashi side of the mountain, a gate will be erected.
The hiker population in 2023 is expected to rebound to approximately 300,000 per year, close to pre-pandemic levels, despite the increased price. According to Japan’s Environment Ministry, over 60% of hikers used the Yoshida trail in 2023 during the climbing season. The Yamanashi administration had said in August of that year that it would limit the number of climbers on the Yoshida trail in the event that congestion became dangerous. According to a report by The Japan Times, if the daily count of climbers surpasses 4,000, admission limits will be enforced during the 2024 climbing season, which commences on July 1. Guests lodging in mountain huts would not be subject to these limitations, though.
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