2015 Volume 78 Issue 5 Pages 523-526
Mt. Fuji was included in the list of World Heritage (WH) sites in 2013 and visitor management became an important preservation issue for WH sites. The purpose of this study is as follows: 1) to know the ratio of the number of climbers who are motivated by Mt. Fuji’s designation as a WH site, to the total number of climbers; 2) to draw up a comprehensive list of risk factors based on an understanding of the risk perception of climbers; 3) to find a way to implement the Mt. Fuji Environmental Conservation Fee that climbers will find acceptable; and, 4) to explain how awareness can be built, based on the above findings and related psychology. Findings show that 21% of climbers were motivated by the designation of Mt. Fuji as a WH site, and they do not have any specific risk perception. The most commonly perceived risks were acute mountain sickness and climbing techniques. The most accepted way of using money collected through the new donation system was garbage treatment and cleanup. However, promotion of safe climbing was not a common expectation, and it seems there is a need to bridge the gap in perception of this issue between local governments and climbers.
