Japanese town quietly removes its Mount Fuji-blocking barrier
By Lilit Marcus, CNN
(CNN) — A small town in Japan that received international attention for its controversial decision to block views of Mount Fuji has quietly reversed its decision.
Fujikawaguchiko, at the base of Mount Fuji, became popular for a specific photo op where the mountain could be seen behind an outpost of the Lawson’s convenience store chain on the town’s main street.
When the photo spot became popular on Instagram and TikTok, the town was overwhelmed with tourists coming from around the world. According to some of the town’s residents, the visitors would leave behind trash and not follow traffic rules, despite the presence of signs and security guards.
In May, Fujikawaguchiko erected a large black net, effectively blocking the view of Mount Fuji. On August 15, though, city officials quietly had it taken down – possibly for good.
Initially, the plan was to take the net down temporarily due to strong winds in the area. But now Fujikawaguchiko officials say there’s no timeline to put the barrier back up.
“Since we installed the screen in May, there have been no more people staying long in the area. We do feel it has been effective,” a city councilor told CNN.
The councilor added that there are still security guards patrolling the area and that the net can be put back up if the situation changes.
Before the net was installed, the Lawson’s photo op area was so busy that the store issued a formal apology for being too popular.
Meanwhile, a resident of the building next door to Lawson’s told CNN that “there was a series of nuisance illegal activities such as leaving garbage, trespassing on the premises, smoking, eating in the parking lot or under the roofs of private homes, and trespassing on the rooftop. It became not uncommon for people to shout insults at us or to throw away their cigarettes while they were still lit when we asked them to move their cars.”
Fujikawaguchiko, in Yamanashi prefecture east of Tokyo, has a population of about 10,000 people and marks the beginning of one of the most popular hiking trails up Mount Fuji.
Last year, officials told CNN Travel that the hordes of tourists visiting the mountain were littering, overtaxing toilet facilities and hiking in improper gear, which resulted in accidents or injuries.
In response to the concerns, new measures were put in place to protect the mountain, including a daily cap on the number of climbers and a small entrance fee to help with maintenance costs.
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CNN’s Nodoka Katsura contributed reporting.
