YAMANASHI, Jun 09, 2026 - Foreign tourists continue to climb Mount Fuji despite strict access restrictions ahead of the official climbing season, prompting local officials to renew calls for tougher penalties and requiring climbers to pay for rescue operations conducted during the mountain's closed period.
At Mount Fuji's fifth station on June 9th, thick fog surrounded the area as authorities prepared for the mountain's official opening on July 1st, less than three weeks away. Signs and barriers in multiple languages, including Japanese, English, and Chinese, had been installed at trail entrances warning visitors that access was prohibited.
Under road regulations, climbing routes from the fifth station to the summit are currently closed. Nevertheless, foreign tourists continued to appear throughout the day intending to climb the mountain.
One visitor from Canada said he had recently completed the ascent despite an estimated climbing time of 10 hours. "I made it in six and a half or seven hours. I have GPS, so if anything happens, I'm fully prepared," he said.
The reporting team also encountered a Spanish couple attempting to climb Mount Fuji for the first time. After being informed that climbing was currently prohibited, the woman replied, "We're mountain guides and he's my partner. We have the knowledge needed to go up and come down safely. The most important thing is knowing when to turn back."
However, when asked whether the barriers blocking the trail entrance would serve as that turning point, she rejected the idea.
"Mount Fuji is a mountain I should climb. We'll go up in three hours and come down in two. This is easy. I don't think there's anything dangerous about it. It's more like hiking than mountain climbing. We have to go now," she said before ignoring warnings from the reporting team and proceeding onto the trail.
The pair slipped past a wall erected to block access and disappeared onto the mountain.
Opinions among foreign visitors varied. Some argued that climbing was acceptable with proper preparation and equipment, while others said there would be no problem if climbers exercised caution. Others said they would respect the rules and avoid climbing when the mountain was officially closed.
A man who visits Mount Fuji every week said he had even seen foreign visitors climbing the mountain in cosplay costumes.
Growing frustration over off-season climbing has been fueled by a series of accidents on Mount Fuji's snow-covered slopes. Fujinomiya Mayor Hidetada Sudo criticized climbers who ignore restrictions despite the dangers posed by winter conditions.
"Climbing during the closed season means entering a winter mountain where snow remains. There is a significant risk of becoming stranded or injured," Sudo said. "Mountaineers often say they climb because the mountain is there, but that is their own personal reasoning. I want them to understand our position as local residents who do not want people climbing."
Rescue footage released by Yamanashi Prefectural Police showed emergency personnel carrying a woman who suffered facial fractures after slipping on a snow-covered slope in late April. The footage showed rescuers carefully navigating freezing temperatures and strong winds while preventing further falls during the operation.
Accidents have also occurred on the Shizuoka side of Mount Fuji. In 2025, a total of 45 climbers required rescue in Shizuoka Prefecture, including nine incidents that occurred outside the official climbing season.
Because municipalities bear the cost of such rescue operations, Sudo is urging the national government to revise the law and require climbers rescued during the closed season to pay the costs themselves.
"I want penalties to be tougher," Sudo said. "Rescue costs should be the responsibility of those who choose to climb. The law should be changed so people understand that if they get into trouble and need to be rescued, they will have to cover the expense themselves. We cannot allow people to assume someone else will pay."
Sudo also criticized a petition campaign by some climbers seeking greater understanding for off-season ascents.
"Mountaineers may have dreams and feel proud about climbing Mount Fuji, but from the perspective of local communities it causes problems," he said. "The people who go to rescue them are risking their own lives, so I want them to stop."
With Mount Fuji's official opening approaching on July 1st, authorities are calling on visitors to respect the rules and wait until the designated climbing season begins.
Source: FNN
