A second trekking route to the summit of Mt. Fuji opened on Thursday, allowing hikers to begin the climb from Shizuoka Prefecture. But heavy snow near the top meant the upper reaches of two other routes from the prefecture remain closed.
Local officials marked the event with a ceremony, declaring that the mountain is now considered open to visitors.
The climbing season officially began on July 1, when a route from Yamanashi Prefecture opened to the public. That date also marked the introduction of a per-climb voluntary donation toward conservation costs, which both prefectures are now requesting.