August 11 is “Mountain Day. Many people take long vacations during the Bon vacations to visit summits in various parts of Japan that are difficult to reach in a day. In the midst of such bustling activity, I visited the Fuji Subaru Line fifth station on the Yamanashi Prefecture side of Mt.
Fuji Subaru Line Fifth Station still attracts people
As we have reported several times, climbing restrictions have been in place since this year, and the maximum number of people allowed to ascend from the Yoshida Route has been capped at 4,000 per day (excluding lodge guests). In addition, a toll of 2,000 yen per person and an optional Mt. Fuji conservation fee of 1,000 yen per person will be charged, and gates at the entrance to the route will be closed between 4:00 p.m. and 3:00 a.m., thus preventing visitors from entering the mountain at night.
At the regular press conference held by Yamanashi Prefecture on August 8, Governor Nagasaki stated, “I am aware that the mountain climbing regulations have been implemented smoothly without any major disruptions as you have informed us. This indicates that the mountaineering restrictions are having a positive effect.
Incidentally, climbers who have reserved a mountain lodge can pass through the gate after 4:00 p.m., but in principle, they are asked to pass before the regulation.
It was around 11:00 when the author arrived at the fifth station of the Fuji-Subaru Line, and large buses, almost fully loaded, were arriving one after another and discharging passengers. My first impression was that it was surprisingly not that crowded. I had expected to see a scene so crowded that it would be difficult to pass each other.
Perhaps this may have something to do with the release of the Nankai Trough Earthquake Temporary Information due to the August 8 earthquake in the Sea of Hyuga. Nevertheless, all reservations for that day’s climb via the Web were already made, and there were 2,455 slots available on the day of the climb.
The crowd usually peaks around 12:00 to 13:00, and as we continued our coverage, the plaza began to fill up with more people. Most of the people gathered here were large groups of climbers or tour groups, who were giving guidance and handing out wristbands necessary for passage.
Apart from them, there were also quite a few groups of foreign tourists enjoying the view from the fifth station and the mountain air. With the opening of the Fuji-Subaru Line, the mountain is now recognized as a tourist destination that can be easily visited. On the other hand, the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), an advisory body to UNESCO, has posed a challenge in registering the mountain as a World Heritage site (cultural heritage), saying, “We need to control the number of visitors because there are so many people.
Yamanashi Prefecture wants to solve the current situation where many people gather at the fifth station of the Fuji-Subaru Line, so it intends to promote the various attractions of Mt. Fuji and decentralize the area.
© Source travel watch
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