Climbing Mount Fuji in Japan will now require a $27 fee & a test

Hikers attempting any of Mount Fuji's four main trails will be charged an entry fee of 4,000 yen ($27) from this summer. A record influx of foreign tourists to Japan has sparked alarm about overcrowding on the nation's highest mountain, a once-peaceful pilgrimage site.

Last year, Yamanashi region -- home to Mount Fuji -- introduced a 2,000 yen ($14) entry fee plus an optional donation for the active volcano's most popular hiking route, the Yoshida Trail.

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A cap on daily entries and online reservations were also brought in on that trail by officials concerned about safety and environmental damage on Fuji's majestic slopes.

The Yoshida Trail fee will be doubled for this year's July-September climbing season, while neighbouring Shizuoka region passed a bill on Monday to also charge 4,000 yen for its three trails, which were previously free.

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Although climber numbers continue to be eclipsed by pre-pandemic levels, "200,000 hikers is still huge", Natsuko Sodeyama, a Shizuoka prefecture official, told AFP.

"There is no other mountain in Japan that attracts that many people in the span of just over two months. So some restrictions are necessary to ensure their safety."

A test & more restrictions

The increasing number of people on the mountain isn’t the only problem. Some climbers needed medical attention due to wearing inappropriate gear like sandals and flip flops or by not bringing proper equipment or enough water.

In response, Shizuoka prefecture – the starting point for three of the four Mount Fuji trails – has added an additional measure. Prospective hikers will have to take a brief class about hiking safety and local rules, then pass a short test to confirm they understood the information.

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Another restriction will be enacted for timings on the mountain.

The mountain will be closed from 2 p.m to 3 a.m every day to anyone who isn’t staying overnight in a hut. These hiking huts are located along the Fuji trails and are available to rent for people who opt to stay overnight rather than try to complete the entire hike in a single day.

Mount Fuji is covered in snow for most of the year, but during the summer hiking season many trudge up its steep, rocky slopes through the night to see the sunrise.

The symmetrical mountain has been immortalised in countless artworks, including Hokusai's "Great Wave". It last erupted around 300 years ago.