The Japanese city of Fujikawaguchiko, at the base of the Yoshida Trail that leads to Mount Fuji, will erect a barrier to block a view that is popular with tourists taking selfies. The location is across from Lawson’s, a well-known convenience store, where visitors often take photos that contrast the bustling, neon-lit store with the serene mountain backdrop.
For those in a hurry:
- The city of Fujikawaguchiko, Japan, plans to install an 2.5 meter high and 20 meter wide barrier at the base of the Yoshida Trail, which leads to Mount Fuji. This measure aims to prevent tourists from taking selfies in front of a popular convenience store in order to reduce disruption caused by large numbers of visitors;
- The increase in the flow of tourists has generated several problems in Fujikawaguchiko, including accumulation of garbage and disregard for traffic rules. Despite efforts to control the situation with information signs and the presence of security guards, difficulties persist;
- The strategy of limiting photography through physical barriers is not unique to Fujikawaguchiko. Other locations around the world, such as the Austrian city of Hallstatt, have adopted similar approaches to managing the negative impact of overtourism;
- Mount Fuji, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, faces significant problems of litter and environmental degradation due to the high number of visitors. Overtourism is seen as one of the main challenges for the mountain, to the point where some locals refer to it as a “garbage mountain”.
The growth in the number of tourists has brought problems to the small city, such as the accumulation of rubbish and disregard for traffic rules. Despite efforts to control the situation with information signs and the presence of security guards, issues persist. A local official, who preferred to remain anonymous, told CNN that it is regrettable that extreme measures such as installing a barrier are necessary.
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‘Anti-selfie’ barrier in Japan
The planned barrier will be 2.5 meters high and 20 meters wide, and is expected to be installed next week. This blockade aims to prevent tourists from taking selfies and photos with the devices’ rear cameras, in an attempt to reduce the disruption caused in the area.
Fujikawaguchiko’s strategy of installing barriers to limit photography has precedents in other locations around the world. For example, the Austrian town of Hallstatt, which inspired the look of Disney’s “Frozen,” erected a wooden fence in May 2023 to discourage tourists from taking selfies.
Furthermore, Fujikawaguchiko, located in Yamanashi Prefecture, faces similar challenges to other tourist destinations in Japan that are struggling with the impacts of overtourism. The country recorded a record visitation in March 2024, with three million foreigners entering Japan, many of whom visit the iconic Mount Fuji.
Mount Fuji, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, faces problems of garbage and environmental degradation due to the large flow of visitors. Masatake Izumi, a government official in Yamanashi, described overtourism and its consequences as the mountain’s biggest challenge, to the point where some locals nicknamed Mount Fuji “garbage mountain.”
