Visitors who choose to hike any of Mount Fuji’s four primary routes will face a new entrance fee of 4,000 yen (approximately US$27) starting this summer, following the approval of the legislation by local officials on Monday.

An unprecedented surge in international visitors to Japan, which was crowned as the globe’s top travel destination according to Condé Nast Traveler’s reader polls from the previous year, has raised concerns over congestion on the country’s tallest peak, a formerly tranquil spiritual journey location.

In 2024, the Yamanashi area — which includes Mount Fuji — implemented a 2,000 yen entrance charge along with an optional contribution for the most frequented trekking path of the active volcano, known as the Yoshida Trail.

Officials introduced limits on daily entries and online bookings for that trail to address concerns over safety and environmental harm on Fuji’s impressive slopes.

For the climbing season from July to September in 2025, the cost of using the Yoshida Trail will double. Meanwhile, on Monday, the neighboring Shizuoka region approved legislation to start charging 4,000 yen for its three formerly free trails.

Due to the newly implemented restrictions, the number of people climbing Mount Fuji decreased to 204,316 in 2024, down from 221,322 in 2023, according to data from the Environment Ministry.

Even though the number of climbers remains below pre-pandemic levels, “200,000 hikers is still substantial,” according to Natsuko Sodeyama, an official from the Shizuoka Prefecture.

AFP

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No other mountain in Japan draws such a large number of visitors within just over two months. Therefore, certain limitations are essential to guarantee their safety.

Most of the year, Mount Fuji is blanketed with snow, yet during the summertime climbing period, numerous hikers ascend its rugged incline throughout the night just to witness the dawn from its peak.

The symmetric mountain has inspired numerous works of art, such as Hokusai’s Great Wave Off Kanagawa. Its most recent eruption occurred roughly three centuries ago.