CNN
—
A week after a small town in Japan announced it was taking extraordinary measures to prevent overtourism at a popular selfie spot, the companies embroiled in the controversy have released a statement.
Lawson, one of Japan’s largest convenience store chains, is based in the small town of Fujikawaguchiko. This town in Yamanashi Prefecture is well known among tourists, as it is located at the beginning of the most popular hiking trail to Mt. Fuji, and is now also known for its beautiful views of Mt. Fuji.
Tourists are flocking to Fujikawaguchiko Town to take certain photos. It’s a shot of Mt. Fuji behind the Lawson store. The classic elegance of Mt. Fuji contrasts with the store’s modern neon sign.
This great photo spot is so popular that the town of Fujikawaguchiko has now taken the drastic step of installing a fence blocking the view of the mountain to deter former photographers.
Although Lawson does not encourage customers to take photos inside its stores, the company nevertheless released a statement on the issue on May 5th.
“We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and concern we have caused to the local community and customers of each store as the Lawson Kawaguchiko Ekimae store becomes more popular.”
And while the town of Fujikawaguchiko has already erected eight-foot-tall fences behind its stores, Lawson has installed signs in multiple languages warning visitors against littering to prevent malicious behavior by tourists. It said it would take its own measures. Block traffic etc.
Additionally, Lawson said it is considering hiring private security to manage the store and surrounding area.
Just taking a photo may not seem like a life-altering problem, but officials recently told CNN that a huge increase in tourists and their accompanying lack of etiquette is wreaking havoc on tiny Lake Kawaguchi. He said he was bringing it.
During peak season, the town typically has three times as many visitors as residents.
Additionally, many of the photographers who set up their filming equipment in front of Lawson leave trash behind, obstructing the free movement of residents, and standing on the road, obstructing traffic and potentially causing accidents, the anonymous official said. Ta. Several store owners near Lawson complained to the city council.
Fuji Kawaguchiko is one of many places in Japan dealing with overtourism. The country fully reopened its economy in late 2022 following the pandemic, leading to a surge in rescheduled and “revenge travel.”
March 2024 was Japan’s best tourism month ever, welcoming more than 3 million tourists. Many of them headed for the same destination, crowding Kyoto’s narrow streets and Mount Fuji’s promenade.
The damage to Mount Fuji, known in Japanese as “Mt. Fuji,” has been so severe that local leaders are calling for measures to tighten tourism regulations for the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
In 2023, Yamanashi prefecture officials told CNN that the biggest problem at Mt. Fuji is overtourism. In addition to the sheer number of additional bodies, he expressed concern about problems associated with increased visitor numbers, including erosion, trash, increased carbon emissions, and environmental damage caused by hikers who stray from marked trails. expressed.
Lawson is not the only tourist destination in Japan that has installed signs warning visitors of bad manners.
Clashes have broken out between tourists and locals in Kyoto’s historic Gion neighborhood as crowds of tourists cram into narrow alleys hoping to spot geishas on their way to work. The local Gion Council has put up signs and distributed pamphlets explaining that it is rude to follow geishas, take photos without their permission, or tug on their kimonos, but they don’t care about “geisha paparazzi.” It continues.
No one has a perfect answer to how Japan can deal with overtourism. However, a fence prohibiting photography is scheduled to be erected in Fujikawaguchiko Town by the end of this month.
Editor’s note: CNN’s Himari Semans contributed reporting.
