Photo/Illutration The fifth station of the Fujinomiya trail on Mount Fuji in Shizuoka Prefecture (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

SHIZUOKA—Shizuoka Governor Yasutomo Suzuki on Sept. 10 said the prefecture will establish entry gates on the trails of Mount Fuji and introduce climbing fees and number limits starting next summer.

His announcement at a news conference came on the last day of this year’s official climbing season.

Shizuoka Prefecture plans to reduce unsafe climbing practices on the nation’s highest peak, which straddles the prefectural border with Yamanashi Prefecture.

For the just-completed climbing season, Yamanashi Prefecture introduced regulations to reduce dangerous climbing, including nonstop “bullet climbing,” on the increasingly crowded 3,776-meter-high mountain.

On the Shizuoka side of Mount Fuji, there are three trails—Fujinomiya, Gotemba and Subashiri.

The prefecture will establish entry gates around the fifth station of each trail to conduct necessary checks on climbers, including if there are properly prepared for the ascent.

It will also start discussions with the central government and local cities and towns about the new Mount Fuji policy. It hopes to submit regulatory ordinance drafts to the prefectural assembly in February 2025.

Yamanashi Prefecture set up a gate at the fifth station of its Yoshida trail.

To limit the number of climbers and prevent overnight bullet climbing, visitors who had not booked accommodations in mountain huts were denied entry.

Yamanashi also started charging 2,000 yen ($14.19) climbing fees.

Shizuoka Prefecture in the summer started a registration system on its three trails, where climbers provide advance information online about their climbing dates and other details.

About 73 percent of the climbers on the Shizuoka side for this year’s season registered, but Governor Suzuki expressed the need for further regulations.

“Bullet climbers and climbers wearing light clothes were still observed,” he said at the news conference.

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