Tourism Mount Fuji: climber cap, gate, and fees

I call it the 2000s too. I wasn't very naughty in that decade.

mdchachi said:

He misspelled it. It's the noughties (British English) or aughts (American English). But I never got in the habit of using either. I would just say 2000s.

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It may be a misspelling, but it's more fun this way.

Just like I call it the 1900s, I wonder what people in the 1920s called the 1900s.

Shizuoka considers charging the double of Yamanashi's Fuji fee:

The Shizuoka Prefectural Government proposes a ¥4,000 fee for climbers ascending Mount Fuji from the Shizuoka side starting next summer. This fee will manage overcrowding and reduce risky climbing attempts on Japan's highest peak. The proposal is currently under review by the prefectural assembly's culture and tourism committee. Shizuoka Prefecture plans to coordinate with neighbouring Yamanashi Prefecture before finalizing the ordinance and submitting it to the assembly in February. The fee will be collected at the fifth station of the Fujinomiya, Gotemba, and Subashiri trails. The revenue will fund safety measures and regulations on the mountain.

A permanent gate has been installed at the entrance to Mt. Fuji's fifth station in Yamanashi Prefecture and was officially unveiled on 13 June. Local authorities introduced a new measure to curb dangerous climbing practices. According to the prefecture, the steel-framed gate measures approximately 8 metres in width and 3.5 metres in height, with construction costs totalling around 15 million yen.


From 1 July, marking the start of the summer climbing season, the gate will be open daily from 3 a.m. to 2 p.m. and closed outside of these hours. To manage crowding and promote safety, the number of climbers will be limited to 4,000 per day, and each climber will be required to pay a 4,000-yen fee per trip. Security staff will be present at the gate around the clock during the climbing period. However, those with reservations at mountain lodges will be permitted to pass even when the gate is closed. A key safety issue the gate aims to address is "bullet climbing"—a risky practice where climbers ascend overnight without rest. A temporary gate installed in 2024 has already significantly reduced such hazardous attempts.

However, attention has since turned to climbers attempting to reach the summit wearing only T-shirts, sandals, or other insufficient gear. To address this issue, Yamanashi Prefecture has strengthened its deployment of "Mt. Fuji Rangers," prefectural staff trained to intervene with poorly equipped climbers. Their training was also demonstrated on June 13. During the drill, one role-playing climber argued, "We always climb like this. Why can't we go? We don't have time, let us through quickly." The ranger responded, "We want everyone to enjoy climbing Mt. Fuji, but your safety is our top priority. In your current outfit, it would be extremely dangerous, so we cannot let you pass." Under the new system, prefectural staff will have the authority to refuse entry to climbers lacking sufficient equipment. One tourist observing the measures commented, "I think it's necessary to prevent accidents. If you consider the need for helicopter rescues in case of emergencies, it's better to have restrictions."

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For the first time in three years, Shizuoka Prefecture recorded no deaths from mountaineering accidents this summer, though water-related incidents told a different story. Between 1 July and 31 August 2025, there were 48 mountain accidents, down 14 from the same period last year. Deaths dropped from seven in 2024 to none this year, making it the first summer without a single mountaineering fatality since 2022.


Roughly 70% of such accidents take place on Mount Fuji, and police said the new entry restrictions and required pre-climb safety briefings introduced this season likely helped raise awareness and reduce risks. By contrast, accidents in rivers and the sea increased. Authorities counted 25 cases, seven more than last summer, with fatalities rising to 12, an increase of five.

Amazing! We had 2 this week!