FUJI-KAWAGUCHIKO, Yamanashi Prefecture—A large black plastic sheet was installed in front of a Lawson convenience store here to block views of Mount Fuji and prevent ill-mannered tourists from congregating and annoying locals around the site.

However, the town of Fuji-Kawagichiko may end up in need of another black sheet.

An increasing number of tourists have already been seen heading to a different Lawson store only about 1 kilometer west that offers a similar view of Japan’s tallest peak.

Some residents there are bracing for a repeat of the bad behavior from visitors.

The black plastic sheet, 20 meters long and 2.5 meters high, was placed between the road in front of Lawson’s Kawaguchiko Ekimae store and the sidewalk of the opposite side on May 21.

The workers first installed poles between the road and the 1-meter-wide sidewalk, and then attached the sheet.

The previous view from the sidewalk gave the appearance that Mount Fuji was perched on the roof of the store.

An overseas influencer posted a photo of the view on social media in autumn 2022. Since then, the area, which is a short walk from a train station, has been crowded with visitors trying to take similar pictures.

The sidewalk became so crowded at times that tourists would dangerously enter the road and block traffic while they tried to find the right poses and angles for their shots.

More aggressive tourists even entered private properties without permission to take pictures.

Litter has also been a constant problem.

After residents complained about the behavior, the Fuji-Kawaguchiko town government set up signs in English, Chinese and Thai prohibiting jaywalking and littering. Security guards were also dispatched to the site.

But the complaints about tourists increased further. In spring 2023, the town government received about one complaint a week. In March this year, it was three times a week.

Town officials made “an anguished decision” to put “blinders” on the view, and they said they intend to continue putting up the sheet until tourist manners improve.

They are also watching the situation to the west.

NEW HOTSPOT

Officials have noticed an increasing number of foreign tourists at Lawson’s Fuji-Kawaguchiko Machiyakubamae store in the town where they can take similar photos of Mount Fuji from a sidewalk in front of the store’s property.

As the name suggests, the store is located across the street from the town government’s office.

In the early afternoon of May 16, the sidewalk and the store’s parking lot were packed with 60 or so tourists. Tourist buses constantly entered the parking lot, allowing passengers to exit one by one.

“This is a famous photography spot and one of the highlights of my trip to Japan,” said a 24-year-old tourist from Wales who appeared satisfied with his images of Mount Fuji.

According to the town government’s tourism division, the number of foreign visitors seen in front of this Lawson store has been rising since autumn 2023 but has spiked since the beginning of this year.

On days when the mountain is clearly visible, there are 50 to 60 people at any time taking pictures in turn, according to the division.

One thing about this tourist trend has puzzled town officials.

They said similar pictures of Mount Fuji can be taken at many other convenience stores in the town, but the tourists so far seem only interested in the two Lawson stores.

“Apparently, it has to be a Lawson store,” a representative of the town’s tourism section said. “Perhaps it is because there are not many (Lawson) stores overseas? Maybe they see it as a uniquely Japanese scenery.”

Some residents around the Fuji-Kawaguchiko Machiyakubamae store are already prepared.

A house across the street from the store has a sign in both English and Chinese that says: “Private Property. Keep Out!”

Another resident, 82, who lives nearby, said she has noticed a change in the neighborhood.

She said that when she was driving recently, a foreign tourist stepped off the sidewalk in front of the Lawson to take pictures from the street. The dangerous act forced her to honk her horn.

“I’m sure foreigners will flow in here. I have to be more careful,” she said.

So far, the town government has received no complaints or reports of problems from the area surrounding the Lawson store.

But officials are concerned that after the black sheet is installed at the “original” Lawson location, foreigners will flock to the store in front of the town office.

“We hope that (tourists) will behave properly so that a second sheet will not be installed at this Lawson,” said Masakazu Togawa, who heads the town’s tourism section.

A representative of Lawson Inc. said the company learned through recent news reports that its stores had apparently become stopping points on sightseeing tours.

The company is considering asking travel agencies to take its stores off the itinerary “from a safety standpoint,” the representative said.