After a lot of talk and a slight delay, construction of a 2.5-meter high, 20-meter-wide black screen to cover an iconic view of Mount Fuji was completed on Tuesday. Officials in the resort town of Fujikawaguchiko in Yamanashi Prefecture felt the large barrier was necessary to stop hordes of disrespectful tourists causing unrest in the area. The image of Japan’s most famous mountain seemingly sitting on top of a Lawson store went viral in 2022. After Japan opened its borders, the number of visitors to the site started to get out of control.
Unruly Behavior of Tourists at the Mount Fuji Lawson Store
With local shops and residents regularly complaining about the unruly behavior of tourists, government officials decided to put up the barrier. It’s a drastic measure, but will it stop visitors from flocking to the area? Maybe not. Several tourists are already seeking out alternative sites in the region to get the perfect shot, including at another Lawson. Located in front of the town’s government office, it offers a view that’s not too dissimilar to the one at the more famous Kawaguchiko Ekimae Lawson store. According to The Asahi Shimbun, the parking lot was packed with more than 60 people in the early afternoon of May 16.
There must be something about Lawson’s blue sign in front of Mount Fuji that attracts tourists. “Apparently, it has to be a Lawson store,” a representative of the Fujikawaguchiko’s tourism section told The Asahi Shimbun. “Perhaps it is because there are not many (Lawson) stores overseas? Maybe they see it as a uniquely Japanese scenery.” Whatever the reason, it’s proving problematic for locals. Hopefully, visitors to the site will behave appropriately. If they don’t, then we could soon see a second large black screen being erected in the town.
