Japan is restricting the view of this famous attraction due to over-tourism

This could impact your holiday plans (Picture: Getty Images)

Social media feeds with aesthetic snaps of Mount Fuji will look a lot different very soon, as Japanese authorities have resorted to a drastic measure because of misbehaving tourists.

A spot in the town of Fujikawaguchiko, outside a Lawson convenience store, has become an immensely popular photo op for snapping a particular shot of Mount Fuji behind it.

Although Japan’s highest mountain can be pictured from many spots around Fujikawaguchiko, this particular point of view entices visitors because of the juxtaposition. While there are approximately 14,000 Lawson stores in the country, only one has the sacred, 3,776-metre active volcano in the background.

But now, this particular view is set to change. A mesh net measuring 2.5 metres (8ft) and spanning 20 metres – about the length of a cricket pitch – will begin construction as early as next week.

This is the hotspot tourists are travelling to (Picture: Getty Images)

‘It’s regrettable we have to do this, because of some tourists who can’t respect the rules,’ an official from Fujikawaguchiko town told AFP via The Guardian. Rowdy tourists are leaving litter behind and are said to be ignoring traffic regulations.

Visitors are also gathering on a stretch of pavement next to the Lawson shop, the official said.

There are over 679,000 posts on Instagram listed under the #mountfuji hashtag. It doesn’t take long to find snaps showing the Lawson store, as well as other pictures of the mountain.

A search for both hashtags #mountfuji and #lawson in the same entry reveals dozens of Instagram users posing in the same spot in the area with the juxtaposed mountain and convenience store shot, which will now be restricted.

An exact number of posts like this is not available to see on the Instagram app, but officials are aware of people going to great lengths to get their own version of the snap. ‘A reputation has spread on social media that this spot is very Japanese, making it a popular photo location,’ the town official said.

A record number of overseas tourists are arriving in Japan and monthly visitors exceeded three million in March for the first time.

Stunning (Picture: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Mount Fuji is a hot commodity and this isn’t the first time officials and sought to control tourists to protect it and the surrounding area. It attracts thousands of climbers ever year and in 2023, 221,322 people made the ascent.

But concerns over rubbish and hiker safety has lead to Japanese authorities imposing the new tax. The UNESCO World Heritage site will charge tourists to visit. This summer, beginning on July 1, hikers using the most popular route will be charged ¥2,000 each (£10.50, $13.35) to ease congestion.

The Yoshida trail is the most popular climb, as it’s considered one of the easiest. A 14.5 km loop, it’s easily accessible from Tokyo, and has lots of stops along the way offering refreshments and places to stay.

But Japan’s Yamanashi prefectural government, which oversees the hiking activities , has said a toll is necessary in order to protect the environment.

There will also be a daily limit of 4,000 hikers a day, and you won’t be able to start your climb between the hours of 4pm and 2am.

There are even plans to install a gate at the start of the trail, to ensure everyone pays the fee.

The move to thwart over-tourism around Mount Fuji is the latest action taken in Japan against tourists, after residents of Kyoto’s geisha district banned so-called ‘paparazzi tourists’ earlier this year.

Japan has long been a popular tourist destination, but since reopening its borders in 2022, it’s seen a boom in tourism.

So much so, that not one but three destinations in Japan have been named within the top 10 trending travel destinations for 2024, according to Skyscanner.

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