JONES Thomas E.    Department   Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University  College of Sustainability and Tourism    Position   Professor
Language	English
Publication Date	2013/03
Type	Research paper (Academic/Professional Journal)
Peer Review	Peer reviewed
Title	富士山における外国人登山者の現状― 2008-2012のモニタリング調査から ―
Contribution Type	First author
Journal	富士研究
Volume, Issue, Page	10(2),pp.33-38
Author and coauthor	加藤幸真、山本清龍、荒牧重雄
Details	Fuji is known for its short season and increasing numbers of climbers. This paper aimed to clarify the characteristics and climbing behaviour of foreign climbers, a hitherto undefined market. Results of questionnaires carried out from 2008-12 show that Fuji-Yoshida’s 10,000 foreign climbers differ from Yamanashi’s inbound tourist market, with a third coming from North America, mostly USA. Climbers are largely young males for whom Fuji represents a “rite of passage” during their stay in Japan. Well-educated but not wealthy, they tend to form small groups of friends, showing the social side of a mountain rarely climbed alone. The groups are shaped by logistical as much as individual preferences; for example, 70% use public transport to access Fuji, especially the bus. 48% to 51% fit the description of “bullet tours,” arriving in the evening and climbing overnight without stopping at the mountain huts. Yet despite such tactics, and the fact that 90% of respondents were tackling Fuji for the first time, 84% still reached the summit successfully. 92% arrived between 2:00 and 7:59AM, in an attempt to see the sun rise from the top. This reflects the unique state of Fuji’s current climbing market, and the challenge it represents to management.