"Mount Fuji's Overtourism Woes: Japan's Iconic Peak Struggles to Cope"
Mount Fuji in Japan has fallen victim to overtourism, with overcrowding, garbage, and ill-prepared hikers becoming common sights on the mountain. Since being designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2013, the number of visitors to Mount Fuji has more than doubled, reaching over five million in 2019. The post-Covid tourism boom has further exacerbated the situation, leading to concerns about the environmental impact and the decline of the mountaineering experience. Measures such as limiting the number of climbers and proposing a light rail transit system have been suggested to address the issue of overtourism.