Hiking, Climbing Accidents Plague Yamanashi Prefecture, Authorities Strive to Boost Awareness Among Visitors
As of the end of July, 120 people had gotten lost or had accidents on Yamanashi's mountains, an increase of about 60% from the same period in 2024. Eleven people died in these incidents.
More than 80% of the people who got into trouble came from outside Yamanashi, so local police and other authorities have been going the extra mile to raise awareness about the importance of being fully prepared before hitting the trails.
On the morning of Aug. 7, a bus arrived at the starting point for the climb up Mt. Kitadake, which at 3,193 meters is Japan's second-highest peak. Despite the rainy weather, the bus was almost full with at least 50 hikers on board. Soon after arriving, the passengers slung large backpacks over their shoulders and made their way toward the mountain path.
'I almost tripped over once as I came down a mountain,' a 57-year-old company employee from Narashino, Chiba Prefecture, said as she steeled herself for the upcoming climb. 'I'll use trekking poles and make sure I walk carefully.'
According to sources, including a website for mountain lodge reservations on Mt. Kitadake and its surrounding area, the number of people who stayed at these facilities in July increased by about 600 from the same month in 2024. The lodges were said to be mostly full on weekends.
Problems frequent on descents
The wide variety of mountains in Yamanashi is one reason the prefecture attracts so many hikers. The entire prefecture is dotted with well-known peaks such as Mt. Kitadake and Mt. Yatsugatake in the west, and Mt. Daibosatsu in the east. There are trails that cater to every level of hiker, from first-timers to advanced mountain climbers.
Outdoor activities gained attention during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the population of mountain climbers has been trending upward in recent years amid the boom in trekking on 'low mountains.' However, hiking and mountain-climbing accidents have been occurring almost in proportion to the increase in people hitting the trails.According to the prefectural police, the number of people who got into trouble in the mountains between January and July had hovered at about 60 to 70 each year from 2021. But this year, that figure jumped to 120. Eleven people died and 36 people were seriously injured during that period.
The age bracket that had the most accidents, with 27, was people in their 50s. This was followed by 25 people in their 60s, and 17 each in their 70s and their 20s. These figures indicate that middle-aged and elderly hikers were involved in the bulk of the accidents.
'Many accidents involve people who haven't noticed that their physical strength has declined,' a senior Yamanashi prefectural police official told The Yomiuri Shimbun.
A striking number of accidents occur as hikers descend a mountain, when concentration wanes due to fatigue from the climb. On Aug. 8, a 55-year-old man from Tokyo lost consciousness and died while descending the Yamanashi Prefecture side of Mt. Fuji.
Efforts focus on maps, train journeysMore than 80% of people who ran into difficulty in Yamanashi's mountains were residents of other prefectures. Previous attempts to make visiting hikers aware in advance of the potential dangers lurking on the trails have had little impact, so local authorities have thought outside the box to devise new approaches.
As part of those efforts this climbing season, the prefectural police have started deploying officers on trains used by many visitors to the prefecture. These officers give advice and guidance to hikers traveling to Yamanashi. Previously, the police distributed flyers at trail starting points and other locations, but many climbers were in a hurry and just getting them to stop was difficult. Consequently, the police turned their attention to the time when these hikers were making their way to the prefecture.
This approach was tried for the first time on Aug. 6, when officers from the prefectural police's the mountain safety measures unit boarded the JR Chuo Line, which carries many hiking enthusiasts from Tokyo. The officers gave nutritional supplements and other items to hikers, checked their equipment and physical condition, and explained in detail dangerous spots on the mountains the hikers planned to climb. Onboard announcements also reminded hikers to exercise caution on the trails.In July, 15 accidents were reported on Mt. Kitadake, more than double the figure recorded in the same month last year. This surge prompted Minami Alps Police Station, which is responsible for hiker safety on the mountain, to compile a handmade map with stickers marking areas where hikers got into difficulty on the trail. Intended to alert hikers to tricky spots at a glance, these maps are being displayed at mountain lodges and huts, and the police are calling on hikers to make use of them.
The prefectural police also are urging mountain climbers to draw up hiking plans based on a mountain trail grading scale displayed on the prefectural government's website and elsewhere. The scale indicates the difficulty of trails and other information.
'We want people to carefully consider their own physical strength and experience, and then select mountains suited to their level,' said Shigeru Ono, deputy chief of the mountain safety measures unit.
Fire dept, helicopter rescue service ink deal
In a bid to swiftly locate and rescue people who get into trouble while hiking in the mountains, the Otsuki Fire Department in Otsuki, Yamanashi Prefecture, in May inked a cooperation agreement with Authentic Japan Co., a private company that operates the Cocoheli helicopter rescue service.
Cocoheli is a membership-based service under which members receive a small transmitter that enables searchers to pinpoint their location even in mountainous areas where mobile phones do not get reception. About 170,000 people across Japan are members.
Under the agreement, Fukuoka-based Authentic Japan will promptly provide the fire department with the location data of a member who needs assistance. The department and Authentic Japan will reportedly also conduct joint rescue exercises.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
16 hours ago
Osaka Expo Organizer Aims to Prevent Recurrence of Train Issue
News from Japan Society Aug 20, 2025 17:25 (JST) Osaka, Aug. 20 (Jiji Press)--The Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition is tackling transportation challenges after a service suspension on Osaka Metro Co.'s Chuo Line stranded visitors at the site last week. On Monday, the association admitted that information sharing about the incident was insufficient, vowing to improve its handling of such cases. The incident occurred at a time when ticket sales for the Expo, which runs through mid-October, are growing. Some 18.66 million tickets had been sold by Friday, with the association aiming to achieve its final goal of selling 23 million tickets. The Expo venue of the artificial island of Yumeshima is expected to become even busier. "We will quickly improve what we should by learning lessons from the latest case," Hiroyuki Ishige, secretary-general of the association, said at a press conference on Monday, referring to the train suspension. He said the association will review its emergency information-sharing and food and beverage distribution operations. [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press
The Diplomat
2 days ago
- The Diplomat
Thailand's Tourist Arrivals Down on Competition, Safety Concerns
Thailand's tourism sector continues to slump, with foreign tourist arrivals having fallen by more than 7 percent so far this year, according to the country's Ministry of Tourism and Sport. In a statement yesterday, the ministry reported that the country saw a 7.04 percent decline in international tourist arrivals in the year to August 17, compared with the same period a year earlier. The country welcomed around 20.81 million foreign visitors during the period, the largest number of which came from China. On the back of the disappointing figures, the National Economic and Social Development Council yesterday reduced its forecast for foreign tourist arrivals this year from 37 million to 33 million, well down on the record 40 million people who visited Thailand in 2019, the last full year before the COVID-19 pandemic. This comes after the Thai central bank similarly cut its projection for foreign arrivals this year from 39.5 million to 37.5 million in May. The Thai tourism industry, the region's largest, has struggled to recover from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused international tourism arrivals to plummet from 6.7 million in 2020 and then to just 428,000 in 2021. Thailand received 35.54 million foreign tourists last year, an increase of more than a quarter on 2023's figures. But the latest figures suggest that the recovery may have crested, raising questions about the short to medium-term outlook for the economically pivotal industry. It is hard to pinpoint a single cause for the slump. One is the growing competition from other regional destinations, particularly Vietnam, the Southeast Asian tourism market that has performed the best since COVID-19. Last year, Vietnam welcomed 17.5 million international visitors, just shy of its pre-pandemic record of 18 million. Thailand is also battling growing concerns about safety. In a horrific incident earlier this month, two Malaysian tourists were set on fire in downtown Bangkok, a story that has gained widespread international coverage. The country has also been associated with online scamming operations, following the high-profile kidnapping in January of the Chinese actor Wang Xing, who was later rescued from a scamming center in Myanmar. The ongoing border dispute with Cambodia, which flared into a five-day conflict late last month, is also likely not helping Thailand's international image as a safe and welcoming destination. According to the Bangkok Post, Thanapol Cheewarattanaporn, president of the Association of Thai Travel Agents, said that the government 'has been slow to reassure tourists about safety or take action to instill confidence in prospective travellers.' The scam issue has reportedly had a particularly strong impact on the perception of tourists from China, whose numbers have been particularly depressed since the lifting of China's strict 'zero COVID' policy in late 2022. While China has been the top source of international visitors in the year to August 17, with 2.93 million visitors to Thailand, the figures are also on track to fall far short of the 6.7 million Chinese nationals who visited last year, let alone the record 11 million who visited Thailand in 2019. Since COVID-19, the Thai government has introduced a number of initiatives to stimulate the tourism sector. It has loosened visa restrictions, introducing new long-term 'digital nomad' visas, while permanently waiving visa requirements for Chinese nationals in a reciprocal arrangement with Beijing. This week, Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira announced an initiative known as TouristDigipay, which will allow foreign tourists to convert cryptocurrency into Thai baht for everyday purchases. The scheme, which the Thai government describes as the world's first program of its kind, will run for a trial period of 18 months. Most controversially, the government has unveiled a plan to legalize casino gambling, although this has recently stalled due to public opposition. The fact that these efforts have so far failed to revive the tourism sector only adds to the economic and political challenges facing the weak Pheu Thai government.
Yomiuri Shimbun
3 days ago
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Hiking, Climbing Accidents Plague Yamanashi Prefecture, Authorities Strive to Boost Awareness Among Visitors
KOFU — Home to some of the most popular climbing mountains in Japan, including the iconic Mt. Fuji, Yamanashi Prefecture is a magnet for hikers. However, hiking and climbing accidents have spiked this year in the prefecture's peaks, among them the Southern Alps, the Daibosatsu and Doshi mountain ranges. As of the end of July, 120 people had gotten lost or had accidents on Yamanashi's mountains, an increase of about 60% from the same period in 2024. Eleven people died in these incidents. More than 80% of the people who got into trouble came from outside Yamanashi, so local police and other authorities have been going the extra mile to raise awareness about the importance of being fully prepared before hitting the trails. On the morning of Aug. 7, a bus arrived at the starting point for the climb up Mt. Kitadake, which at 3,193 meters is Japan's second-highest peak. Despite the rainy weather, the bus was almost full with at least 50 hikers on board. Soon after arriving, the passengers slung large backpacks over their shoulders and made their way toward the mountain path. 'I almost tripped over once as I came down a mountain,' a 57-year-old company employee from Narashino, Chiba Prefecture, said as she steeled herself for the upcoming climb. 'I'll use trekking poles and make sure I walk carefully.' According to sources, including a website for mountain lodge reservations on Mt. Kitadake and its surrounding area, the number of people who stayed at these facilities in July increased by about 600 from the same month in 2024. The lodges were said to be mostly full on weekends. Problems frequent on descents The wide variety of mountains in Yamanashi is one reason the prefecture attracts so many hikers. The entire prefecture is dotted with well-known peaks such as Mt. Kitadake and Mt. Yatsugatake in the west, and Mt. Daibosatsu in the east. There are trails that cater to every level of hiker, from first-timers to advanced mountain climbers. Outdoor activities gained attention during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the population of mountain climbers has been trending upward in recent years amid the boom in trekking on 'low mountains.' However, hiking and mountain-climbing accidents have been occurring almost in proportion to the increase in people hitting the to the prefectural police, the number of people who got into trouble in the mountains between January and July had hovered at about 60 to 70 each year from 2021. But this year, that figure jumped to 120. Eleven people died and 36 people were seriously injured during that period. The age bracket that had the most accidents, with 27, was people in their 50s. This was followed by 25 people in their 60s, and 17 each in their 70s and their 20s. These figures indicate that middle-aged and elderly hikers were involved in the bulk of the accidents. 'Many accidents involve people who haven't noticed that their physical strength has declined,' a senior Yamanashi prefectural police official told The Yomiuri Shimbun. A striking number of accidents occur as hikers descend a mountain, when concentration wanes due to fatigue from the climb. On Aug. 8, a 55-year-old man from Tokyo lost consciousness and died while descending the Yamanashi Prefecture side of Mt. Fuji. Efforts focus on maps, train journeysMore than 80% of people who ran into difficulty in Yamanashi's mountains were residents of other prefectures. Previous attempts to make visiting hikers aware in advance of the potential dangers lurking on the trails have had little impact, so local authorities have thought outside the box to devise new approaches. As part of those efforts this climbing season, the prefectural police have started deploying officers on trains used by many visitors to the prefecture. These officers give advice and guidance to hikers traveling to Yamanashi. Previously, the police distributed flyers at trail starting points and other locations, but many climbers were in a hurry and just getting them to stop was difficult. Consequently, the police turned their attention to the time when these hikers were making their way to the prefecture. This approach was tried for the first time on Aug. 6, when officers from the prefectural police's the mountain safety measures unit boarded the JR Chuo Line, which carries many hiking enthusiasts from Tokyo. The officers gave nutritional supplements and other items to hikers, checked their equipment and physical condition, and explained in detail dangerous spots on the mountains the hikers planned to climb. Onboard announcements also reminded hikers to exercise caution on the July, 15 accidents were reported on Mt. Kitadake, more than double the figure recorded in the same month last year. This surge prompted Minami Alps Police Station, which is responsible for hiker safety on the mountain, to compile a handmade map with stickers marking areas where hikers got into difficulty on the trail. Intended to alert hikers to tricky spots at a glance, these maps are being displayed at mountain lodges and huts, and the police are calling on hikers to make use of them. The prefectural police also are urging mountain climbers to draw up hiking plans based on a mountain trail grading scale displayed on the prefectural government's website and elsewhere. The scale indicates the difficulty of trails and other information. 'We want people to carefully consider their own physical strength and experience, and then select mountains suited to their level,' said Shigeru Ono, deputy chief of the mountain safety measures unit. Fire dept, helicopter rescue service ink deal In a bid to swiftly locate and rescue people who get into trouble while hiking in the mountains, the Otsuki Fire Department in Otsuki, Yamanashi Prefecture, in May inked a cooperation agreement with Authentic Japan Co., a private company that operates the Cocoheli helicopter rescue service. Cocoheli is a membership-based service under which members receive a small transmitter that enables searchers to pinpoint their location even in mountainous areas where mobile phones do not get reception. About 170,000 people across Japan are members. Under the agreement, Fukuoka-based Authentic Japan will promptly provide the fire department with the location data of a member who needs assistance. The department and Authentic Japan will reportedly also conduct joint rescue exercises.
