Tourists from overseas are flocking to the scenic spots where you can see Mt. Fuji and the five-story pagoda. The local government has finally decided to charge for parking. The parking lot at Arakurayama Sengen Park in Fujiyoshida City, Yamanashi Prefecture, is scheduled to be charged. This park is a scenic spot where you can see Mt. Fuji and the five-story pagoda from the observation deck. However, when you look at the video taken in the park, the observation deck is packed with tourists trying to take a photo. It looks like a concert venue. The combination of Mt. Fuji and the five-story pagoda has been widely known overseas on social media as a "typical Japanese scene". The number of visitors in 2024 is expected to reach about 1.5 million, three times the previous peak of 2019. When the reporting team headed to the area around the park on the 15th, the parking lot was very busy with cars coming and going, and many cars were parked and it was almost full. And the observation deck was very crowded on the 15th. Tourists from China: (Q. Parking may become paid) I guess it can't be helped because the view is so good. Tourists from the US: (Q. Parking may become a paid service) I think it will be an obstacle to the tourist destination. I think fewer people will come. On holidays, parking spaces are not enough, and the surrounding roads become congested. It is said that people sometimes have to wait more than an hour for a parking space. Another problem is the manners of tourists. Park staff: (Tourists) have bad manners, the toilets are dirty, etc. When you park your car here, they cut in from behind. If it becomes a paid service, the number of people parking on the street may increase... The surrounding residents are also affected by the problem. A local resident said, "I can only go shopping on weekdays," and "(Q. Do tourists ever come to the premises?) Yes! Yes!" A photo taken by a local resident showed women who appeared to be foreigners entering their gardens without permission and taking commemorative photos. Since around 2024, there has been a continuous stream of tourists entering the premises without permission. According to the local government, the cost of measures to deal with the worsening traffic congestion and increase the number of guides has reached about 80 million yen in fiscal 2024. So the local government decided to make the four parking lots around the park paid parking. The move was welcomed by local residents, who said, "I think it would be better for the locals if they made them paid parking." The plan is to start charging for parking from April 1, 2025. FNN Prime Online https://www.fnn.jp/