AFP – A Japanese town that mounted a huge barrier to deter unruly tourists from taking photos of Mount Fuji said on Tuesday that around 10 small holes have already been poked in the mesh screen.
The barrier was put up a week ago in a popular photo spot in Fujikawaguchiko town, where residents had complained about streams of mostly foreign visitors littering, trespassing and breaking traffic rules.
A town official told AFP that the screen made of black netting had achieved its goal of dispersing crowds on a narrow pavement across the road from a convenience store.
Although a security guard is there between 10am and 4pm, the small holes appear to have been created in the morning or evening while no one was watching, he said.
“It’s about manners. It’s a shame,” he said of the holes, big enough to fit a finger through but perhaps too small to capture the Instagram-friendly juxtaposition of the snow-capped volcano emerging from behind the store.
“I tried to put a camera up to one of the holes. Did I take a good picture? In fact, I think the net came into the frame,” the official said.
