Majority approve Mt. Fuji climbing restrictions, hope tolls used for conservation
FUJIYOSHIDA, Yamanashi -- About 80% of respondents to a survey of Mount Fuji climbers approved of entry restrictions on the Yoshida Trail implemented last year, and many also expressed a desire for the tolls collected to be used for environmental conservation efforts on the mountain.
The Yamanashi Prefectural Government began collecting a toll of 2,000 yen (around $14) from hikers at the fifth station of the Yoshida Trail on the Yamanashi Prefecture side of the mountain, and encouraged the voluntary payment of a 1,000-yen Mount Fuji conservation cooperation fee. It also closed the fifth station to hikers between 4 p.m. and 3 a.m., except for those staying at mountain lodges and those descending.
The online survey was carried out by the Mount Fuji Yoshida Trail environmental conservation promotion council, a group comprising mountain lodge stakeholders among others, between August and October 2024. It targeted Japanese individuals aged 18 and over who stayed in mountain lodges, receiving 544 valid responses. Kiyotatsu Yamamoto, an associate professor at the University of Tokyo's graduate school and an adviser to the council, compiled and analyzed the data.
According to the survey results, 38% of respondents rated the restrictions "highly," and another 44% "somewhat" positively. When asked how they would like the toll fees to be used, with multiple answers allowed, "environmental conservation of Mount Fuji" (477 respondents) and "waste and sewage management" (424 respondents) were the top choices. The least popular option was "staffing costs for collecting money" (60 respondents).
Yamamoto noted, "Most climbers view the system positively and want the toll fees to be used for environmental conservation. The prefecture needs to collect the toll fees efficiently."
The questionnaire also asked how much they would be willing to pay if the entry fee were increased, providing a series of randomized amounts. Statistical analysis indicated that raising the toll to 4,000 yen (some $27) would reduce the number of climbers by 23%, and a toll of 7,400 yen (around $50) would halve it. However, about 10% of respondents indicated they would pay even if the toll were raised to 18,000 yen (approx. $122).
This season, the prefectural government will increase the toll on the Yoshida Trail to 4,000 yen. Concerns have been raised about the potential impact on the number of climbers. Regarding this, Yamamoto predicted, "Few travelers know the exact amount needed on-site, so the number of climbers is unlikely to decrease as much as theoretical figures suggest."
(Japanese original by Tatsuki Noda, Kofu Bureau)
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