Honshu: Yamanashi Prefecture began charging an entrance fee of JPY 2,000 to all climbers ascending the most popular route up Mount Fuji as the climbing season began on July 1.

The new fee is part of an effort to ease congestion and prevent unsafe climbing. The overtourism countermeasure, which also includes capping the number of daily climbers at 4,000, marked the first time ever that climbing one of Japan's most enduring symbols is costing money.

"As more and more climbers visit Mount Fuji, it has long been plagued by the danger of accidents caused by overcrowding near the summit, increased environmental impact due to illegal dumping of trash and poor manners by spontaneous climbers," said Yamanashi Gov Kotaro Nagasaki to the media in June during a test run of the new system.

"Overtourism on Mount Fuji is an urgent issue that cannot wait to be addressed and has been a challenge for us since it was registered as a World Heritage Site (in 2013). We are therefore launching a new initiative to push our country's overtourism prevention measures forward."

The entrance fee applies to the mountain's most popular and commonly used route, the Yoshida trail, and those who are planning to climb beyond the 5th station are now be required to pay a fee of JPY 2,000 at the booth near its entrance. Both cash and credit cards are accepted.