“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 when making the announcement on Tuesday.
In April 2016, authorities announced they would be opening the gates of Arakurayama Sengen Park to host tourists during the sakura (cherry blossom) season.
The park offers a panoramic view of the city from its pagoda, with several picture-worthy and “Instagrammable” spots.
Fujiyoshida authorities began hosting the annual event at Arakurayama Sengen Park with the hope to enhance the area’s appeal and increase the numbers of visitors by creating “a lively atmosphere in the area”.
However, authorities say the number of visitors in recent years has “increased dramatically, exceeding the city’s capacity and resulting in overtourism, which is having a serious impact on the living environment of local residents”.
Now, as many as 10,000 visitors flock to the town daily during the peak blossom season, Fujiyoshida authorities add in a statement.
This increase is “due to factors such as the weak yen and explosive popularity fueled by social media”.
The town’s authorities report that tourists were “opening private home doors without permission to use the restroom,” trespassing, littering and “defecating in private yards and raising a fuss when residents pointed this out”.
Although the festival will not go ahead, the city is preparing for an increased number of visitors during April and May.
