Traffic accidents near Mount Fuji caused by foreign tourist drivers almost double to 800

Traffic accidents caused by rental cars driven by foreign tourists have been rapidly increasing in areas of Yamanashi prefecture around the foot of Mount Fuji.

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KOFU - Traffic accidents caused by rental cars driven by foreign tourists have been rapidly increasing in areas of Yamanashi prefecture around the foot of Mount Fuji.

In 2024, the number of such traffic accidents was about 800, nearly double the number that occurred in the previous year.

The increase is thought to be partially due to the large numbers of foreign visitors who gather to take photos of Mount Fuji in residential areas and other places which are not developed as tourist spots. These tourists then find themselves more frequently driving along unfamiliar and narrow roads.

In early July, residential areas of the village of Oshino, in Yamanashi prefecture, were teeming with vehicles bearing licence plates marked with the hiragana character "wa" — indicating that these are rental cars.

Near the village is a group of eight small, spring-fed ponds called Oshino Hakkai. The site they are on is registered as a Unesco World Heritage location due to its connection to Mount Fuji. From this spot, visitors can catch a sweeping view of the mountain.

The shape of the kanji character for "eight" is seen as a good omen in East Asia, which has led to the ponds becoming well known overseas.