Japan’s sakura crowds strain towns
A town near Mount Fuji is publicly pushing back against the huge tourist crowds that come for the classic cherry‑blossom plus Fuji photo, and local frustration is now framed as overtourism rather than simple seasonal demand (alojapan.com). Several prefectures — including Hokkaido and Hiroshima — are introducing new lodging taxes as a response, with 20 prefectures cited in recent coverage (travelandtourworld.com). Official arrival data shows demand remains high: Japan recorded 3.6 million international visitors in March, a 3.5% year‑on‑year increase, even as some source markets softened (channelnewsasia.com).
A town near Mount Fuji is openly treating cherry-blossom tourism as an overtourism problem, not just a busy spring weekend. (japannews.yomiuri.co.jp) In Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi Prefecture, the city government asked media in April 2025 to refrain from covering Arakurayama Sengen Park because crowds around the cherry blossoms, Mount Fuji and the five-story pagoda were overwhelming local roads and staff. Mayor Shigeru Horiuchi said on April 10, 2025, that “there is a limit” to what the city can do. (japannews.yomiuri.co.jp) The city started its Cherry Blossom Festival in 2016 partly to control traffic, but the event grew from about 60,000 visitors in its first year to more than 270,000 last year. During peak bloom, Fujiyoshida increased security guards to about 50, or three to four times the usual number. (japannews.yomiuri.co.jp) The pressure is wider than one park. In May 2024, officials in the Mount Fuji area were already describing overtourism as a “serious issue,” and Yamanashi Prefecture moved to charge climbers 2,000 yen and cap daily entries on the Yoshida Trail at 4,000 people. (japannews.yomiuri.co.jp) Japan’s inbound numbers have stayed high through the 2026 sakura season. The Japan National Tourism Organization said March 2026 brought 3.6 million international visitors, up 3.5 percent from a year earlier and a record for the month. (channelnewsasia.com) Local governments are now charging visitors more to help pay for the strain. Twenty local governments, including Hokkaido and Hiroshima prefectures, introduced new lodging taxes on April 1, 2026, more than doubling the number using the system from 19 before. (straitstimes.com) Hokkaido says its accommodation tax will fund higher-value tourism, better services for travelers, stronger disaster response and support for local communities and the regional economy. The prefecture says guests may also owe separate municipal accommodation taxes depending on where they stay. (hokkaido-shukuhakuzei.pref.hokkaido.lg.jp) The tax structure varies by region and room price. Coverage of the April 1 rollout said Hiroshima exempts stays under 6,000 yen a night, while Hokkaido uses tiers of 100 yen, 200 yen or 500 yen depending on the accommodation cost. (travelandtourworld.com) The Mount Fuji area has already tested more visible deterrents. Fujikawaguchiko put up a large black screen in May 2024 to block a viral Lawson convenience-store view of the mountain after repeated complaints about tourists jaywalking, littering and stepping onto private property. (euronews.com) Japan is still promoting tourism, but towns around its most photogenic spring views are increasingly spending money, adding rules and limiting exposure to keep daily life moving. Around Mount Fuji, the postcard shot now comes with guards, gates and taxes. (japannews.yomiuri.co.jp)
