The small Japanese town of Fujikawaguchiko once received international media attention for its decision to erect a giant screen blocking the view of Mount Fuji . This town, located at the foot of Mount Fuji, became famous for having a special photo spot where visitors can see the mountain behind a convenience store.
As this photo spot became popular on social media, the town was flooded with tourists from all over the world. According to some residents in the town, tourists litter and do not obey traffic rules despite signs and security personnel, disrupting people's lives.
Residents also complained to CNN that visitors were a nuisance, with some trespassing on their property, smoking, eating and drinking in the parking lot or on their porches.
In May, the town of Fujikawaguchiko erected a large black net, blocking views of Mount Fuji. However, on August 15, the city removed it, to avoid damage when Typhoon Ampil made landfall.
Initially, the plan was to temporarily lower the net due to strong winds in the area. But currently, Fujikawaguchiko town officials have not given a specific timeline for re-erecting the barrier.
"Since we installed the screen in May, no one has stayed long in the area anymore. We feel it is effective," a city council member told CNN.
The commissioner added that there are still security forces patrolling the area and the screen could be re-erected if the situation changes.
The town of Fujikawaguchiko in Yamanashi Prefecture, east of Tokyo, has a population of about 10,000 and is the start of one of the most popular hiking routes up Mount Fuji.
Not only Yamanashi province but also areas on the route to the top of Mount Fuji are also experiencing overcrowding because of tourists. To solve the problem, many new measures have been introduced, including limiting the number of climbers per day and charging a small entrance fee to cover maintenance costs.
Tourist overcrowding is also becoming an increasingly serious problem in other popular tourist destinations in Japan such as Kyoto and Kamakura.
