Japanese town to put barrier over shop to stop tourists taking photos of Mount Fuji

A Japanese town at the foot of Mount Fuji is putting up a barrier around a shop to stop tourists from taking photographs outside it, with the famous landmark as the backdrop.

Fujikawaguchiko has become so overrun with tourists wanting the perfect shot, that the town has taken to putting up a mesh restrictor to block the view of the mountain, CNN has reported.

Lawson’s general shop has become an unlikely attraction as a photo can contrast the natural beauty of Mt Fuji with the hustle and bustle of the townscape.

A local official told reporters that tourists had been dropping litter and not following traffic rules, despite signs on display encouraging visitors to be respectful.

“It is regrettable that we had to take such measures,” the official said.

Masatake Izumi, a Yamanashi prefectural government official, added: “Overtourism – and all the subsequent consequences like rubbish, rising CO2 emissions and reckless hikers – is the biggest problem facing Mount Fuji.”

Fujikawaguchiko’s crowds are part of a larger issue affecting Japan, with March 2024 seeing a record number of visitors to the country.

Tourists have previously been banned from parts of Japan’s famous geisha district in Kyoto due to complaints of “overtourism” as well.

In 2019, local authorities rolled out an on-the-spot fine for tourists troubling geishas.

Last year, Al Jazeera reported that tourists were now having to head further into rural Japan to get their fix due to the number of people now visiting built up areas.