Pay to Play: Ticket Gate Installed on Northern Mount Fuji Route

The fifth station is a popular stop for large sightseeing buses even before the start of the climbing season. (© Nippon.com)

Multilingual staff are on hand to offer foreign visitors advice on climbing the mountain safely. (© Nippon.com)

Lightly equipped climbers are warned about the need for warm clothing, proper footwear, and rain gear. (© Nippon.com)

Yamanashi Governor Nagasaki demonstrates how to pass the gate with proof of prepayment on a phone. Hikers are issued a wristband showing they have paid the entry fee. (© Nippon.com)