Soon to come: tweets from Mount Fuji
The demand to stay connected has reached new heights. After an avalanche of requests from hikers, the highest point in Japan will soon have a Wi-Fi connection as Japanese officials begin to install free hot spots on Mount Fuji.
Local prefectures are teaming with Japan’s major carrier NTT DoCoMo to set up eight Wi-Fi hot spots, which will be located in various buildings throughout the mountain.
According to a report by Asahi Shimbum, the project is aimed at enticing tourists from the U.S. and Europe to hike the 12,388-foot-high volcano.
Japan has seen steady increases in foreign visitors to the mountain, estimating that somewhere between 40,000 and 50,000 tourists hiked the mountain’s trails over the past year.
The move is also aimed at increasing safety for hikers. Climbers will have a free 72-hour login to roam about the mountain and post pictures and videos from on high.
“We hope people will use the service not only to tell about the attractions of Mount Fuji to people abroad but also to obtain weather and other information to ensure their safety,” an official at the Yamanashi prefectural government’s tourism promotion division said.
The Yamanashi and Shizuoka prefectures plan to distribute 70,000 foreign-language brochures and cards that walk visitors through the connection process.
Last year, 285,000 total people visited the peak during climbing season. The free Internet access will be available around the summit between July 10 and Sept. 10, according to the Yamanashi prefectural government.
