This summer the environment ministry counted around 178,000 climbers, compared to more than 200,000 the previous year and before the pandemic.
Gates to the trails were closed on Tuesday (Sep 10), marking the end of the hiking season. The preliminary data runs to Sep 4 and will be updated on a later date, a ministry official told AFP on Wednesday.
The mountain is covered in snow most of the year but during the summer many trudge through the night to see the sunrise from the 3,776m summit.
This year, an entry fee of 2,000 yen (US$14) plus an optional donation was charged on the popular Yoshida Trail, with numbers capped at 4,000 per day. The three other trails remained free.
Concern had been raised that some climbers were sleeping on the trail or starting fires for heat, while others became sick or injured after trying to reach the summit without breaks.
Mount Fuji is about two hours from central Tokyo by train and can be seen for kilometres around.
The majestic mountain is a symbol of Japan that has been immortalised in countless artworks, including Hokusai’s “Great Wave”.
