Holes have been found in a large black screen set up by a central Japan town to block a scenic view of Mt. Fuji after criticism of tourists' behavior at the viral photo spot, the town said Tuesday.
After setting up the screen on May 21 to prevent visitors from flocking to the site in front of a Lawson convenience store in Fujikawaguchiko, Yamanashi Prefecture, the town confirmed the first hole the following day, and the number has since increased to roughly 10.
Mt. Fuji is seen on May 24, 2024, through a hole opened on a black screen set up by Fujikawaguchiko, Yamanashi Prefecture. (Kyodo)
"We thought this might happen someday, but not this soon," a town official said.
The town plans to repair the screen promptly while posting a notice asking visitors not to touch it.
The town initially stationed security guards and posted warnings in English after receiving complaints from locals over an uptick in tourists jaywalking and illegally parking vehicles in the area.
But after seeing the measures did little to improve the situation, the town decided to install the screen.
A man takes a picture on May 24, 2024, through a hole made in a large black screen that was set up earlier in the month to block the view of Mt. Fuji towering over a Lawson convenience store in the Yamanashi Prefecture town of Fujikawaguchiko. The town installed the screen after the photo spot went viral online and sparked a surge in foreign visitors, leading to complaints from local residents about jaywalking and illegal parking. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo
Workers begin setting up a large black screen to block the view of Mt. Fuji at a popular photo spot in the Yamanashi Prefecture town of Fujikawaguchiko on May 21, 2024. The town took the step amid an increase in unruly tourists after the scenic view of Japan's highest mountain towering over a Lawson convenience store went viral online, especially among foreign tourists. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo
Photo taken on May 24, 2024, shows a hole made in a large black screen that was set up earlier in the month to block the view of Mt. Fuji towering over a Lawson convenience store in the Yamanashi Prefecture town of Fujikawaguchiko. The town installed the screen after the photo spot went viral online and sparked a surge in foreign visitors, leading to complaints from local residents about jaywalking and illegal parking. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo
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