New Entrance Gate Installed on Mt. Fuji Trail to Manage Crowds

Jun 14, 2024 | News On Japan

YAMANASHI, Jun 14, 2024 (NHK) - Workers have begun setting up an entrance gate for a trail to Mt. Fuji before the climbing season starts in early July. Officials aim to regulate the number of hikers who visit Japan's highest mountain on any given day.

The Yoshida Trail in Yamanashi Prefecture is one of the four main routes for climbing Mt. Fuji. The work began on Thursday morning, at a location about halfway up the mountain.

Yamanashi Prefecture decided to take the measure in response to an increase in the number of climbers. Some take the risk of going up Mt. Fuji at night without taking a rest in mountain huts, while others leave trash behind.

Starting on July 1, the daily number of climbers using the route will be limited to 4,000. Each of them will be charged 2,000 yen, or around 13 dollars. The gate will be closed at 4 p.m. and reopen at 3 a.m. every day.

The gate, about 8 meters long and 1.8 meters high, is expected to be completed next Monday. Workers were seen putting wooden boards over an iron frame on Thursday. A door will be created in a midsection.

Yamanashi Prefecture officials say the gate is temporary, and they plan to install a more robust one before next year's climbing season.

A senior official, Hosoda Chiaki, says they will check the new gate to make sure that people will be able to use it smoothly as the climbing season will begin soon.

Record Rain Triggers Level 5 Warning in Fukui

Record rainfall caused 19 rivers to overflow across Fukui Prefecture, flooding roads and homes, triggering landslides and temporarily forcing authorities to issue the highest-level heavy rain emergency warning from early Sunday morning.

Drones Deliver Supplies to Residents Cut Off by Landslide

Drones were used to deliver food and daily necessities to an isolated mountain community in Himi City, Toyama Prefecture, on August 30 after torrential rain triggered a landslide that cut off road access, while volunteers continued flood recovery work in neighboring Ishikawa Prefecture.

Typhoon No. 23 Overtakes No. 22 East of Japan as Both Head North

Two typhoons east of Japan were moving northward on August 30, with Typhoon No. 23 (Banlan) overtaking Typhoon No. 22 (Artau), although neither storm is expected to have a direct impact on Japan.

Nine-Minute Drone Video Shows Scale of Aeon Mall Damage

A 9-minute, 13-second drone video filmed inside Aeon Mall Kumamoto two days after the deadly explosion has provided a detailed view of the destruction, showing collapsed ceilings, heavy dust and widespread damage that may have affected between one-third and nearly half of the shopping center.

Conditions Ease as Typhoon No. 18 Passes Okinawa

Strong Typhoon No. 18 was moving northwest through the East China Sea on the night of August 26, gradually pulling away from Okinawa and the Amami Islands as lingering rain, strong winds and high waves were expected to ease. As of 9 p.m. on August 26, the typhoon was over waters north-northwest of Kume Island and moving northwest.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Travel NEWS

Record Rain Pounds Hokuriku

Record-breaking rainfall continued across the Hokuriku region on Saturday, with Himi City in Toyama Prefecture receiving more than 500 millimeters over 72 hours, as authorities warned of further heavy rain, landslides and river flooding through August 30.

Severe Thunderstorms Strike Across Japan

Severe thunderstorms brought torrential rain, lightning, hail and a tornado to Hokkaido on August 28, disrupting rail and air travel and leaving some passengers stranded overnight at New Chitose Airport, as unstable atmospheric conditions triggered intense downpours across Japan.

Kyushu Shinkansen to Fully Reopen on September 18

JR Kyushu plans to restore full service on the Kyushu Shinkansen from the first train on September 18, nearly two months after the Kumamoto earthquake caused extensive damage to tracks and stations and forced the suspension of services on part of the line.

Beware of Bears as Mountain Food Runs Low in Summer

Bear sightings are increasing across Japan this summer as a shortage of food in the mountains drives the animals closer to areas where people live and visit, with authorities in Aomori Prefecture closing a lookout near Lake Towada after a foreign tourist was attacked.

United Airlines to Launch Direct Okinawa Flights From San Francisco

United Airlines announced on August 25 that it will launch direct flights between San Francisco and Okinawa from March 27, 2027, as the U.S. carrier seeks to capture growing demand for travel to Japan.

ANA-JAL Cooperation Signals Possible Shift in Japan's Airline Industry

ANA Holdings' All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines will begin coordinating departure times on the Haneda-Okayama route from October 25, an unusual move by Japan's two largest airline groups as weak business travel, a weaker yen and rising fuel and labor costs put increasing pressure on domestic operations.

Haneda Airport Unveils New Boarding Area With Wood-Finished Gates

Haneda Airport has unveiled a new boarding area at Terminal 1 that will begin operations in September, featuring extensive wood interiors and self-driving transportation within the facility.

220-Meter Skybridge Opens at Biwako Valley in Shiga

A new 220-meter pedestrian suspension bridge has been completed at Biwako Valley in Otsu, Shiga Prefecture, offering visitors sweeping views of Lake Biwa from mountains about 1,100 meters above sea level.

< 2 3 4 5 >