Today marks the first opening of Mount Fuji for climbing since it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, drawing a large crowd of early risers.
The 3,776-meter-high Mount Fuji, straddling Shizuoka and Yamanashi prefectures, is Japan’s highest peak.
To catch the breathtaking sight of the sunrise known as “Goraiko” from the summit, many people had climbed before dawn. Around 4:40 a.m., the sun emerged from behind the clouds, prompting cheers on the mountaintop.
Authorities estimate that the number of climbers will continue to rise in the future, posing challenges to both safety and environmental protection. Currently, there are four designated climbing routes: “Yoshida in Yamanashi Prefecture,” “Subashiri in Shizuoka Prefecture,” “Gotemba,” and “Fujinomiya.”
At 9 a.m., the Fujisan Hongu Sengen Taisha Shrine in “Fujinomiya City, Shizuoka Prefecture” held an “opening ceremony” to pray for the safety and well-being of climbers.
According to data from Yamanashi Prefecture, around 350,000 to 400,000 people climb Mount Fuji every year. Starting from the 25th, Shizuoka and Yamanashi prefectures will begin a trial collection of a 1,000-yen (approximately 300 New Taiwan Dollars) climbing fee at the fifth and sixth “climbing stations” along each route for about ten days. Official fees will be implemented next summer.
(Broadcasting Corporation of China)