Overtourism is becoming increasingly serious in municipalities at the foot of Mount Fuji, which was finally capped with snow this year. Many foreign tourists flock to the area, trying to take photos of the spectacular scenery. Traffic jams and trash have also gotten worse, and local governments are working on countermeasures, but in the absence of radical solutions, officials are seriously frustrated.

On Monday morning, a 54-year-old Indian tourist was in Arakurayama Sengen Park in Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi Prefecture, enthusiastically taking photos with her smartphone. She said she felt very lucky to be able to see the beauty of snow-capped Mount Fuji and that it was what she had hoped for when she made her first visit to Japan.

The park has become popular for its panoramic view of Mount Fuji and the five-story pagoda. Although the fall foliage season was over, the viewing platform was overflowing with tourists taking photos, making it difficult to get around.

The park, located in a quiet residential area, was once a place for residents to relax. But the spectacular view has become a hot topic on social media, leading to an influx of tourists. In addition to littering and trespassing on private property, the park is plagued by chronic traffic jams, regardless of the day or time.

The total number of visitors to the park between April and the end of November this year reached a record 1.02 million, including 147,151 in November, an increase of 10,000 from the same month last year and a record for this month. If the number of visitors continues to increase at the current rate, it is expected to exceed the previous financial year’s total of 1.3 million. In December, the city plans to allocate about 19 million yen in a supplemental budget plan to recruit more traffic police.

Additionally, a total of eight parking lots, including temporary ones, were opened in the surrounding area, but no improvement was seen. A city official says it’s difficult to find a fundamental solution.

The cost of countermeasures has continued to skyrocket, with around 80 million yen spent last year on, among other things, traffic guides and toilet cleaning. “It is possible that the amount could increase further this fiscal year,” a city official said.

This situation is not limited to the park.

At Lawson’s store in Fuji-Kawaguchiko, Yamanashi Prefecture, which had previously become a topic of discussion as a hot spot for photographing Mount Fuji, people are beginning to gather again and, according to the city, are constantly crossing the road in a dangerous manner.

Additionally, on the Fujikyu railway line which passes at the foot of Mount Fuji, people have often been observed entering the tracks from railway crossings to take photos of the snow-covered Mount Fuji.

The company has installed warning signs and a device that automatically emits warning sounds near level crossings. A company representative said: “This is very dangerous and we want them to stop it. We will continue to warn them. »

Yamanakako Village in Yamanashi Prefecture, which opened an observation deck with panoramic views of Mount Fuji, Lake Yamanakako and the mountains at the foot of Mount Fuji on November 20, posted security guards security on weekends and public holidays to prevent traffic jams. A shuttle service from a remote parking lot has also started operating on an experimental basis.

An official from the village’s tourism department said: “There have been concerns about overtourism due to the spectacular scenery. So we took measures immediately after the bridge was opened to avoid problems such as road accidents. »