Fujiyoshida City Cancels Cherry Blossom Festival Due to Overwhelming Tourist Numbers

Fujiyoshida City - According to a BBC report on February 6th, local authorities have canceled this year's cherry blossom festival due to tourist numbers that far exceed the town's capacity to manage. The surge of visitors has led to chronic traffic congestion and widespread littering, with some residents reporting tourists trespassing and even defecating in private gardens. Fujiyoshida is a popular spring destination known for its spectacular cherry blossoms with Mount Fuji as a backdrop, but the picturesque scenery is now threatening the peaceful lives of local residents. Mayor Shigeru Horiuchi stated, "We have a strong sense of crisis. To protect the dignity and living environment of our citizens, we have decided to end a 10-year festival." The town originally started the annual event at Arakurayama Sengen Park to attract tourists, which now draws up to 10,000 visitors daily during cherry blossom season. Authorities emphasized that recent years have seen tourist numbers grow beyond the city's capacity, creating overtourism that severely impacts local residents' quality of life. This is not an isolated incident, as Japanese authorities have previously taken measures to manage overcrowded tourist sites, such as blocking famous photo spots with large black barriers. Other countries like Italy and Venice are also implementing similar strategies to manage tourist numbers and protect local environments.