Authorities in a Japanese town completed the installation of a large mesh barrier on Tuesday that blocks off the view of Mount Fuji, a deliberate move to discourage badly-behaved tourists from taking photos at the spot.
Frustrated locals have for years complained about foreign visitors to Fujikawaguchiko littering, trespassing and breaking traffic rules in pursuit of the perfect photo of the iconic stratovolcano.
The spot in question offers a view of the perennially snow-capped mountain soaring above a Lawson’s convenience store. Residents say the large numbers who flock to the spot often park illegally or block other pedestrians from using the pavement.
The black netting used to cover the view measures 20m by 2.5m.
“I hope that the net will prevent dangerous activities,” resident Michie Motomochi, 41, who runs a traditional Japanese sweet shop in Fujikawaguchiko, told the AFP news agency.
“I think it’s disappointing that they are putting it up. It’s obviously an iconic shot,” said Christina Roys, 36, a tourist from New Zealand.
“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.
The netting is also intended to provide some respite to the nearby Ibishi Dental Clinic, where tourists would park without permission and even climb onto the roof for photos, reported The Japan Times.
“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,” the clinic told CNN in a statement.
Fujikawaguchiko is a Japanese resort town in the Yamanashi prefecture, about 100km west of Tokyo.
Travellers have returned in huge numbers to Japan since it reopened to foreign tourists following the pandemic lockdown, with more than three million per month visiting in March and April 2024 – a new record, and part of a trend that seems likely to continue.
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