The city of Fujiyoshida has decided to cancel this year’s cherry blossom festival due to high tourism levels. The local administration said the influx of visitors has become unmanageable for the small town, with about 10,000 travelers arriving in the city every day during the flowering season. This leads to chronic traffic jams, accumulation of garbage, and numerous violations of public order. Locals report cases of tourists invading private areas and even using gardens as toilets.
Mayor Shigeru Horiuchi stressed the need to protect the privacy and comfort of Fujiyoshida residents. It should be noted that the popularity of Arakurayama Sengen Park has grown thanks to “Instagrammable” views of Mount Fuji and the local pagoda. The authorities initially sought to attract more visitors to boost the economy, but the reality proved threatening. The city is currently experiencing a real crisis due to the inability to control such a large number of people at once.
The situation is complicated by the location’s popularity on social networks and the favorable exchange rate of the Japanese currency. Tourists often behave aggressively when homeowners make remarks to them about violations. City Hall explained that the picturesque scenery should no longer endanger the townspeople’s peaceful lives. The festival, which began in 2016, is officially ending.