New fences installed at famed Fuji photo spot

STORE WITH A VIEW People take pictures of Mt. Fuji, seen behind a convenience store, in Fujikawaguchiko town, about 110 kilometers west of Tokyo, On June 14, 2024. —AP

New fences were erected on Tuesday to prevent jaywalking in front of a convenience store in central Japan that has become a popular spot for photographing Mt. Fuji.

The site in Fujikawaguchiko, Yamanashi Prefecture, has drawn many foreign tourists seeking to capture images of the iconic mountain perching above the Lawson convenience store.

The town installed fences and black screens to block the view on the opposite side of the road in May to reduce crowding and misbehavior such as loitering and littering.

The top pf Mount Fuji is seen behind Kawaguchiko train station in Fujikawaguchiko town, about 110 kilometers (68 miles) west of Tokyo, Friday, June 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)

Jaywalking surge

While the screens were removed in August, additional fencing was erected on the same side in October after a resurgence of jaywalking.

On Tuesday, the town installed two metal fences, each measuring 3 meters in length and 80 centimeters in height, on the side of the road closest to the convenience store to prevent people from jaywalking.

The town also plans to repaint the nearby pedestrian crosswalk in green and white by the end of December to improve visibility and encourage its use.