This town in Japan is sick and tired of rowdy tourists taking pictures of a popular convenience store with a great view of Mount Fuji in the background.
In late April, the town of Fujikawaguchiko announced the construction of an eight-foot-tall barrier to block the view.
It's regrettable we have to do this, because of some tourists who can't respect rules.
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It is not that we do not want people to see Mount Fuji. The issue is that there are so many people who are not able to observe basic rules.
The project has experienced some delays, but officials say they should have all the necessary parts by May 20.
Although you can get a good view of Mount Fuji, the highest and most iconic mountain in Japan, from many spots around town, the view in front of the Lawson shop is super popular because you can actually see the active snow-capped volcano above the well-known convenience store.
Lawson shops are all over Japan, and thanks to social media, this particular location has become the go-to spot for Mount Fuji photos.
The town has put up traffic signs and several warnings in multiple languages around the area, but that hasn't stopped tourists from misbehaving. Locals and small businesses have complained about tourists littering, disrupting traffic, trespassing, and even climbing on the roofs to get the perfect shot.
It became not uncommon for people to yell at us when we asked them to move their cars, and for them to throw their lit cigarettes (on the ground).
There's been a recent pushback against over-tourism in Japan since the COVID-19 pandemic. The country is experiencing a record influx of overseas tourists, surpassing 3 million in March for the first time.
Most recently, residents of Kyoto's geisha district have taken a direct stand by banning visitors from small private alleys after many cases of geishas being harassed.
Sure, annoying tourists can be a nuisance, but not everyone is happy about the wall being built (not just tourists). Some business owners actually want tourists around and say the wall could drive away valuable customers who contribute more to their business than they disrupt.
Not only will the barrier be an eyesore, but now locals are being punished too - they're also losing the view!
There's been a fair share of skepticism that the wall will stop poorly-behaved tourists. One 29-year-old tourist from Australia spoke to GMA News and practically laughed off the idea.
Stop people? I don't think so because when there is a will there is a way. People will just be on the left or right side of it.
There definitely will be a way to still get the shot. It will just be more dangerous, really.
Some people will do anything to get that perfect Instagram shot! 😬
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