Mount Fuji's summer climbing season began on Monday with new crowd control measures to combat overtourism on the Japanese volcano's most popular trail.
An entry fee of 2,000 yen ($13) plus an optional donation is being charged for those taking on the Yoshida Trail, and numbers are capped at 4,000 per day, Agence France Presse reported.
Online reservations have also been introduced this year by authorities concerned about safety and environmental damage on Japan's highest mountain, AFP said.
Record tourist crowds are flocking to Japan post-pandemic, with many wanting to see or scale Mount Fuji.
The mountain is covered in snow most of the year but draws more than 220,000 visitors each July-September climbing period.
Many trudge through the night to see the sunrise from the 3,776-meter summit.
Some sleep on the trail or start fires for heat, while others attempt to complete the hike without breaks, becoming sick or injured as a result.
The once-peaceful pilgrimage site has three other main routes that will remain free to climb.
But the Yoshida Trail -- accessed from Tokyo relatively easily -- is the preferred option for most holidaymakers, with around 60 percent of climbers choosing that route.
