Mt. Fuji Climbers Must Wear Proper Clothing
There are four climbing routes up the 3,776 meter Mt. Fuji. Three routes are in Shizuoka Prefecture, and one, Yoshida Trail, in Yamanashi Prefecture. Beginning this year, climbers wanting to climb Mt. Fuji via the Yoshida Trail must agree to terms, including wearing warm clothing and proper footwear. Access to the trail will be denied for noncompliance. This new rule and others come due to an increase in foreign visitors and overcrowding. Local governments are trying to address issues ahead of the summer climbing season, which begins in early July and ends September 10th.
I’m sad that there are more and more rules, but it seems they are needed. On April 22nd, a climber called police and was airlifted from the peak of Mt. Fuji after he lost some of his climbing equipment while climbing the Fujinomiya Trail in Shizuoka Prefecture and fell sick with nausea. (Note: the mountain was closed to climbers at that time, being open from July 10th to September 10th.) Five days later, he had to be rescued from the mountain AGAIN when he returned to find his cell phone and succumbed to altitude sickness again. The man, who has not been publicly identified, is a 27 year old university student and Chinese national who lives in Tokyo, according to police. It is unknown whether he was able to find his phone.
6 comments:
What was the expression you used for the man who climbed onto the roof of a convenience store in Shibuya? Mewaku Gaijin? (bothersome foreigner) There are many more around.
Yes, it is reasonable that climbers without the right equipment or fitness are stopped from climbing the mountain. I also think the cost of rescue should be shouldered by the climber. I am not talking about rescue from a traffic accident or natural disaster, but a carelessly planned or rule-breaking leisure activity. The Japanese omotenashi (hospitality) shown to foreign tourists should not be abused.
Mt. Everest just passed a rule that you have to prove you've climbed a Himalayan mountain before you can get a permit to climb Everest, and Cinque Terre in Italy is positioning rangers to block hikers in flip flops. Is the world getting dumber or are there just that many more hikers? Even though he's foolish, I'm glad the guy was ok.
I hope that climber had to pay for his rescue, seems a very casual attitude towards his safety
Some rules are just smart ones -- and people aren't always smart. So, yes, probably needed.
Oh! I am glad that he wasn't an American! LOL
Wearing appropriate clothes does not seem like an unreasonable rule...and yet, I think far too many people will try and violate it!
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