Blocked views of Japan’s Mount Fuji force developer to halt construction project after outcry

After a national outcry, Osaka-based Sekisui House Ltd apologized, announcing on June 11 that the Kunitachi Fujimi-Dori Great House would be demolished.

“We would like to express our sincere apologies for the inconvenience and concern caused to the condominium contractors, nearby residents and all other affected parties,” the company said in a statement provided to This Week in Asia.

The project was carried out “in accordance with legal procedures and there are no legal loopholes”, the company said, adding that in-depth discussions had been held with the local government of Kunitachi City, a western suburb of Tokyo, and surrounding residents before construction began.

“However, as the project neared completion, we realized that the impact of the building on Mount Fuji was becoming increasingly serious,” the statement said.

Media images show the view of the 3,776-meter mountain rising majestically about 100 km to the west along Fujimi Dori before work began. With construction almost complete, photos taken from the same position show that half of Mount Fuji is now obscured.

“We take the circumstances of this incident very seriously and are committed to preventing similar incidents from happening again,” Sekisui House said. The company did not say how much it would cost to cancel the project or what it now plans to do with the site.

Mount Fuji’s popularity has also caused problems elsewhere, with the local council in the town of Fujikawaguchiko choosing to erect a barrier along a road that had attracted hordes of visitors to photograph the mountain from a storefront. convenience store open 24 hours a day.

The destination became such a magnet that visitors upset residents by leaving trash everywhere, disrupting traffic and causing traffic jams. When newly hired security guards failed to control large groups at the site, the city installed an 8-by-20-foot screen to block the view.

Even that didn’t work, as tourists drilled holes in the fence to take their photos.

“It is disappointing to see a lack of morality” among tourists, Mayor Hideyuki Watanabe said at a May 30 press conference. The city has since installed a more durable screen.

Another site, the Fuji Dream Bridge spanning Route 139 in Shizuoka Prefecture, also attracted visitors eager to take photos of Mount Fuji. The bridge was popular because visitors could climb its steps and take great photos of the monument.

Several prefectural governments that oversee the hiking trails leading to Mount Fuji’s summit have introduced measures to control visitor numbers and ensure safety. A climbing fee of 2,000 yen (US$12.67) was introduced for the popular Yoshida Trail and the number of climbers was capped at 4,000 per day. Climbing the mountain was banned between 4 p.m. and 3 a.m. to discourage climbers from timing their departure to reach its summit at sunrise.

For the Japanese, Mount Fuji is much more than an Instagram image or a conquest to check off a bucket list.

“Fuji is sacred and the Japanese view it as an object of worship as well as a source of artistic inspiration from the ancient past,” said Katsuhiro Iwama, director of the Fujisan Tourism Ecosystem Conservation and Promotion Division of Yamanashi Prefecture.

Tatsuo Nanai, general secretary of the Fuji-san Club, said: “The mountain is famous all over the world because it is the highest in Japan and because it is quite easy to climb, but for us it is is a sacred place.

“It’s a combination of everything that makes it special – the perfect shape, nature, history, culture – and that’s why it has been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.”

Mount Fuji has served as a traditional starting point for the faithful’s ascent, with its slopes dotted with shrines dedicated to the animist cult of volcanoes.

“I think most Japanese are aware of the cultural context of Mount Fuji and its importance to the nation,” said Nanai, whose nonprofit was established to protect the mountain and educate visitors. “I just hope we can share this with the foreign visitors who come here.”