Town in Japan blocks view of Mount Fuji to drive away foreign tourists: ‘their manners are worrying’

Locals say foreigners are littering, ignoring traffic rules and trespassing, as they flood the area searching for the perfect shot of the mountain

Construction has begun on a 20 metre by 2.5 metre mesh screen that will almost completely obstruct the famous view

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Visitors take a photo of Mount Fuji in front of a convenience store at Fujikawaguchiko town on Sunday. Photo: Kyodo News via AP

Published: 6:30am, 1 May 2024Updated: 2:47pm, 3 May 2024

The town of Fujikawaguchiko has had enough of tourists.

Known for a number of scenic photo spots that offer a near-perfect shot of Japan’s iconic Mount Fuji, the town on Tuesday began constructing a large black screen on a stretch of pavement to block the view of the mountain. The reason: misbehaving foreign tourists.

“Kawaguchiko is a town built on tourism, and I welcome many visitors, and the town welcomes them too, but there are many things about their manners that are worrying,” said Michie Motomochi, owner of a cafe serving Japanese confectionery “ohagi”, near the soon-to-be-blocked photo spot.

Motomochi mentioned littering, crossing the road with busy traffic, ignoring traffic lights, trespassing into private properties. She isn’t unhappy though – 80 per cent of her customers are foreign visitors whose numbers have surged after a pandemic hiatus that kept Japan closed for about two years.

Workers set up a barrier near the Lawson convenience store in Fujikawaguchiko town on Tuesday. Photo: AP

Her neighbourhood suddenly became a popular spot about two years ago, apparently after a photo taken in a particular angle showing Mount Fuji in the background, as if sitting atop a local convenience store, became a social media sensation known as “Mt Fuji Lawson”, town officials say.