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Climbers Will Have to Pay to Climb Mount¹ Fuji

The local officials protecting Mount Fuji are making changes to protect its natural beauty and the safety of people climbing it.

Those who want to hike one of the most popular paths, or trails, on Japan's famous Mount Fuji will have to buy a ticket starting on July 1. Officials aim to reduce crowds, littering and climbers who rush too quickly to the top.

The Mount Fuji climbing season lasts from July 1 to September 10. The system for buying tickets is for those walking on the Yoshida Trail. It is on the side of the 3,776-meter-high mountain that is within Yamanashi Prefecture. Climbers can also climb the mountain in Shizuoka prefecture, southwest of Mount Fuji. Shizuoka has requested a voluntary fee of about $6 per climber since 2014 and is looking for ways to balance tourism and environmental protection.

Mount Fuji is a volcano²

Mount Fuji is a stratovolcano, a tall, steep-sided mountain formed by layers of volcanic³ materials such as ash and lava⁴. UNESCO chose it as a World Cultural Heritage⁵ site in 2013.

The new rules will permit only 4,000 climbers to enter the trail per day for a hiking fee of about $18. Yamanashi prefecture officials said 3,000 of those tickets will be available on the internet and the other 1,000 can be bought in person on the day of the climb.

Hikers may also give an additional⁶ amount for protecting the mountain’s natural resources. Climbers can request tickets on the Mount Fuji Climbing website. The Environment Ministry⁷ and the mountain's two home prefectures, Yamanashi and Shizuoka, operate the site.

Bullet⁸ climbing

Mount Fuji has three main trails. There are 10 stations. Each is at a different height, or altitude. Most hikers begin at the “5th station,” where there is a bus stop. Under the new system, climbers must choose between a day hike or an overnight⁹ stay at a shelter along the trail. Hikers who reach the 5th station after 4 p.m. and are not staying overnight have to go back down. This rule is to stop "bullet climbing," or rushing to the top without enough rest. Traveling to a high point too quickly can cause altitude sickness which includes headaches, dizziness and nausea¹⁰.

A symbol of Japan, the mountain called "Fujisan" was once thought of as a holy volcano. Today, many hikers climb to the top to see the sunrise. To see the sunrise, hikers often stay at a shelter at the 7th or 8th station and climb to the top in the early morning darkness.

Hiking in the dark increases the chance of injury. But a major problem is the large amount of waste people have left behind: plastic bottles, food, and even clothing.

The Environment Ministry reports that during the climbing season in 2023, over 220,000 people went up Mount Fuji. That is close to the pre-pandemic level and officials expect more visitors this year.

Last year, more than 25 million visitors came to Japan. The Japan National Tourism Organization expects that number to rise in 2024 to over 32 million.

Words in This Story

hike – v. to walk a long distance especially for pleasure or exercise

trail – n. a path through a forest, field, or the like

ticket – n. a piece of paper that allows you to see a show, participate in an event, travel on a vehicle or the like

litter – v. to throw or leave trash on the ground in a public place

steep – adj. going up or down very quickly

prefecture – n. any one of the areas into which some countries (such as Japan and France) are divided for local government

symbol –n. an image or object that serves to represent something else such as an idea or belief

1 mount   

n.山峰，乘用马，框，衬纸；vi.增长，骑上（马）；vt.提升，爬上，装备

参考例句：

• Their debts continued to mount up.他们的债务不断增加。
• She is the first woman who steps on the top of Mount Jolmo Lungma.她是第一个登上珠穆朗玛峰的女人。

2 volcano   

n.火山

参考例句：

• The volcano unexpectedly blew up early in the morning.火山一早突然爆发了。
• It is most risky to go and examine an active volcano.去探察活火山是非常危险的。

3 volcanic   

adj.火山的；象火山的；由火山引起的

参考例句：

• There have been several volcanic eruptions this year.今年火山爆发了好几次。
• Volcanic activity has created thermal springs and boiling mud pools.火山活动产生了温泉和沸腾的泥浆池。

4 lava   

n.熔岩，火山岩

参考例句：

• The lava flowed down the sides of the volcano.熔岩沿火山坡面涌流而下。
• His anger spilled out like lava.他的愤怒像火山爆发似的迸发出来。

5 heritage   

n.传统，遗产，继承物

参考例句：

• The ancient buildings are part of the national heritage.这些古建筑是民族遗产的一部分。
• We Chinese have a great cultural heritage.我们中国人有伟大的文化遗产。

6 additional   

adj.添加的，额外的，另外的

参考例句：

• It is necessary to set down these additional rules.有必要制定这些补充规则。
• I think we can fit in an additional room.我想我们可以再加建一间房子。

7 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

8 bullet   

n.枪弹，子弹

参考例句：

• The bullet wound in his shoulder was opened up for treatment.切开他肩上的枪伤进行治疗。
• The bullet missed me by a hair's s breadth.那颗子弹差一点就打中了我。

9 overnight   

ad.前一天晚上，一夜间 a.前一天晚上的

参考例句：

• She stayed overnight in the hotel. 她在旅馆过了一夜。
• Our success is not won overnight. 我们的成功不是一夜之间得来的。

10 nausea   

n.作呕，恶心；极端的憎恶(或厌恶)

参考例句：

• Early pregnancy is often accompanied by nausea.怀孕期常有恶心的现象。
• He experienced nausea after eating octopus.吃了章鱼后他感到恶心。