Photo/Illutration The new steel gate at the fifth station of the Yoshida trail of Mount Fuji (Shin Toyohira)

A sturdy steel gate now greets those wishing to climb 3,776-meter Mount Fuji from the fifth station of the Yoshida trail on the Yamanashi Prefecture side of the sacred mountain.

It’s there to control overcrowding on the trail and thwart “bullet climbing,” a dangerous practice in which the ascent is done at night.

The climbing season will kick off July 1.

Prefectural authorities spent around 15 million yen ($104,000) to install the gate, which is about eight meters wide and 3.5 meters tall, to replace a temporary wooden entranceway used last year.

From this year, the Yamanashi prefectural government will also empower Mount Fuji rangers to deny entry to individuals considered unsuitably dressed for the climb.

In the simulated exercise held June 13, a ranger stopped a group wearing tank tops, shorts and sandals. The ranger tried to convince the group to stop at a nearby shop to purchase the appropriate gear for a safe climb.

Miho Sakurai has served as a Mount Fuji ranger for eight years and she said, “I hope climbers will prepare the necessary wear because it is for their own safety.”

Yamanashi prefectural government employees also went through the steps of dealing with climbers who appear at the gate without having made advance reservations.

Reservations are not required from this summer.

Among other changes in the rules are the closing of the fifth station gate of the Yoshida trail from 2 p.m. until 3 a.m. the following day, two hours earlier than last year. The climbing fee will also be raised to 4,000 yen per person.

The maximum daily limit on climbers will remain unchanged at 4,000.

According to prefectural government officials, as of 3 p.m. on June 13, reservations had been received from 12,451 people, about 6,400 fewer than last year. Half of those making reservations also booked a night at a mountain hut.

At his June 5 news conference, Yamanashi Governor Kotaro Nagasaki said climbers dressed lightly would not be allowed to pass the gate.

Related News