FUJIKAWAGUCHIKO, Japan (AP) — The town of Fujikawaguchiko has had enough of tourists.
Known for a number of scenic photo spots that offer a near-perfect shot of Japan’s iconic Mount Fuji, the town on Tuesday began constructing a large black screen on a stretch of a sidewalk to block the view of the mountain. The reason: misbehaving foreign tourists.
“Kawaguchiko is a town built on tourism, and I welcome many visitors, and the town welcomes them too, but there are many things about their manners that are worrying,” said Michie Motomochi, owner of a cafe serving Japanese sweets “ohagi,” near the soon-to-be-blocked photo spot.
Motomochi mentioned littering, crossing the road with busy traffic, ignoring traffic lights, trespassing into private properties. She isn’t unhappy though — 80% of her customers are foreign visitors whose numbers have surged after a pandemic hiatus that kept Japan closed for about two years.
Target to lower prices on basic goods in response to inflation
House Speaker Mike Johnson leaves uncertain his plan to advance aid for Israel and Ukraine
M&T Bank, Goldman Sachs rise; Salesforce, Tesla fall, Monday, 4/15/2024
Regular passenger flights between Taiyuan, Hong Kong to resume
NBA playoffs: Edwards leads Wolves to 98
Junta shelling, airstrikes kill 25 Rohingyas in Myanmar’s Rakhine state — Radio Free Asia
Shanghai to build complete care system for children with autism by 2027
Kristin Cavallari, 37, ignores critics of her age
Former New Mexico football player convicted of robbing a postal carrier
Ship that caused Baltimore bridge collapse has been refloated
Buffalo, New York: Remains of missing 12