Mount Fuji Town Installs Barrier Against Selfie Tourists Amidst Overcrowding Crisis

The small Japanese town of Fujikawaguchiko, situated at the base of Mount Fuji, is installing a large mesh barrier to prevent tourists from taking selfies in front of a convenience store chain called Lawson’s for their Instagram feeds. The problem has persisted despite signs and security guards being posted to warn them against littering or disobeying traffic rules. According to a local official who didn’t want her name revealed, the town is experiencing ongoing issues with tourists leaving trash behind. The barrier will be erected early next week, measuring eight feet high by 66 feet wide (2.5 meters x 20 meters). This move comes as Japan has been grappling with overcrowding since reopening post-pandemic in late 2021 due to record tourism levels resulting from March 2024 being the country’s all-time biggest month for foreign tourists. The Yamanashi prefectural government announced new policies, including a daily limit of 4,000 hikers and mandatory fees, as an attempt to mitigate overcrowding on Mount Fuji – named ‘Trash Mountain.’ Some residents in Japan’s largest mountain had called it so due to the excessive littering by tourists. The Austrian town of Halstatt also erected a wooden fence last May after being overwhelmed with selfie-takers, similar to Disney’s animated blockbuster “Frozen,” and seeing over 10,000 visitors daily in peak season despite having only around 800 permanent residents.