Tourists are taking photos of Mount Fuji through holes in the screen meant to deter them
May 29, 2024
Alex Baker
Alex Baker is a portrait and lifestyle driven photographer based in Valencia, Spain. She works on a range of projects from commercial to fine art and has had work featured in publications such as The Daily Mail, Conde Nast Traveller and El Mundo, and has exhibited work across Europe
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You can’t keep a good man down, and you can’t stop a tourist from taking photos of Mount Fuji, it seems. Tourists have apparently been poking holes in the screen that was built to keep them from taking photos of the iconic volcano.
The screen was erected in the town of Fujikawaguchiko, Japan, last week. It was designed to prevent huge numbers of tourists crowding around to take photos of Mount Fuji. The 8-foot high black screen cost around $10,000 to put up.
Lens-sized holes
Now, the netting has been found to have holes in it, presumably where frustrated and enterprising tourists have poked their camera lenses or phones hoping to capture a quick elicit snapshot. In fact, the holes are just the right size for a camera lens, according to reports.
According to Sky News, Japanese officials found around ten holes of this size. The screen was installed after local residents complained about large crowds blocking roads and pavements to photograph Mount Fuji. Officials have said that, in general, the screen has been successful as a deterrent despite the holes.
Over-tourism is becoming an increasing issue in many hotspots around the world. Some are quick to blame social media photo-sharing apps such as Instagram. Another city in Japan, Kyoto, recently announced that tourists were no longer allowed to take photos of the geisha there.
Last year, the picturesque town of Hallstatt in Austria put up a screen to deter flocks of tourists from taking photos of the iconic view of the church and lake.
Are screens the answer?
I live in a tourist hotspot myself. This year, we are seeing record numbers of visitors, and frankly, it is annoying. I tried to take some photos in the historical centre the other week, and no fewer than three large tour groups walked through my photo. I’m almost longing for the covid era emptiness.
However, we do need to remember that tourists also bring much-needed cash to fuel the local economies. There needs to be a balance, and I don’t think putting up huge screens to cover up the very things the places are famous for is the correct answer.
What do you think? Are screens a good solution for over-tourism?
[via petapixel]
Alex Baker
Alex Baker is a portrait and lifestyle driven photographer based in Valencia, Spain. She works on a range of projects from commercial to fine art and has had work featured in publications such as The Daily Mail, Conde Nast Traveller and El Mundo, and has exhibited work across Europe
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3 responses to “Tourists are taking photos of Mount Fuji through holes in the screen meant to deter them”
OMG! Who could have foreseen that string of events? Up next: One official to monitor each hole. If you ask me, a new pandemy would be a good solution for over-tourism. Perhaps a more potent one than COVID-19? Marburg-Chickenpox-crossover anyone?
Just proves the nature of man. Man is bent towards evil, not good. If you tell him what to do, he’ll do the opposite just because. Laws don’t stop people from breaking them, they only show people how far you can go until consequences show up. What people don’t understand about a virtue-less society is that laws only punish law-abiding citizens (those with virtue). Laws do nothing for those willing to break them. People need to wake up. The only thing that will bring structure and civility back is virtue, and yet no one is addressing this. 🤔
“Just proves the nature of man. Man is bent towards evil, not good. If you tell him what to do, he’ll do the opposite just because.”
i agree that this shows human nature, but not the way you do. when people are told they canNOT do something, some humans will resist and defy the deict. this is a GOOD thing in human nature.