The 37th session of the World Heritage Committee held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on June 22 approved the inclusion of Mount Fuji on the UNESCO World Heritage List, making it Japan’s 17th World Heritage site. Following its inscription as a World Heritage site, Mount Fuji has sparked a “Mount Fuji fever.” Not only have various Mount Fuji-themed crafts become bestsellers, but climbers have also flocked to the mountain.
According to Japan’s Mainichi Shimbun on the 9th, Fujiyoshida City in Shizuoka Prefecture, where the Mount Fuji climbing trails are located, announced that due to the increasing number of climbers, visitors will be encouraged to use their own portable “toilets” in the future.
Previously, about 40 toilets located above the fifth station of Mount Fuji, which are inaccessible by vehicles, have been under severe strain. With the growing number of visitors, adding new toilets or renovating existing ones has become impractical, and human waste from climbers could also damage Mount Fuji’s ecosystem.
Fujiyoshida Mayor Hidezumi Sudō stated that from an aesthetic standpoint, too many toilets will not be built. After the peak climbing season in September each year, the mountain’s restrooms will be closed, so visitors are encouraged to bring their own toilet facilities.