Climbers Will Have to Pay to Climb Mount Fuji
2024-05-30
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1The local officials protecting Mount Fuji are making changes to protect its natural beauty and the safety of people climbing it.
2Those who want to hike one of the most popular paths, or trails, on Japan's famous Mount Fuji will have to buy a ticket starting on July 1.
3Officials aim to reduce crowds, littering and climbers who rush too quickly to the top.
4The Mount Fuji climbing season lasts from July 1 to September 10.
5The system for buying tickets is for those walking on the Yoshida Trail.
6It is on the side of the 3,776-meter-high mountain that is within Yamanashi Prefecture.
7Climbers can also climb the mountain in Shizuoka prefecture, southwest of Mount Fuji.
8Shizuoka has requested a voluntary fee of about $6 per climber since 2014 and is looking for ways to balance tourism and environmental protection.
9Mount Fuji is a stratovolcano, a tall, steep-sided mountain formed by layers of volcanic materials such as ash and lava.
10UNESCO chose it as a World Cultural Heritage site in 2013.
11The new rules will permit only 4,000 climbers to enter the trail per day for a hiking fee of about $18.
12Yamanashi prefecture officials said 3,000 of those tickets will be available on the internet and the other 1,000 can be bought in person on the day of the climb.
13Hikers may also give an additional amount for protecting the mountain's natural resources.
14Climbers can request tickets on the Mount Fuji Climbing website.
15The Environment Ministry and the mountain's two home prefectures, Yamanashi and Shizuoka, operate the site.
16Mount Fuji has three main trails.
17There are 10 stations.
18Each is at a different height, or altitude.
19Most hikers begin at the "5th station," where there is a bus stop.
20Under the new system, climbers must choose between a day hike or an overnight stay at a shelter along the trail.
21Hikers who reach the 5th station after 4 p.m. and are not staying overnight have to go back down.
22This rule is to stop "bullet climbing," or rushing to the top without enough rest.
23Traveling to a high point too quickly can cause altitude sickness which includes headaches, dizziness and nausea.
24A symbol of Japan, the mountain called "Fujisan" was once thought of as a holy volcano.
25Today, many hikers climb to the top to see the sunrise.
26To see the sunrise, hikers often stay at a shelter at the 7th or 8th station and climb to the top in the early morning darkness.
27Hiking in the dark increases the chance of injury.
28But a major problem is the large amount of waste people have left behind: plastic bottles, food, and even clothing.
29The Environment Ministry reports that during the climbing season in 2023, over 220,000 people went up Mount Fuji.
30That is close to the pre-pandemic level and officials expect more visitors this year.
31Last year, more than 25 million visitors came to Japan.
32The Japan National Tourism Organization expects that number to rise in 2024 to over 32 million.
33I'm Jill Robbins.
1The local officials protecting Mount Fuji are making changes to protect its natural beauty and the safety of people climbing it. 2Those who want to hike one of the most popular paths, or trails, on Japan's famous Mount Fuji will have to buy a ticket starting on July 1. Officials aim to reduce crowds, littering and climbers who rush too quickly to the top. 3The Mount Fuji climbing season lasts from July 1 to September 10. The system for buying tickets is for those walking on the Yoshida Trail. It is on the side of the 3,776-meter-high mountain that is within Yamanashi Prefecture. Climbers can also climb the mountain in Shizuoka prefecture, southwest of Mount Fuji. Shizuoka has requested a voluntary fee of about $6 per climber since 2014 and is looking for ways to balance tourism and environmental protection. 4Mount Fuji is a volcano 5Mount Fuji is a stratovolcano, a tall, steep-sided mountain formed by layers of volcanic materials such as ash and lava. UNESCO chose it as a World Cultural Heritage site in 2013. 6The new rules will permit only 4,000 climbers to enter the trail per day for a hiking fee of about $18. Yamanashi prefecture officials said 3,000 of those tickets will be available on the internet and the other 1,000 can be bought in person on the day of the climb. 7Hikers may also give an additional amount for protecting the mountain's natural resources. Climbers can request tickets on the Mount Fuji Climbing website. The Environment Ministry and the mountain's two home prefectures, Yamanashi and Shizuoka, operate the site. 8Bullet climbing 9Mount Fuji has three main trails. There are 10 stations. Each is at a different height, or altitude. Most hikers begin at the "5th station," where there is a bus stop. Under the new system, climbers must choose between a day hike or an overnight stay at a shelter along the trail. Hikers who reach the 5th station after 4 p.m. and are not staying overnight have to go back down. This rule is to stop "bullet climbing," or rushing to the top without enough rest. Traveling to a high point too quickly can cause altitude sickness which includes headaches, dizziness and nausea. 10A symbol of Japan, the mountain called "Fujisan" was once thought of as a holy volcano. Today, many hikers climb to the top to see the sunrise. To see the sunrise, hikers often stay at a shelter at the 7th or 8th station and climb to the top in the early morning darkness. 11Hiking in the dark increases the chance of injury. But a major problem is the large amount of waste people have left behind: plastic bottles, food, and even clothing. 12The Environment Ministry reports that during the climbing season in 2023, over 220,000 people went up Mount Fuji. That is close to the pre-pandemic level and officials expect more visitors this year. 13Last year, more than 25 million visitors came to Japan. The Japan National Tourism Organization expects that number to rise in 2024 to over 32 million. 14I'm Jill Robbins. 15Mari Yamaguchi reported this story for the Associated Press. Jill Robbins adapted it for Learning English. 16_____________________________________________ 17Words in This Story 18hike - v. to walk a long distance especially for pleasure or exercise 19trail - n. a path through a forest, field, or the like 20ticket - n. a piece of paper that allows you to see a show, participate in an event, travel on a vehicle or the like 21litter - v. to throw or leave trash on the ground in a public place 22steep - adj. going up or down very quickly 23prefecture - n. any one of the areas into which some countries (such as Japan and France) are divided for local government 24symbol -n. an image or object that serves to represent something else such as an idea or belief 25What do you think of the new rules for climbing Mount Fuji? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.