Note; Mt Fuji came out an hour later. The vibe changed! It was definitely more dangerous with people dashing across the street. I think you don’t get that vibe when it’s cloudy, only when you get “the view” - the Lawson staff has to come out multiple times to tell tourists to stop climbing on the Lawson sign! The trash and vandalism is real, the dentist who works across the street had many great things to say about visitors coming but the trash, noise and vandalism is increasing. He’s most worried about someone getting hit by a car and the stress on locals who have near misses, often.
As always thank you John for all you do for Japan tourism. You give us all sides of the story and let us understand a bit more clearly the situation. When I went to Japan, I had told my mom WE have to follow the rules and customs Japanese had for many years. One time we were close around Mt. Fuji and we stopped around a Matsuri that was ongoing. We crossed the road as we should but then going back my mom saw other tourist just crossing the street where they were not supposed to cross and follow them, I told her no, we have to cross where the policeman was, she kept going and instantly I followed her because of her safety (yeah, that was bad of me) the officer scold us and I just kept saying sorry with my head doing a bow, he saw our tourist tag and he changed his tone and he said: go go go in English. I later scold my mom and told her that Japan follows rules by the T, so that’s why the police officer scold us but let us go because we are “tourist”. She said: but everyone else was doing the same and I told her: we not in Mexico or USA, we need to respect the rules in Japan. Lesson learned 😊, I will go to Japan next time alone or with someone who understands Japanese culture the same way I do. I love Japan and its culture, I respect Japan the same way I would like someone would respect my country too.
Honestly it is pissing me off that people keep saying Japanese rules are different, they are not. It is the mentality of people that is different. Rules are mostly the same everywhere, in Japan just the common person won't break the rules (as much) for their silly on the moment, 20 seconds faster convenience. Or even worse, because they think it is funny and they can get away with petty crime. Shame is what people miss in their life. From their family, friends and everyone else. People gotta shame each other more for the small bads we do every day. You catch someone you care about doing something wrong, be good to then and society - tell them to stop, before it becomes even worse.
@@AhidoMikaro true what you say, all over the world the same rules apply for been polite, not causing disturbance in restaurants, parks, streets, etc, but the thing is that even when most of us try to follow the normal politely correctness about how to cross a street, some other people don’t care and they think they can get away not following up a simple rule of how to cross a street, if they get hit it’s the drivers fault and it’s not entirely the drivers fault. I walk and I drive and I know I have to pay attention when crossing a road and where I can cross it. Mexico doesn’t have that much strict rules about pedestrians, and now with a lot of violence these days, you can’t say anything back because you don’t really know who are you speaking with, it could be a cartel gang or someone who just took an offense on you. Plus the streets in some parts of Mexico are horrible for driving and even walking so you tend to cross where you shouldn’t because the infrastructure is in bad condition. I’m not saying we get to have a pass just because of that, no, what’s wrong is wrong and government should take more care in the infrastructure and its citizens (like in Japan and other parts of world that they do care about their citizens) but they are busy with political agendas and getting their pockets full of our tax money. People should be more ashamed like you said to do all this things just for a Instagram moment, like: don’t be a bother to the locals, we have morals and you don’t need to understand the language so can see you are blocking the traffic and you are putting yourself at risk just crossing the road to save 20-30 sec more to reach your destination. Social media has made a big influence in our daily life’s like John said and also we want everything fast and get there as fast as we can. Like, seriously take your time, enjoy the view, say hi to locals and respect all people and places no matter what part of the world are you. If you are late, you are late, don’t rush!
I was here last March. I joined a day tour that included this Lawson and I just felt uncomfortable seeing how narrow the road is with all the tourists and tour buses blocking the road. And I couldn't even see Mt Fuji on that day! I can understand why the local government decided to take action.
I visited Japan from April 1 thru April 11. Watching Only in Japan videos gave me so many great tips and ideas. My trip was incredibly enjoyable! Thank you so much for providing excellent information. Made my trip very memorable. Love this community!
I was there april 15th. lots of really irresponsible tourists. crossing during red light. local police already yelling but they dont listen. sad reality. we should be more responsible as visitors of a place. if somebody were to do irresponsible things in our countries we would be pissed as well. 🙏🏻🙏🏻
It was so awful to see, I met the dentist who lives across the street, such a nice guy. Loves tourists but it’s too much now. Lawson Staff came out to yell at tourists. That was awful to see 😢
as been mentioned before Japan really needs to be more like Singapore, dont bother cautioning nuisance gaijin tourists - need strict fines and arrests.
Thank you for this video. It really puts into context the situation because a lot of media just glossed over the issues and it was making the Japanese look anti-tourist, but clearly this was not the case at all and there are significant safety concerns.
These sorts of tourists are like locusts. Once this view is blocked, they will move on to the next Instagrammable site and never give this location another thought. And they will behave exactly the same way at that new location. Japan and Kawaguchiko does not need them. Thanks for covering the issue.
I think they should be fined ¥20,000 for disrupting traffic if they have already been warned. This fine should be noted on their passport, which could deny them entry into Japan if it remains unpaid or if they have an overwhelming amount of outstanding fines. Whenever I went to Japan I tried my best to be as respectful and polite as possible. Being considerate isn't difficult.
There are so many photo opportunities for Mt Fuji in the area, why Lawson? Go to Oishi Park or Arakurayama Park. You also get a great view from Gotemba Outlet. They don’t need to hassle the locals like this at all!
Totally agree. It’s a trend. That’s way. It’ll cycle through, I think this will decrease traffic and maybe save a life. It’s just a matter of time before someone gets hit at this spot. It’s scary to see the frenzy here.
Very true. I was in Kyoto kiyomizu in December last. It was so crowded that I got lost. And almost had anxiety attack when I couldn’t find my son and his wife in the crowd. Having just lost my husband just a year ago didn’t help. Luckily I was air tagged by son and he found me just in time before I broke down. Was back just in Tokyo for the Sakura season wasn’t so bad. In fact I personally find it as much comfortable than in Kyoto.
Thanks for making this video! I don’t quite understand all the Japanese news yet so it helps when you cover this stuff! Love how the mountain appeared for ya!! 😂
My suggestion is the city council constructs and maintains an elevated photo-platform. It could be on the rooftop of the building itself, and charge 1000 yen per minute. Win-win for the tourists and the city. 😊
I don’t think the dental clinic wants that. He just wants to fix people’s teeth. Not deal with crowds. He has that right. He actually likes the tourists, but the problems that come are too much from the few who are awful.
Thank you for addressing overtourism. I feel any popular places have way too much tourists, whether in Japan or other countries. Weakened yen is also putting Japan on map for travel. Visitors need to respect the locals and businesses, photos are great but when it causes disruption and safety concerns for others, we need to be more mindful.
@@user-qh7mv8np2s overtourism is a problem everywhere with or without bad tourists. It puts a strain on the towns that can only take so much and start being a burden on people's lives instead of a business opportunity. As someone that lives in a city that lives for tourism, in the last years it has become too much
From living in Japan, I can understand the feeling of some tourist coming in and not knowing to nicely do things and responsibly enjoying Japan. I stayed away from most foreign tourist areas except when I went to Roppongi for the clubs sometimes lol.
Aloha John. Missed this but caught the replay. I'm not a fan of tourists who lack both respect and common courtesy for the places that they visit. Living on Oahu it's fairly common to see visitors being disrespectful to not only our land/environment but also to the local community. But sorry to say that the locals in Hawaii have very limited tolerance for visitors who treat the island with disrespect and I'm highly confident a Hawaii resident would happily remind the visitor that they are just "visiting. Lol. Mahal for the livestream my friend!
I bet the Hawaiian visitors are the ones who are the best behaved having this problem - little things. Hurt me to see it happen like people standing on the Lawson sign and staff having to tell them to get down.
Oof, your comment hurt my heart. The people of Hawaii go through so much with disrespectful tourists. You definitely understand what the locals in these areas of Japan are going through. It makes me extra sad because Hawaiian people are so kind and warm and lovely, and Japanese people are lovely and polite. It’s sad that people aren’t more appreciative and reciprocal about that. It just takes a little self awareness and asking yourself “how would I want tourists to treat me and my home?”
@LiterallyJustAnActualPotato This is why I strongly feel visitors need to spend a little time to learn and understand the culture of the places they plan to visit. Not just go and visit because they want to go for a vacation. Japan has many "do not do" things such as talk on your cell phone while on the train. Or eating food while walking on the street. Things that visitors do all the time because they don't take the time to understand why that is. I went to Japan in 2018 and watched many videos on RU-vid about the Japanese lifestyle and culture before I went there simply to understand how the residents live their lives including watching John here who share very insightful and detailed information about Japanese lifestyle, its history and culture. The same goes for Hawaii. Although Hawaii is a beautiful place to visit, the locals are warm and inviting and will share their Aloha with everyone including visitors but we too have many "do and do not" things within the island. Doesn't take much time to learn about and honestly, I think it would really enhance a person's travel experience knowing what makes a good "visitor" when you're traveling far away from home. Shame that is not the case for many.
We kind of have a similar problem here in Hawaii on the North shore of Oahu. People want to see the sea turtles on the shore line, which creates traffic jams and dangerous crossings for pedestrians!
I visited that area a few weeks ago and got a lot of beautiful shots of Mt. Fuji. I don't consider having a Lawson's store in the foreground a beautiful picture. Weird.
Well I guess I'm glad I visited that exact spot in February during my first trip! Paired with slippery conditions and snow on the streets in winter, you definitely need spatial awareness to avoid injury.
something like this was also done in Hallstatt in Austria...... the town council decided to erect a fence to block the view of the famous tower where so many tourists take a selfie
Why don't they find, and fund, a spot just for the Mt. Fuji photo shot, like they did with the Las Vegas sign. I see many tour buses passing by in this video. Is this Lawsons part of the bus tours attractions?
There are many spots for taking photography of Fuji but it depends entirely on the time/weather that day. People just flock to the viral social media spots (like this one) thinking they'll get a similar pic without looking at the forecast. And no--while Kawaguchiko is definitely a tourist destination--this Lawson's itself is not a traditional tourist attraction until recently which is the cause of the problem.
Thank you for the information. Over tourism has two sides. Is it a kind of stimulant to the economy to become better or a nightmare for the locals for the tourists’ “rowdy” behavior?
Shouldn't we also discuss who these offenders are, and what nationality? A lot of disciplined tourists are suffering because of them. Those people should be ashamed or at least be mindful and considerate of others. Respect the rules and the culture. How hard that could be?
Oh man, I stayed in an inn on this street exactly a year ago, but I remember way more lurkers at the station than at the Lawson's. Course this was early April then, not Golden Week. I'm sad about the overtourism; I have fond memories of this place. And yeah, traffic is no joke (try navigating it with a bicycle). Best memory was waking up in Kawaguchiko Station Inn and seeing Mt. Fuji right outside my window.
A simple solution. Looks the underlying, and very valid, concern are the near collisions between the cars being driven by the locals and the tourists trying to get "the shot" by stepping out into the street at this specific location. My proposed answer - why not have Lawsons provide an alternative (and arguably better) viewing vantage point by erecting a set of stairs leading up to the flat roof of their building so the invaders can get their shots from there? Some of the best shots I got of Mount Fuji were from being allowed roof top access at a ryokan I stayed at in Kawaguchiko.
I think once the tarp/wall is up, the tourists will just stand in the street to get the picture. The tarp/wall won't stop the picture taking, but that's my opinion. Will be interested in an update after the installation is completed.
Hey John, this was a very informative video, thanks! I read in the news about the 2.5m high screen coming up soon, but couldn't imagine where they would be placing it. Now with your video, I know where it will be. I will be visiting Japan mid May, so here's hoping for clear skies when I visit this area. 😊 Arigato!
It's best for the tourists to catch a bus ride to Lake Kawaguchiko for a better photo shot of Mt Fuji rather than taking a pic of the mountain behind Lawson. 😅
If those people really are going to Photoshop Mt Fuji into the picture, they might as well not have gone at all. Just take a photo of themselves somewhere else and then insert them on top of an old picture with the view in.
Thank you John for this video! And yes, Japanese don't go to other countries and cause issues to the point where the government has to get involved to block, put up gates etc etc? This is crazy! I'm soooo sad for the locals who just want to go to the convenience store for a snack or drink and then to have to face all these people from everywhere 😮 😢 I too will not be a part of this problem or any problems in Japan! Gambare Nippon!!! 🇯🇵🇯🇵🇯🇵
I don't say this with any type of prejudice, but I'm tired of seeing people online say it's white American influencers that are the problem when most people know the majority are Chinese tourists.
The train you saw is the JR Fuji Excursion (富士回遊, Fuji Kaiyū) limited express. It might be one of reason why more tourists come to kawaguchiko in recent years.
I understand your frustration John but, where can tourists go to take pictures safely? I don’t know where we could go. Love to know where to go safely around Japan? Thank You so much John for the updates of Japan. Love watching and supporting your channel and your Country. 👋🥰 hello from Colorado USA 🇺🇸
It is Fuji, you can see it from many places, including popular temples, whole lakes and whatnot. Just being on most streets around gives you a view. Not that it is your right to have a photo with a damn mountain.
i went passed on a bus about 2 weeks ago and got the picture of lawson with mt fuji clearly in the background, maybe one of the last few pics to be taken of this ever!
This is absolutely crazy. What an uncomfortable invasion for the locals. I’d be so upset if crowds of tourists were just congregating by our small local gas station so it was difficult to get in and out of it, and wandering around in the street affecting traffic and causing accidents 😩 zero self awareness.
Mahalo for driving out there early and giving us an up close perspective. I feel really bad for the locals. What a nuisance and safety problem. They should consider citing people for jay walking and obtain passport info so the fine can be collected before leaving the country. Banned from entering the country as a tourist if not paid.
I went there during my trip. Also went to other smaller cities. I can say the roads in these smaller cities are so narrow. Sometimes there is no sidewalk at all. It's definitely not a place for tourists to come to a full stop and take photos
I've been to Fujinomiya in Shizuoka. I say that there are a lot of places there with perfect view of Mt. Fuji. And I mean A LOT, even in the place where I was staying in. You just have to look for them. I don't remember the names, but I can describe the 3 best locations to take a picture with Mt. Fuji that I've been. One is in this public park with a gymnasium that everyone can use. There's nothing that obstructs the view of the mountain there. Next is this tourist attraction that looks like some kind of ancient village from few centuries ago. It's between these two large rock formations... or was it beside one... but the view of the mountain there is also not obstructed by anything. Lastly, Lake Tanuki. Just sit in a bench and watch Mt. Fuji in full view or go camping, your choice. In these three locations, you won't be a public nuisance because you won't bother anyone while taking a shot. Of course, hope that it's not cloudy.
Thank god I visited Fujikawaguchiko back in March 2020 right at the eve of the pandemic. almost no tourists. I experienced eating delicious curry at the station, bike riding around the lake, chureito pagoda views of mt fuji and the panoramic view you can get of mt fuji when you take the lift trolley up, wind cave and ice cave and more! Unobstructed views of mt fuji with no clouds during the sunset was my best japan experience so far out of the several trips I took there. Unfortunately theres wayyyy too many tourists now. I fear I would never have the same magical experience now as I did then. I dont think anybody visiting right now would. you would probably have hundreds of poeple at chureito pagoda every single day and tons of noise. Unavoidable unless you visit at the crack of dawn maybe....
Lawson NEEDs to build a new spot with a better view and bigger neon sign. Away from that busy local area but will have lots of parking and capitalize on the view with a fake Lawson store front. The inside can be all vending machines that sell posters, tshirts, mugs and other products that advertise that THIS new view is the best!
@@onlyinjapanGO I smell a new business boom in setting up conbini is far flung photo ops that cater only to tourists to bring in inaka township revenue
This is an observation and explanation from my point of view as an ethnic Chinese: The tourists trying to get that photo of Lawson and Mount Fuji are almost all Asian, with the vast majority being from China where silly actions like this can become viral and make those who visit get FOMO if they don't do the same thing. And that silly photo becomes something to boast about. It's shameful and I don't condone such behaviour. I'm not saying all Chinese tourists are like that, but enough to force the government to put up that barrier. Good on them. My only worry is that these uncivilized tourists may turn their attention to other Lawsons or other convenience shops after the barrier goes up.
Two things I think they could have done that are better than just a blockade,... make it a observation deck and have people pay for it like the starbucks in shibuya. Money coming into the area. Or Lawsons could have opened a rooftop area maybe and sold some stuff up there too. More money for them. I think just covering it is a mistake. Also kind of sad for those of us who are respectful to the area and had hoped to see that view.. It's kind of iconic with the lawson there.
Yeah, that was the point I was going to make (but noticed you'd already said it). I think it's all to do with the shot having instagram appeal. So I don't they'll solve the problem ... Mt. Fuji isn't going anywhere and people will only want to take the photo even more now. Tourists are instagram trophy hunters after all. The iconic shot being Mt. Fuji perfectly sitting on the roof of Lawsons, you've got the combination of two Japanese icons that anchor the shot. Add it's instagram appeal - that isn't going to suddenly disappear. Mind you, if I was Family Mart or 7/11 ... I'd be scouting locations with the same line of sight, build the convenience store specifically for the perfect instagramable shot :-) Actually, wouldn't it be funny if there was a rush on Japanese businesses buying properties and constructing perfectly framed iconic shots of Mt. Fuji or other famous landmarks purely for the instagram appeal.
What a great opportunity for the Lawson Company! Have a viewing platform at the corner of the store with a token-operated gate. Tokens are free inside the store (but most customers will feel obligated to make a small purchase). Limit platform viewing to one minute. Win-win! Tourists happy. Lawson's happy.
Yet the normal people who live in this area are still having to deal with unwanted masses. Good on the city for more or less telling them to go away and prioritizing the quality of life of its people instead of profit.
Much appreciate the reality of the story. There are always two sides of a story. It's only matter of time for another picture at a different location and tourist flock to it. Thanks John. By the way, did Leo like Beastro?
At first, shy and scared but after an hour, he loved him! Beastro is really kid friendly, just shows it in his beasty way 😂 he misses him, we’ll go back soon.
I hate dumb tourists too but they could have embraced the situation and possibly built a small stairway next to the Lawsons that takes you up to a roof walkway and then down the other side.. They could charged a small fee to maintain it and everyone would be happy.
My tour bus took us here. I couldn't understand the hype. However this was the only place Mt. Fuji was visible at, as it was raining the entire day. I walked to the road adjacent to lawsons and got a great picture there without the lawsons in the picture.
Tour bus? That’s awful - I guess it’s something many want. I don’t get it, many buses went by but none actually stopped. I’ll be back when they finish the “wall”
Hi John thanks for the update. Create a new trend of where to go! Maybe a deck, patio at a park for people to go to that is near by. Again its pop culture and unfortunately somepeople are not raised properly and have a lack of care for society and others. Lets hope humanity can improve! 17 days til I leave for Japan
First went to Japan in 2016 and then in 2018. It was already quite popular but one could travel and walk around easily without many tourists... Now.... I'm afraid of going back with my children and see it overcrowded with unrespectful tourists everywhere
Thanks I visited that spot a few weeks ago and the crowd was not paying attention to the ‘cross guard’. However frankly speaking I felt the bicycle riders on the crowded pedestrian sidewalks in Tokyo and Fukuoka were much more dangerous and inconvenient than the Lawson parking lot.
I've got an idea. Make an periscope that goes under the road, up the wall and perfectly frames Lawson with Mt. Fuji sitting on its roof. It'll save the tourists from faffing around trying to position themselves and render the need to cross the road redundant. It could also be coin operated, a bit like those telescopes you have at other tourist hot spots 🙂
The morning news had a short story on this and I immediately thought about the live stream you did last year I believe and you had two buddies of yours taking photos on that street. One of them almost got hit ! You stressed the dangers of people stopping there for photos.
John shows a group of tourists crossing on a red light and then gives us a story about how the town feels responsible for another tourist getting hit crossing on a place with no crossing. Lol. Maybe she should have been sued for the physical damage to the car and the emotional damage to the driver.
Japanese want to be good hosts, but when the rules are broken, it creates a very hard situation in WHAT TO DO? It is summed up by the Japanese security guards here telling people to go in Japanese and NO ONE leaving. He will t touch them, pick them - won’t yell or blow a whistle. They ignored him like a gnat and it broke my heart to see the poor man unable to do much. He needs training or a whistle. I think the fence will solve most of the issues. No one will cross there anymore.
The Dentist comes across in the articles as 'Chief Stirrer'. Are they owners of that building? When will they charge tickets to access their rooftop once the barrier is up? Notice there's no interest in pedestrianising the street!
I talked to him. He’s so nice! I think that’s BS, he cleans up daily the trash all around his place. He’s worried about the scaffolding and the tourists bumping into it, maybe causing an accident. If you stay there and observe the behavior, 5% of a lot of people is a lot of people! When Fuji showed itself from the clouds, it was like a pack of dogs! Awful to see.
For this particular problem, I guess they could construct a new tourist spot that offers a better iconic view, and of course with a safe environment to take all the photos you want.
No, not at all. Maybe the opposite. Locals pass by it and don’t go in. Tourists didn’t go in much. They don’t buy much. Photo and go! I did not see any lines in 3 hours there.
Installing an observation deck seemed like a good idea, but it would have caused other problems, so it probably didn't come to fruition. The construction of an observation deck is an official facility of the city, and the number of tourists will further increase. Some of them may come by car and illegally park nearby or throw away trash. It may be noisy with tourists all day long to take pictures of the sunset, sunrise, and night climbers. Problems may arise due to long lines forming for photo shoots. The city abstained from assuming those undetermined responsibilities.
went to fujikawaguchiko like over a month ago as part of a tour and dropped us off the famous 'lawson' although this is not the lawson store they dropped us off ... funny thing is the views were still awesome. Wonder if there is an alternative initiative among tour operators to distribute it across the different lawsons around mt fuji haha
A solution would be for the council to create a designated viewing deck area for tourists. So that’s where the buses would drop off the tourists to take pictures of Mt. Fuji.
If the local govt know many tourist are coming during Golden Week, why don't they build (with Lawson's permission) a raised platform on the carpark so tourist can take photos without having to cross the street?. You were excited to see Mt Fuji when it cleared. Tourist will be a lot more excited. I've been to Japan twice and still haven't managed to see it.
Wrong, its not just on the idiot crossing, it’s on the driver and they’ll live with hitting that person for the rest of their life. The guilt even though not their fault is a crime beyond just crossing illegally. Not to mention if they hurt someone in the car! The damage to the town from the press because they didn’t do more to keep dumb tourists safer. It’s a sword that cuts so many ways 😢
There are drone maps, DJI has one. You can’t fly inside Tokyo and all cities, there are some places but you also much register your drone on the government website for face fines of ¥500,000
To be honest; For me personally, it's not so much about people loitering around taking snaps. It's more the fact that jaywalking and general inattentiveness makes that place incredibly hazardous. You just happened to catch the tourists on their well-behaved day today 😂 I live around the corner and drive/ride through this road daily, and I've lost count of the amount of time I nearly ran over jaywalkers or more terrifyingly - runaway baby strollers (the parents were too busy taking selfies, they hadn't realized their baby was freerolling right onto the moving traffic). Just today, a pedestrian in front of my car got the right idea of using the zebra cross ... just that she crossed the road whilst the traffic light was green for vehicles ~ 🤪
It's a double edge sword.The respectful tourists have paid 1000s and traveled hours to get there to see a mountain which is part of our earth they also put money into economy by spending there.Imagine if all tourist were banned.Thw flip side is i would hate to see 100s of people everyday down my street blocking my road.i would probably move away sadly.
Its ironic that in other countries they are putting infrastructure to keep the tourist coming but in japan it is different. In other countries they would probably have detoured the traffic to other roads.
That’s not a great idea, because someone posted an Instagram photo that went viral, they change everything and the trend bursts. Local people (everywhere) don’t want to change their lives to that extent for tourists. Tourists are guests, not bags of cash and nice locals treat them as such, it’s a tourist trap and NO ONE COMES.
Wouldn't have made more sense to build the screen behind the Lawson or on the roof? If the point is to black the view of Mt Fuji? Now it moves all the traffic to the store's parking lot.
