Thousands throng Japan's Mount Fuji as climbing season begins

Japan on Tuesday declared the start of Mount Fuji's climbing season amid efforts to ease overcrowding and the impact on the environment, local media reported.

The season started as the most popular trail opened Tuesday, with local authorities charging a doubled fee of 4,000 yen ($28) to ease overcrowding, Tokyo-based Kyodo News reported.

The Yamanashi prefecture is accepting a maximum of 4,000 hikers per day on the Yoshida Trail, the most commonly used route to the summit of the 3,776-meter (12,388-foot) mountain.

The trail is scheduled to remain open through Sept. 10.

Authorities have tightened measures amid a rise in foreign visitors and growing concern about the many ill-prepared hikers seen on the mountain in recent years.

Hikers planning to use the Yoshida Trail must also agree when making an online reservation to terms set by the local government, including the use of warm clothing and appropriate footwear.

Three other trails on the Shizuoka prefecture side of the mountain are scheduled to open on July 10.

Mount Fuji, designated a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site in 2013, attracts hundreds of thousands of people each year during its official climbing season through September.