Japan Hikes Toll To Climb Mount Fuji Over Pollution & Safety Concerns

The Yamanashi prefecture in Japan has doubled the toll paid by hikers to climb Mount Fuji while citing pollution and safety concerns. The toll is also being increased to protect the UNESCO-designated site.

Yamanashi prefecture in Japan doubles toll to climb Mount Fuji

Starting this coming summer, hikers will have to pay an increased toll to climb Mount Fuji, when using any of the four main paths up the mountain. Under a new bill passed last week, an entry fee of ¥4,000 ($27) will be introduced in time for the peak season.

Like many popular locations in the world, Japan’s highest mountain has been struggling with overtourism. Moreover, a dramatic increase in visitors has led to pollution and safety concerns on the mountain.

Meanwhile, in order to help clean up the mountain and preserve its environment, authorities had previously introduced a fee and a daily visitor cap for the most popular trail last year, the Yoshida trail. Fast forward to now, and authorities are hiking that fee.

Mount Fuji hikers will pay a $26 toll this summer

In summer 2024, hikers visiting Mount Fuji had to pay ¥2,000 ($13) to head up the Yoshida trail. This is the most popular ascent, thanks to its easy access from Tokyo, and to the frequency of mountain huts en route, offering hikers meals and accommodation.

The Yamanashi prefectural government, which oversees hiking activities at the UNESCO World Heritage site found it necessary to introduce the fee to protect the environment. Moreover, it also implemented a 4,000 hikers per day limit for those using the Yoshida trail to ease congestion.

Authorities said the proceeds would be used to construct shelters along the path for use in the event of a volcanic eruption and to maintain the hiking trail itself. Moreover, since 2014, hikers climbing the mountain via any of its trails have been encouraged to voluntarily pay ¥1,000 ($6.73) towards the site’s preservation

Now, in 2025, the fee to hike that iconic trail is to double to ¥4,000 ($27), a toll that will also apply to the three other routes, which were previously free. Meanwhile, the toll will be in force from July through September, the peak climbing season.

Mount Fuji restrictions do help tackle overtourism

According to figures quoted by Japan’s environment ministry, the restrictions put in place in 2024 did prove effective. They reduced the number of hikers heading up Mount Fuji from 221,322 in 2023 to 204,316.

Moreover, another measure put in place in the nearby town of Fujikawaguchiko last year to curb overtourism also proved effective. Locals irritated by the tourist crowd taking photos of the iconic mountain from the village built a large fence to block the view of Mount Fuji.

The fence, covered in black mesh, stopped tourists from taking selfies with the landmark. It was also done following incidents of littering, crossing the street dangerously through heavy traffic, ignoring traffic lights, and trespassing into private properties.

While the barrier was removed in August due to a typhoon warning, authorities decided not to reinstall it as it had been so effective. Authorities did warn, however, that should tourists return in huge numbers again it could be reinstated.