A rise in the number of unprepared climbers on Mount Fuji has become a headache for the Shizuoka Prefectural Government, which has been installing signs and creating multi-language videos that warn tourists to take the hike seriously.
The move comes as the tallest peak in Japan, straddling Shizuoka and Yamanashi prefectures, reopened for hiking season last month to an influx of visitors after the country lifted all COVID-19 restrictions and marked the 10th anniversary of Mount Fuji's registration as a World Heritage site in June.
The manager of a station lodge deplored the reckless attitudes of some climbers and said he especially wants people to refrain from "bullet climbing," where hikers attempt to reach the summit by sunrise without taking a break to sleep.