Barrier at popular vantage point for viewing Mount Fuji going up

Couldn't they have taken a more thoughtful and creative approach to the "problem" of having the best view of Mt. Fuji? Why not open a cafe on the 2nd floor and charge people ¥1,000 for a Fuji-san Latte?

Kawaguchiko has many other areas that offer better views of Fuji. And those views come without the Lawson sign.

Anyone else get the idea that this story is just stirring up xenophobia the way the people involved are always referred to as ‘foreign’ tourists rather than merely ‘tourists’?

Kawaguchiko has many other areas that offer better views of Fuji. And those views come without the Lawson sign.

Umm...the whole point of getting these photos is having the conveni and Lawson sign in it.

Gotta follow what the influencers are doing, I guess.

I cannot blame the locals one bit. They are suffering all the negatives of overtourism here, and getting none of the positives.

> Tourists pose in front of a convenience store with Mount Fuji on May 3, 2024, before a huge black barrier which will be installed to block Mount Fuji from view

Nice pic. Looks like a fashion show.

Leave it to the J. authorities to move in and spoil all the fun.

@Fighto!

Umm...the whole point of getting these photos is having the conveni and Lawson sign in it.

Sorry. I favor my Fuji views without convenience stores and power lines.

Oh, how people like to criticize when it's not happening to them.

In Chicago there was a rat-shaped indention (not by design, just happenstance) and someone Tik-Toked (Toked here rhymes with docked) it. People began showing up to see. Then having parties. Then getting drunk and leaving trash all around. The people who lived in the neighborhood raised a fuss about it, which they should have. (It was removed and cemented over.)

That's all that's going on here. Someone saw a picture and. . . I don't blame the locals at all. There are probably various solutions that would work to make everyone happy but people need not act like robot zombies wanting the same snapshot.

Just downright spiteful

Mean spirited. Very mean spirited.

The Japanese could have reversed this into a positive Cafe Latte moment but, no...

Comment : Foreigners, behave well in Japan..

A great majority of us do. We come and show respect, abide by your customs as best we can and spend our hard earned money in Japan.

We only come in bigger numbers as your Yen is weak. That's not our doing. That's an internal problem there that I hope gets fixed soon for you all. Japan used to known as an expensive destination - it's now promoted as the next Bali due to the weak Yen.

The more they put this article of a convenience store in the papers, the more people will turn up.

Please don't put us all in the camp of "behave well" please.

There is some fairly widespread sentiment that the tourism boom is only serving to jack up prices and inconvenience for locals with no real benefits for your average Jo Tanaka. The tourists have become an easy target for scorn. I don’t agree with the sentiment, as tourism is basically free money for ailing economy, but the trickle down effects and benefits are not getting through.

Many Japanese don’t want to see the entire country turned into some sort of gaudy theme park. I blame the lack of communication between the bureaucrats ( who had plenty of time to prepare for the return of tourists en masse during Covid ) and the public, and don’t blame the Lawson's of the world for taking these somewhat strange measures.

The cheap yen has brought in the cheap tourist, for better or for worse. They simply don’t understand the much valued concept of ‘meiwaku shinai!’ I don’t think Japan is ready to be, nor wants to be a Thailand, even though the yen may open them up that opportunity. People are flocking. Smart people will be making money in a good win , win way.

Snow falling on Fuji,Fuji is like a sleepy giant,when awaken,he will wreak havoc on those that transgress against him

I would've put a little coffee stand up w/ bagels and sandwiches that were cheaper than the Lawson's across the street to make some money and to have for everyone to enjoy.

I would never take a pictures of Mt Fuji with a convini.

But as the store owner, I would take this opportunity.

The net barrier being on the opposite side of the road, it will be completely efficient if it is over the Lawson. Easy to walk on the road and take a picture, especially in the early morning when there isn’t any traffic

But for me, a great picture of Mt Fuji is without Lawson on it

Which came first? The mountain or the convenience store? Get rid of the convenience store and create a viewing platform for an excellent view of Mt. Fuji.

Yup, the power of Corporate Japan must have stepped in, LAWSON is to lose the most and finally they are fighting back.

Good Job.

Lawson should just buy the properties in the surrounding area and turn it into a touring spot.

I would've put a little coffee stand up w/ bagels and sandwiches that were cheaper than the Lawson's across the street to make some money and to have for everyone to enjoy.

A non starter. Bagels are rare in Japan. People would complain about your antics to the cops.

Everyone hates it, but there has to be a middle ground?

Bonkers! Why the hell would you want Lawson's in front of my fuji anyway?!

I don't see why people care so much.

It's not like they're putting a dome over the mountain.

Just take photos from somewhere else lol.

It will be real funny if that lawson will be closed and demolished soon due to the lack of shoppers.

Btw, net barrier is no problem to erase from any photo with current basic smartphone camera tools.

It is also considering deploy private security staff.

3rd world measures for 3rd world visitors

No wonder they are despised anywhere they go

I think the town should get Instagram to autodelete all photos taken here.

For anyone saying that is not possible, you can have your house mosaiced in Google Street View. All you have to do is ask them. Google complies because they have to, not because they want to.

I bet there are lots of military facilities around the world that are not on Instagram.

Is there a new golf driving range being built nearby that has ordered all the available netting?? lol

I must confess, in the above picture, it wasn't the mountain that I was looking at..... ahem

Most of the comments here are just clueless.

Never understimate the human stupidity and how many of them are out there.

Just take a look at the videos again.

You will see people rushing to take a picture of something they dont even like and will never look twice just because everyone is doing the same thing.

Some will rush to the road completely oblivious to the fact there are actual cars coming from both sides.

They will leave their tripods, suitcases and backpack right in the middle of a busy parking lot.

Some will drop their smartphones, others will fall onto the pavement.

And then they will post the very same picture with the very same hashtag almost as if out of some kind of animal instinct.

They walk among us.

UAfan

i guess that there are plenty of nicer views of Mt.Fuji than this one so with barrier or without...what is the difference...

There are many beautiful places to photo Fuji. But people visiting this location want the Fuji as it appears on top of the Lawson store. Weird I know.

I see 1 foreigner in that photo, and she might be a long term resident on a day trip. Hard to judge who is foreign and who isn't. Who cares, why does it matter?

CarlosTakanakana

I see 1 foreigner in that photo, and she might be a long term resident on a day trip. Hard to judge who is foreign and who isn't. Who cares, why does it matter?

It would be impossible to know with 100% certainty if anyone in the photo is a foreigner.

Couldn't they have taken a more thoughtful and creative approach to the "problem" of having the best view of Mt. Fuji? Why not open a cafe on the 2nd floor and charge people ¥1,000 for a Fuji-san Latte?

Good idea.

Kawaguchiko has many other areas that offer better views of Fuji. And those views come without the Lawson sign.

Agreed. Prefer to take photos of Mt Fuji without that Lawson signage in it.

I just don't understand why people would want Lawson in the foreground of a photo of the beautiful Mt. Fuji.

Get the guy on the right out of the picture and the view is wonderful! May have to run out there and buy a bento.

Couldn't they have taken a more thoughtful and creative approach to the "problem" of having the best view of Mt. Fuji? Why not open a cafe on the 2nd floor and charge people ¥1,000 for a Fuji-san Latte?

There are cafés with views of Fuji already. People go here to imitate a shot they saw in Social Media. The problem isn’t people taking photos, it’s that they do it with absolutely no regard for the people that live, work, and operate businesses around the Lawsons.

Behavior like this is at the root of “over tourism”. Tourism isn’t the problem. Disrespect is the problem. If people would learn about the culture and behave like civilized human beings, we wouldn’t be talking about this.

I really am struggling with need for the photo "aesthetics" of standing in front of Lawson konbini store/Mount Fuji backdrop?

Is it a thing of beauty, a once in a lifetime picture opportunity/achievement?

Would I risk getting runover on a busy road to frame both for prosperity?

No.

There are cafés with views of Fuji already. People go here to imitate a shot they saw in Social Media.

Just google 天橋立股覗き and see the stupidity has no bounds.

Was just there last week, never had to do that silly thing to appreciate the great view.

It only takes 1 clown....

I see 1 foreigner in that photo, and she might be a long term resident on a day trip.

True.

Looking forward to visiting there and taking a multitude of pictures after parking wherever I please.

The Dentist across the street should charge whoever enter his office space Office visit.

zibala

I see 1 foreigner in that photo, and she might be a long term resident on a day trip.

> True.

Looking forward to visiting there and taking a multitude of pictures after parking wherever I please.

Equally, all the people in the photo could be Japanese citizens. No way to tell.

After seeing that photo now I really want to visit that conbini.

wallace

Equally, all the people in the photo could be Japanese citizens. No way to tell.

It is quite obvious that there is no way you can tell if there are foreigners in the picture. We get it.

I’m actually surprised (well, not really because this would be logical.)

All these loiterers happen at many combinis in Japan, not just this one. Almost all combinis are just one story tall.

Why don’t they all construct a cafe or dining area on the second floor of each combini? Kinda like a McDonald’s or cafe. You can only access said area by going through the shop.

it’s already a wasted space on top of the combini, might as well make an area where people would hang out and potentially spend more money there.

had that already been a thing, this stupid Lawson’s - Fuji deal wouldn’t even be a happening.

oh wait…….but then there’s a (fake) labor shortage already with combini workers. (Not due to low pay and demanding bosses at all.) So that would never work.

never mind, carry on!

If I were a local resident there I'd also be pretty miffed at the number of people swarming on one tiny area. It's not a big town or road. I really don''t see what the fascination is with this spot. As many people have commented, there's so many other better spots in the town and surrounding hills for photos. People blocking the pavements is so annoying too.....all for a photo with lots of other people in it....Makes so sense.....

Just wait for the sales in that Lawson shop to shrink as the tourists go elsewhere for their photos. This is what's known as cutting one's nose off to spite one's face.

"This is a local view for local people..."

I wonder when they';; build a wall around Fuji and charge people to pass through and see the volcano...

"Roll up, roll up... come and see the mighty Fuji-san... get away from me boy, you bother me..."

Tourists should boycott the store altogether. Hopefully it goes out of business. ;-)

Little doubt mount Fuji is a tourist crowd pleaser, the wow factor is off the eruption scale.

Lawson konbini is a convenience store that seems necessary or an unnecessary eyesore.

The cost and construction of a "barrier" requires a review.

To suggest this is the only smart option proposal solution to solve "tourists" congregating is ridiculous.

A great majority of us do.

I would say that nearly all, with the exception of many from a country to the west of Japan, not North or South Korea, are very good and do in fact have manners.

However the cute girls are a welcome distraction

The irony is that the convenience store blocks the view !

How inconvenient

Umm...the whole point of getting these photos is having the conveni and Lawson sign in it.

No it's not .

To prove my point - if everyone wants a photo of Fuji san with the Lawson sign then why is there a problem with people climbing buildings to not have the Lawson sign in the photo ?

Duh !

Well, the image of Fuji-san sitting atop the Lawson is rather awesome.

To prove my point - if everyone wants a photo of Fuji san with the Lawson sign then why is there a problem with people climbing buildings to not have the Lawson sign in the photo ? Duh !

The Lawson would have been in those photos.

No NO NO !

only some of the buildings

Duh !

The only false narrative in this is that everyone wants a photo of the Lawson and Fujisan together .

Not true.

There's nothing special about Lawson !