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Town to erect fence to stop Mount Fuji selfies

Overtourism - Level 4

Overtourism is causing headaches for authorities and residents in Japan. The weaker yen has meant people are flocking to see Japan's sites and sample its world-famous cuisine. A town at the foot of Mount Fuji is taking action to combat the problem. The town is being flooded with sightseers taking selfies in front of a convenience store, with Fuji-san in the background. The town will make a giant fence to block the view of Japan's iconic mountain.

A local official said the tourists were throwing trash in the streets and blocking traffic. The town has employed security guards to control selfie takers. The official said it was "regrettable" to have to erect the fence, which will be 20 metres long and 2.5 metres high. Other places in Japan are also battling overtourism. Locals in Kyoto cannot get on overcrowded buses. Areas of Kyoto have been closed to tourists to stop people harassing geisha.

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Overtourism - Level 5

Overtourism is causing headaches for authorities and local residents worldwide. Japan is one country that is battling surging numbers of tourists. The weaker yen has meant people are flocking to see Japan's sites and sample its world-famous cuisine. A town near Mount Fuji has a drastic measure to combat the problem. The town is at the foot of Fuji. It is being inundated with sightseers taking selfies in front of a convenience store, with Fuji-san in the background. Local authorities will erect a giant mesh fence to block the view of Japan's iconic mountain.

A local official said the tourists was creating problems for residents. These include trash in the streets, traffic being blocked, and security guards being employed to control selfie takers. The official said of the fence: "It is regrettable that we had to take such measures." The fence will be 20 metres long and 2.5 metres high. Other places in Japan are also battling overtourism. Locals in the ancient city of Kyoto cannot get on overcrowded buses. Areas of Kyoto have been closed to tourists to stop people harassing geisha, in a problem called "geisha paparazzi".

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11 online activities    |    8-page printable   (PDF)

Overtourism - Level 6

Overtourism is causing headaches for authorities and consternation for local residents worldwide. Japan is one country that is battling surging numbers of international tourists. The weaker yen has meant people are flocking to see Japan's numerous World Heritage sites and sample its world-famous cuisine. A town near Mount Fuji has devised a drastic measure to combat the problem of overtourism. Fujikawaguchiko, which is at the foot of Fuji, has become inundated with sightseers who want selfies of themselves in front of a brightly coloured convenience store, with Fuji-san as the backdrop. Local authorities have decided to erect a giant mesh fence to obscure the view of Japan's iconic mountain.

A local official told journalists that the increasing number of tourists was creating problems for residents. These include trash being left in the streets, traffic being blocked, and security guards being employed to marshal selfie takers. The official said of the fence: "It is regrettable that we had to take such measures." She added that it was because of "some tourists who cannot respect rules". The fence will be 20 metres long and 2.5 metres high. Other places in Japan are also battling large numbers of overseas visitors. Locals in the ancient city of Kyoto cannot board increasingly overcrowded buses. Areas of Kyoto have been closed to tourists to prevent people harassing geisha, in a problem dubbed as "geisha paparazzi".

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25 online activities    |    27-page printable    |    2-page mini-lesson