Hikers Are Not Allowed To Climb Mount Fuji Japan

Photo of Mount Fuji by Ian Matyssik on Unsplash

TOKYO - Mount Fuji on the border of Shizuoka Prefecture and Yamanashi west of Tokyo, Japan will impose an entry ban on all climbers. Everything was done to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus.

Before this pandemic, Mount Fuji was regularly visited by tourists and climbers. This horde of hikers usually hike to the top of the mountain between July 10 and September 10 each year.

Shizuoka Prefecture, which manages three of the four main routes to Japan's highest peak, Monday, May 18 made the announcement: Not opening any routes for the official climbing season this year. Yamanashi, another central Japanese prefecture, has made a similar announcement for a fourth route to the peak of the 3,776-meter volcanic mountain. The Yoshida Trail is the most popular, with 60 percent of climbers using it.

This is the first time since 1960. All four routes will be closed during the climbing season.

"The route opens in the summer but this year we will close it from July 10 to September 10," an official from Shizuoka prefecture told AFP as quoted by the Guardian.

"We are taking this step so as not to spread the corona virus," said the official.

The beauty of Mount Fuji

This mountain surrounds three cities; Gotemba in the east, Fuji Yoshida in the north and Fujinomiya in the southwest. He was also 'surrounded' by five lakes namely Lake Kawaguchi, Lake Yamanaka, Lake Sai, Lake Motosu and Lake Shoji. Mount Fuji is thought to have existed about 10,000 years ago. Until now, Mount Fuji has the status of an active volcano but with a low-power eruption possibility.

Lockdown illustration (Photo by Dan Burton on Unsplash)