They live in grace and redemption in Fujikawaguchiko, Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan. The problem is that they are both the same. You can enjoy the unique view of Fuji from its streets; The town, so magnificent and so postcard-worthy, has over time become a mandatory stop for the avalanche of visitors who come to Japan every year and search for the best photo of the city. mountain. The problem is that this privileged location has become a hotspot for neighbors who are tired of tourists littering their streets with garbage and blocking traffic. Anything to catch him selfie more magnificent.

To avoid this, Fujikawaguchiko decided to delete Fuji.

A “very Japanese” perspective. Fujikawaguchiko is a clear example of how a blessing can eventually turn into a condemnation when it comes to tourism. Or how easy it is to die from success. The town is located in Yamanashi prefecture, very close to Fuji and less than an hour and a half drive from Tokyo. Its location, and especially its privileged view of Japan’s most famous volcano, has made it a very popular viewing point of the iconic mountain.

There are many places in Fujikawaguchiko where you can admire the view of Fuji, but there is one place that is particularly crowded: a street in the city where you can see the majestic mountain behind a Lawson store. Especially foreign tourists liked this combination of materials and turned it into an internet phenomenon. “This place has a widespread reputation as being very Japanese, making it a place to take photos,” an official from the city of Fujikawaguchiko told AFP.

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A blessing… and a hardship. The problem is that there are visitors who end up disturbing the neighbors as they search for the best view or the perfect angle to photograph Fuji. They litter, block vehicles, park without permission, and climb places they shouldn’t, such as the roof of the local dental clinic. Everything to get home or share the best photo of the volcano on the networks. “Some tourists do not respect the rules,” says the same official, and regrets that the authorities had to take action in this case.

Solution: “delete” Fuji. To solve this, Fujikawaguchiko took a drastic measure: If they can’t control the influx of tourists who come looking for the best view of Fuji… Why not delete Fuji? It may sound strange, but that’s what authorities decided to do after agreeing to build a massive barrier blocking views of Japan’s most iconic mountain. While governments in other parts of the world are considering ways to improve the accessibility of their locations, Fujikawaguchiko will be considering them. At least temporarily.

One XXL curtain. If the decision is interesting, its implementation is even more interesting. Since erasing Fuji from even a single point in the city was no easy task, the authorities decided to erect a huge net-shaped barrier 2.5 meters high and 20 meters long. In the news reported by France Presse a few days ago, it was stated that the installation will start this week.

One of the city officials admitted to the French agency that it was “regrettable” to have to take such a measure, but emphasized that they were forced due to the bad behavior of “some tourists” who did not follow the rules or follow the instructions. traffic signs and security guards.

Add and continue (tourist). Fujikawaguchiko’s decision is strange, but it is not the first move by Japanese authorities to control the effects of tourist overcrowding. A month ago, the country announced that visitors would be banned from the streets of the geisha district in Kyoto to prevent them from being harassed. “Gion is not an amusement park,” the local council warned in December. The area will be limited to geishas, ​​their clients and neighbors.

Another measure taken to protect against the effects of tourism is to charge a fee and set a daily limit to go up to Fuji via the Yoshida road, which is used by 60% of the visitors. In March, the country broke a historical record: exceeding three million tourists in one month; This was something he had never achieved before.

Image | Redlegsfan21 (Flickr)

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