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Last spring, the town of Kawaguchiko made headlines for the sudden popularity of one of its Lawson convenience stores, which boasts particularly Instagrammable views of Mt Fuji. However, the uptick in visitors led to overcrowding, frequent jaywalking and a number of other disruptive behaviours.
As a result, a 2.5m-high, 20m-wide black curtain was erected across the street from the store in May 2024, but was subsequently taken down only three months later due in part to typhoon-related safety concerns. Now we're back where we started, as The Mainichi reports that the barrier is back up again as of August 7 – but this time with a new look.
In contrast to the view-blocking black screen of 2024, the new brown tarp barrier is a more modest height of around 1.4m, allowing visitors to snap photos while keeping them out of the road. It's a win-win situation that prevents illegal crossings without denying tourists the view they've travelled to see.
It's still unclear how long the new barrier will remain. The town's Urban Development Division acknowledges that incidents of poor etiquette are decreasing, but that it will 'continue to take action' and encourages tourists to remain safe.
