Mount Fuji Cherry Blossom Festival Canceled (Here's Why)

Officials in the Japanese city of Fujiyoshida announced the cancellation of the annual Arakurayama Sengen Park Cherry Blossom Festival on Tuesday, citing a sharp increase in disruptive behavior from visitors drawn to the site's views of Mount Fuji.

Cherry Blossom Festival, which has run for the past 10 years and typically draws around 200,000 people during the spring blooming season, features cherry trees framing a five-story pagoda against the mountain backdrop in Yamanashi Prefecture.

City authorities reported numerous complaints from residents about traffic jams blocking roads, litter scattered in public areas, trespassing on private land, and instances of visitors using household restrooms without permission or defecating in yards.

The decision follows a rise in tourism fueled by social media images of the location, which have amplified crowds beyond what local infrastructure can handle.

"To protect the dignity and living environment of our citizens, we have decided to bring the curtain down on the 10-year-old festival," Fujiyoshida Mayor Shigeru Horiuchi said in the announcement.

The city also noted that the festival's popularity has led to safety issues, with overcrowded paths and vehicles parked illegally in residential zones.

Residents have expressed frustration over the disturbances to daily life, prompting the move to scrap the event for this year.

Officials indicated that the park will remain open to the public during cherry blossom season, but without organized activities, food stalls, or shuttle services that previously managed visitor flow.