Not a zebra crossing, a lot of crossings in Japan has the white lines. This is purely a western road rule notion, don’t go expecting other countries to follow western rules. If you go to India don’t expect cars to stop just being there are traffic lights either cause they don’t.
The zebra stripes are there for the case that the traffic light doesn’t operate for one reason or another. Keep in mind that Japan has lots of earthquakes, so power outages can happen, but people might still be able to drive on the roads.
For people who dont know: The blockade is so people dont take picture from that particular side which is very narrow and made people jaywalk frequently causing traffic accident
It’s a reaction to tourists crossing into the street on a green light after many citizens complained to city hall on near misses and constant stress at this spot. They had to do something. If tourists had crossed legally, at the crossing, no wall would have been erected. That comes from city hall after we called them. Also, a Tunisian woman was hit by a car in the town a month ago crossing illegally at another crossing and that was also a stresser for the city to do something here.
problem is its not a tourist spot, it's a residential area where people live. so i guess the residents got weary of tourist crowds and honking all day. the crowd is much worse at fushimi inari in kyoto where tourist dash across the road from inari station but no one's complaining because it's a tourist spot.
@@christopherblaisdel They walked out of 7-11 with their cigarettes on their mouths then they split one by one like it's their tradition or something. Have you not met any Chinese tourist before?
If we were to adopt your opinion, not only this Lawson but many other shops and streets would be covered in long black tarps all around Japan. In other words, the reported facts and photos circulating on social media are just typical examples. If we were to consider a fundamental solution... it would likely result in unfortunate consequences for all tourists.
I have been to Fuji at least 10 times and never have I been to this Lawson. I have my favorite places to take a photo of Fuji sama and happy that NO one has put it on RUclips. Happy that all the followers flock to the same spot as others
I learned this too - NEVER share your favorite places. It’s for you. It’s hard in this job though 😂 but I don’t show everything. I’m glad you have a secret spot, people need to get out and find original photos spot, make something special for themselves.
As an average Japanese person, I'd like to share my personal opinion. However, this is also a heartfelt message to tourists and a warning to help prevent any tragic incidents in the near future. There is no humor in this message. First of all, in Japan, the concept of "jaywalking" does not exist. Moreover, it is common sense to use pedestrian crossings and obey traffic signals, regardless of whether cars are coming. Strictly speaking, breaking these rules is illegal. The laws are made with the assumption that almost everyone will follow them. This is a significant difference from many other countries, for better or worse. Visitors from other countries should generally be aware of these rules and manners beforehand. If they are not, they should pay attention to warning signs and observe how Japanese people behave, then imitate their actions. The safety and cleanliness that Japanese people have built are not for disrespectful tourists who ignore our rules and manners. Although the government, the tourism industry, and some parts of the food service industry encourage visitors to Japan, I feel that public opinion is now divided. This means that roughly 50 million Japanese people do not welcome tourists who disregard our laws and customs, and believe that entry restrictions or high entry taxes should be imposed. As an intermediate-level English speaker, I used Google Translate to help write this, so I'm not sure if I'm conveying my message accurately. However, I hope my thoughts are understood.
That is a very nice perspective, and important for tourists to read. I'm from the USA, and when I travel I find myself very embarrassed by some other American tourists who feel they can act however they want, with the explanation that "this is how we do it in the USA." Hypocritically, these are the same people who get angry when a foreigner comes to their town and speaks a language other than English. In my opinion, when you are somewhere else, your home customs are not the first priority - it's basic respect. To me, it's also one of the main reasons to travel - to learn about other cultures and customs. It's not every American tourist that behaves this way of course, but it's common - and I think we should work hard to do better. We do also see the same thing in reverse with tourists from some other countries coming to the US and not respecting our local customs like waiting your turn in line and giving priority to children.
Unfortunately this is a product of social media. It's such a shame that it only takes a few influencers to post a nice picture, then everyone thinks that they NEED to make that part of their holiday. I admit, I do go to touristy places when I'm on holiday, but in reality most of the best places I've been that really stick in my memory were lesser known places. This place personifies that problem. Like, I get it. If I happened to go to that Lawsons for a snack and saw Fuji, I would probably take a photo of it, but a similar view of Fuji is available from hundreds of places. No one should be making a special trip just to get a picture of Fuji behind a Lawsons. I'm glas they seem to have come up with a solutioin that works. I expected the tourists to just get more reckless to get that IG worthy photo.
People couldn't make up their own mind. I don't see anything good about this lawson and the Fuji mountain behind it. I had went to rest area with ample view of the Fuji mountain, that was breathtaking.
It seems John is guilty of it.. influencer are trying to make a living from this.. I was in Tokyo 3 weeks ago. I was at the observation deck to have a good view of Shibuya Crossing… there is a sign in the room saying don’t move the furniture but I saw some European influencer just doing that because they want to take a good shot of them being there n signing the wall..
My best photo of Fuji I took during my Japan trip last December was in my ryokan balcony on Suruga Bay in Uchiura, Numazu on the Shizuoka side of Mt Fuji just as the sun was rising and reflecting off the mountain. Bonus points because I was staying at Chika’s ryokan from Love Live Sunshine. There are so many better photos of Fuji you can take, but I guess because this one is right across the street from a train station that’s not that hard to get to from Tokyo; plus the juxtaposition of the Lawson in front of Fuji, all the tourists had to have this photo once I got popularized by those damn influencers.
I have a technological solution for this issue.... put giant infrared spotlights in Lawson's and it will ruin everybody's picture. Lawson's/Japan Transit Authority, feel free to hire me as a consultant on this project lol
This is so dumb. They blocked one area across the street? That black barricade should be on top of the Lawson. If they just spoil the view, you fix the issue in the parking lot too.
The marking on the traffic light crossing is commonly known as zebra crossing in many countries. It’s usually painted on uncontrolled crossings, where vehicles are required to stop to allow pedestrians to cross. In this case, I’m not surprised many foreign pedestrians are so used to this type of crossing in their countries, that they do the same in that exact crossing
I miss what is so nice about Lawson with mount Fuji in the background. There are numerous pictures with a shinkansen (on a bridge) with Fujisan in the background. Is there not an vintage point where tourist can enjoy this view by them self?
People can see the crossing light they don’t care. I grew up in a college city and everyone jaywalked everywhere it’s just normal. I have to constantly remind myself not to jaywalk when I travel because of how used to it I am. And yes every few months you hear a story about some kid who got hit by a car or bus while jaywalking
Yeah, growing up in NYC, jaywalking is a fact of life and I practically do it every day to get to work to cross the street leading from the ramp off of the Brooklyn Bridge in front of the Manhattan Municipal Building. And I work for the damn city as well. Because I know the timing of the light, which only has like a 20 second walk signal as opposed to a minute or so don’t walk timing, plus most cars that come from the bridge turning left before the crosswalk, and a delayed green for traffic from the left side, I know when I can walk across safely even when the walk signal is red, because I can wait in the bike lane down the middle if there’s a car actually coming before I finish crossing. Had to remind myself not to do so when I visited Japan back in December and in March, but I still did it late at night in Tokyo when there were absolutely no cars visible approaching. It’s really hard to turn off my life long instincts in doing so.
Thank you for your report! Exactly! IMHO , whatever you like, for natives , it's like taking photos of the Empire State Building with pair of your socks.... That's how funny it is. All in all, respect the culture wherever you would visit. Follow the rules.
Disney has established photo spots with signs highlighting the best views. Perhaps Lawson's should set up a photo opportunity in the rear for photos and charge a nominal fee 500!yen for the privilege.
I miss when we had just disposable cameras and lived in the moment. Also even with them not getting in traffic it’s annoying just trying to get into the parking lot and having to wait for people to move,
Why they installed it over there? Why not above Lawson's roof? They still keep taking pictures cause you can still see Mt. Fuji from the parking area! Just contact the owner of that Lawson, and ask them to install on their roof, it's already causing public disturbance, they will comply. Sometimes i couldn't understand how theysolve problems😵💫
In Osaka the guards stand on the sides of the streets and help people jaywalk lol. Not just tourists literally everyone walks in the street and crosses when they want so I guess they figured they should put the guards there to help them cross safely at least.
I thought the fence they put was on both sides. I think that would be the best solution instead of just putting on just the other side. Another option is Lawson should put a net like barricade on top of their store. That way Mt. Fuji is covered entirely. Maybe a small Lawson billboard on the roof would be nice since that is their store.
I kept hearing about this, but I didn’t realize the insanity that it was. This is crazy. There are so many people. Are these Taurus from outside of the country? Are they local domestic Japanese tourist that realize that there’ Instagram. I just have never in my life seen this many people just show up to random gas station to take a picture.
Last year, my mom came to Japan to visit me and she planned a trip to kawaguchiko like other foreign tourists. But although the view from Kawaguchiko is beautiful, I find it overrated as a tourist spot. This year when she came to visit me, I did the tour planning, and we went to izu ooshima instead. The Mt Fuji view off the mainland combined with the ocean is much better and less crowded.
Fujiyoshida has changed quite a bit. I had a great discussion with staff about how they dealt with a similar issue. I think on 5 years, we’ll see Japan dealing with this challenge much much better. Be creative with it.
Even the signage on the road indicates that people should not run into the street, looks like those tourists are from Mainland China 🇨🇳, and they don’t understand English. So even with visual signage, it is not helpful to tourists.
The songs are also in Mandarin, in many places but not enough. I don’t think locals want Mandarin all over the road 😂 English is on road signs so it’s okay. They need staff on the Lawson side, at least for a few months. In summer, less people come because Fuji loses its snow cap.
Just a thought. Build a 2F LAWSON Premium Cafe on top of the existing with viewing deck and seating area. Charge 500YEN + compulsory drink. Contain them inside. lol. haha
Good idea, I would love to sip coffee on a roof!! But I think these tourists want the Lawson in the shot. Fuji is seen everywhere around here. It’s a silly shot for sure. The coffee, could use a cup right now ☕️🗻
I was there last week on the day the wall brought up,I knew straight away that the materials at the walls is very poor and would be broken/poke easily. It won't last long and will need replacement again.
I totally thought they’ll erect the black fence just right behind Lawson so it really blocks out the view. With doing it only on the sidewalk it’s still not keeping them away..
More people are showing up because this location is INfamous. I've also seen tourists do the exact opposite of what signs tell them to, "because it's there".
@@onlyinjapanGO Time for a social experiment where we get a bunch of people to go to some random not interesting place, get some social media buzz about it, and send all the clout chasers there lol
Sounds to me like the issue is not so much the view, but rather that the road is terribly unsafe. Frankly, it sounds like something America would do. Treat a symptom rather than the cause in the case of urban design.
I think that Lawsons could build a brick wall on their side and make a raised stand for photos and charge like 500JYP for 1 minute on the stand. At that price they could hire a guard to manage crowds.. Set up a nice cue line, make it safer and self sustaining financially.
As a stereotype, mainlanders don’t know how to line up and will happily cut any lines they think they can get away with. I would know because I see that happen all the time here with mainland tourists. HKers and Taiwanese tend to be more orderly, to say nothing about most western tourists. Also, the point of the photo is to have the Lawson in the foreground of Fuji, so making a stand wouldn’t satisfy most of these people. Also, a brick wall would block access to their parking lot (unless you meant behind the Lawson), and a line for a stand out front would also likely do the same if you placed it where these tourists want the photo.
How about install a deck above Lawson to give tourists a clear view of Fuji? Charge 1000yen for admission. Or make a dental appointment at the dentist across the street. 😊
The Asian tourist majority is a mix of Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese and Taiwanese; to a high ratio - these countries have by far the highest tourist presence in Japan on any given month you check since tourism reopened in Japan in 2022~23, dwarfing the presence of Americans and any other Westerners, or other countries internationally for that matter.
John, I've had a baby-stroller rolled onto the road right in front of my moving car whilst the parents were busy taking video of (I assume) the wife/mother.
John, thanks for your video we always enjoy watching your work and creativity. Please consider writing to lawson for food trucks/modified photo friendly vehicles, collaborate with them to sell posters of lawson mount fuji-only in Japan. Souvenirs etc. ❤🎉😂
They really are! I think it’s interesting to see it from all angles, and I mean the tourist and Japanese side. It’s an awful spot for a “tourist attraction” and hope the trend / fad fades fast. The wall looks temporary.
The small street, the cars, narrow streets , and the gate seem to be an issue, too, John. It seems very strange situation that is continue to be remembered. The Lawson seems perfectly placed isnt it.
It’s is certainly a perfect storm for danger. I went to a few other social media hot spots, much safer, less traffic and further from locals everyday life. This - is the perfect location 😂 next to a train and bus station full of tourists. Tour buses even stop here so passengers can swarm! Hahaha! They’re part of the problem too.
Exactly what you said when I was there a month ago. People crossing the road illegally, and not even checking if it's safe to walk! Vision blocked by vans, I even took photos out of frustration and the next day I see the news of the barrier 😂 Almost every bus was honking as people were sticking heads and body parts out into the road, people crossing on a red man expecting people to stop for them since they thought it was a zebra crossing.. Tourists climbing on the exact spot you showed... and they were tourists from all over the world.. I guess the most straightforward solution would be a sign translating the pedestrian crossing button, and explaining to cross only on a green man. Perhaps a visual sign might reduce the size needed. It's always either a retaliate or rehabilitate response, but it's not Japan's responsibility to educate good manners and they shouldn't be expected to.
I keep saying it: They should have put a big digital ad board on top of this Lawson. Might as well make some money solving this tourism problem. Also, I was here two weeks ago and there weren’t that many people in front of the Lawson when I went. Lucky me I suppose!
The Lawsons should have a giant inflatable balloon on their roof. As for the cross walk, unfortunately they need to bring it back to basics and have cross guards and other guards fine jaywalkers which will help their economy.
At the location of Lawson sign, setup a designated area to allow people take photos , and to enter the area you will need to pay 5000 or more yen, the fees will pay for the construction and guards guarding the area.
I JUST come back from Japan with Gotemba being the last stop. I didn’t go there to get pictures because at the Premium Outlets it has a FEW perfect spots to do it. Actually, I have a perfect view from my hotel.
Many were telling me when there’s no view, buses go to the outlets 😂 where people can chance a view. I haven’t been there in years! Should take Kanae for a visit.
@@onlyinjapanGO at the Outlets, go to the Hill Side for the best view. When you get to the high street by the restaurants, there is a more quiet spot with a REALLY good view.
From your prior Fuji view video it looked like those wanting to get "the shot with the stairway" were pretty good about queuing up. I'll bet if Lawsons builds a small, elevated viewing platform in their parking lot that would alleviate the problem of people edging into the street to get "the shot with Lawsons." With the elevation it will be a better view worth standing in line for by those wanting a photo of Fuji fronted by Lawsons. Now the shot I would prefer personally would be Fuji as seen from the flat roof of Lawsons, but I guess that defeats the purpose for those who want to have Lawsons in the photo.
Yes, it looks - safer. Not better though, just safer 😂 I do not think Lawson wants to be in that business. They want to encourage the residents who repeat to visit their store. Tourists will eventually go away, the Lawson reputation has taken a hit. It’s not positive, when locals can’t pull in to shop. That’s why they issued an apology on something they really can’t control. This is 100% a trend that will dissolve away in 1-2 years like all of them. It’s moved on to another Lawson 10 min down the road 😂
I understand what you mean. However, the owner of the Lawson of the Kawaguchiko cannot do anything unless the headquarters of Lawson want to do something on it. Very ridiculous though.
It's farmland behind that LAWSON. If they felt like it the farmer could put up giant bamboo poles like for Children's day but hang something to block the view. I have a feeling that LAWSON decided that they were going to be hands off on this.
We’ll all just have to do our part to be the most thoughtful, pleasant tourists we can be when we visit, and try to set a good example. I feel terrible that local people are having their lives disrupted by tourists who don’t care to follow the most basic rules. I’m sure there will be more ideas on how to get the situation under control.
Right! I think most people just happen to be visiting Kawaguchiko which is a really nice area. It’s a 2 min walk from the train station 😂 if it were out of the way, it would be a lot better. Many bus tours stop here too!
@@onlyinjapanGO After watching the whole video, I realized how inconsiderate people are. Some people left their suitcases on the middle of the sidewalk. 🙈It's just small things that nobody thinks about that can disturb locals. I live in Switzerland and people are very serious about following rules as well. Thanks for making a video on this.
It is such a shame, even today, a large population of local people in Japan 🇯🇵 don’t understand English, and so they cannot enforce laws to tourists who don’t understand Japanese 🇯🇵 .
They’re over 70 years old. Really? I think in any language, you can understand you shouldn’t be there, doing that. It would help to speak English - some tourists can’t speak English. Common sense should apply here.
These are not all English speaking tourists. Although, I do understand that people are more likely to speak English as a second language than other language.
But they don’t see the Lawson and Fujisan together 😂 that’s the point for these people. I used to live in Fujinomiya, seeing it from the window everyday is like a painting that changes with the weather! Stunning.
While unrelated to this video, it is fascinating to see that on Japan mainstream TV they are actually starting to talk about and admit the harm that was done by strongarming everyone to get the (you know what). You even discussed these on this channel and portrayed that these are useful. I knew back then that this was a lie but many people in japan did not know any better and are now facing the consequences. My heart goes out to everyone who got swindled.
Japanese media is not always honest, maybe more so than the US but they always have a narrative. I was disappointed the cherry picked the bad actors and showed that. Most people are just fine.
i guess people forgot about selfie sticks to get height or gimbals with their tripod/stick ,but no lets climb all over the poles soo nthey wil lhave gates on the poles
3:02 I CAN'T STOP LAUGHING. He said that people will cross anyway and stay there to prove it but everyone obey the law then proceed to talk about 7-11 HAHAHA
I figured even with all that it won’t stop the tourists. The issue here is the bad tourists not the good ones. The only way to stop bad behavior is have legit consequences like actually fining ppl for illegally crossing the road, public disturbance, etc.. or like some ppl commented maybe they should make a specific viewing spot or something
Perhaps if the residence facing lawson is enterprising, they can charge entrance fees to their 2nd level apartment. View should b great. When life gives u lemons, make lemonade...
They’re not interested. It requires insurance, staff … headache. This trend fizzles and the investment it moot. Someone should sell tshirts and snow globes 😂
Gosh, there is so many vantage points to take better picture of Mount Fuji. Not only there. Why are people that dense? I've been there like 3 to 4 times before the pandemic and I never once took a shot there.
Probably, I’m just looking at potential problems. One is certainly the zebra crossing with the light. There are many trouble spots with this area having so many clueless people around
I live in Japan. And I'm tempted to take the same photo like 100 million others before me lol. But no, I will try to find a different angle. And tbh, this lawson angle isn't even the best Fuji photo for me
It’s the city’s job, I don’t think Lawson would want that. They’d get so much more negative publicity. In Japan, this is not a positive thing for Lawson. Bad press is not good press in Japan, reputation is everything and it’s hard to repair. They’ve done press releases and tried to be both inviting and keep tourists safe. A very hard balancing act. Glad I don’t work there.
Even if Lowson starts a service such as building a second floor and people can go there to take photos, there will be always people who dose not follow public rules. People who visited there should think what caused setting a black screen... It is not because of over tourism, lack of space or mountain Fuji is there. It was because of the fact that too many people did not follow the traffic rule and local residencies wanted an immediate solution ( though it may be temporal and looks not nice at all). Low moral behavior can damage tourism resources and take away nice view from other people.
bad manner tourists is headache for local. personally I don't find the mount fuji on top lawson photo is that much of interest.. maybe just a temporary hype.
An easy solution would be for Lawson to just put up a large "Lawson" branded sign or banner on top of their store? Just big enough to make taking that picture impossible? I'm sure the city council could give them a building regulations waiver.
It's sad when the town has to give up the beautiful everyday view, just for the tourists... Just taking a glance at it while you're passing by without photoing, or even just be quiet and kindful and thoughtful of the surroundings while shooting photos, and everyone could've been happy! What a loss...
Hi, Idea. Create a viewing deck for people to take photo's on. Sell tickets $5. Use that money for security and give Lawson's a way to cover costs of losses due to tourist.
They have so many of them. SO MANY! Google “Chureito Pagoda” it’s all tourists and guides 😂 maps.google.com?q=Chureito%20Pagoda,%202-chome-4-1%20Asama,%20Fujiyoshida,%20Yamanashi%20403-0011&ftid=0x6019674cfd52a073:0xda57e34920aee799&entry=gps&lucs=,94215790,47071704,47069508,94218635,94203019,47084304,94208458,94208447&g_st=ic
If you were to take a poll, and I talked to many, it is mostly China, but it’s definitely a mix. Many from HK and Taiwan. Mostly neighboring countries. Westerners are maybe 25%.
Развлечения
There is a zebra crossing with traffic lights, that doesn't make any sense. Have a trafic light crossing or a zebra crossing, one or the other.
Good point. It is confusing. 🫤 🚥
Not a zebra crossing, a lot of crossings in Japan has the white lines. This is purely a western road rule notion, don’t go expecting other countries to follow western rules. If you go to India don’t expect cars to stop just being there are traffic lights either cause they don’t.
huh ? all crossings have these white stripes/zebra stripes, how is it confusing ?
The zebra stripes are there for the case that the traffic light doesn’t operate for one reason or another. Keep in mind that Japan has lots of earthquakes, so power outages can happen, but people might still be able to drive on the roads.
There was also a zebra crossing into the Lawson. I find that one confusing.
Lawson's should build a 2nd storey for an observation deck, coffee shop etc. charge tourists ¥1000 for entry.
Ikr, when i say something like that a lot of people are angry at me..😅
@@zenaku4 🤣👍
But isn’t the point to have the Lawsons in the foreground of the pic and Fuji in the background?
@slayeddreamer3820
No just Fuji
@@Megamibunny no its the juxtaposition of the two. there are plenty of places to take shots of fuji.
For people who dont know: The blockade is so people dont take picture from that particular side which is very narrow and made people jaywalk frequently causing traffic accident
It’s a reaction to tourists crossing into the street on a green light after many citizens complained to city hall on near misses and constant stress at this spot. They had to do something. If tourists had crossed legally, at the crossing, no wall would have been erected. That comes from city hall after we called them. Also, a Tunisian woman was hit by a car in the town a month ago crossing illegally at another crossing and that was also a stresser for the city to do something here.
problem is its not a tourist spot, it's a residential area where people live. so i guess the residents got weary of tourist crowds and honking all day. the crowd is much worse at fushimi inari in kyoto where tourist dash across the road from inari station but no one's complaining because it's a tourist spot.
What a bunch of intelligent tourists. Chinese tourists come to my country too and they greeted me by spiting on my foot.
They? Exactly how many people spit on your foot?
@@christopherblaisdel They walked out of 7-11 with their cigarettes on their mouths then they split one by one like it's their tradition or something. Have you not met any Chinese tourist before?
@@christopherblaisdel There were many but only couple of them with incredible aim managed to split on my foot
Lol.. did any go Hawk Tuah?
I think that the Japanese authorities should also put up the long black tarp behind the Lawson shop.
When I first heard about the tarp, I thought they were going to put it behind it!
🤔
Same here.
That’d solve the problem of people who still try to take the damn picture in front of Lawson now
But that would mean you would ruin the view for the Residents that live on the other side of the road and that can't be the solution.
If we were to adopt your opinion, not only this Lawson but many other shops and streets would be covered in long black tarps all around Japan. In other words, the reported facts and photos circulating on social media are just typical examples. If we were to consider a fundamental solution... it would likely result in unfortunate consequences for all tourists.
I have been to Fuji at least 10 times and never have I been to this Lawson.
I have my favorite places to take a photo of Fuji sama and happy that NO one has put it on RUclips.
Happy that all the followers flock to the same spot as others
I learned this too - NEVER share your favorite places. It’s for you. It’s hard in this job though 😂 but I don’t show everything. I’m glad you have a secret spot, people need to get out and find original photos spot, make something special for themselves.
If I am Lawson, I would put a platform and offer tickets to all patrons who buy something from Lawson
Great idea
Yeah because an accident wait to happen really worth the PR
Lawson should put a platform on their rooftop and make people buy something to be able to go up. Tourists will get the best view 😂
In other countries, that might be the case. But Japan and agile business decision just don't mix.
@@chYap There will be one thousand people up there and people will fall and die.
That's exactly what I want as an amateur photographer, the same exact picture that 6 Million other people have LOL
Actually you want this to go on. Happy that 999/1000 that want the photo of Fuji San will go to this Lawson.
Good!
@@gosikh Sounds like a Lawson's business owner haha
Many people are like lemmings. Many people have pictures at Fuji San, and I will be most happy if I have one of myself.
Can definitely be better off now just buy stock photos 😂
So true. However, most people on earth seem to have decided to accept becoming absolute NPCs. They just don’t know any better.
As an average Japanese person, I'd like to share my personal opinion. However, this is also a heartfelt message to tourists and a warning to help prevent any tragic incidents in the near future. There is no humor in this message.
First of all, in Japan, the concept of "jaywalking" does not exist. Moreover, it is common sense to use pedestrian crossings and obey traffic signals, regardless of whether cars are coming. Strictly speaking, breaking these rules is illegal. The laws are made with the assumption that almost everyone will follow them. This is a significant difference from many other countries, for better or worse.
Visitors from other countries should generally be aware of these rules and manners beforehand. If they are not, they should pay attention to warning signs and observe how Japanese people behave, then imitate their actions. The safety and cleanliness that Japanese people have built are not for disrespectful tourists who ignore our rules and manners.
Although the government, the tourism industry, and some parts of the food service industry encourage visitors to Japan, I feel that public opinion is now divided. This means that roughly 50 million Japanese people do not welcome tourists who disregard our laws and customs, and believe that entry restrictions or high entry taxes should be imposed.
As an intermediate-level English speaker, I used Google Translate to help write this, so I'm not sure if I'm conveying my message accurately. However, I hope my thoughts are understood.
That is a very nice perspective, and important for tourists to read. I'm from the USA, and when I travel I find myself very embarrassed by some other American tourists who feel they can act however they want, with the explanation that "this is how we do it in the USA." Hypocritically, these are the same people who get angry when a foreigner comes to their town and speaks a language other than English. In my opinion, when you are somewhere else, your home customs are not the first priority - it's basic respect. To me, it's also one of the main reasons to travel - to learn about other cultures and customs. It's not every American tourist that behaves this way of course, but it's common - and I think we should work hard to do better. We do also see the same thing in reverse with tourists from some other countries coming to the US and not respecting our local customs like waiting your turn in line and giving priority to children.
Social media / insta zombies. The world is getting dumber.
100% agree
It was always this dumb, social media just allowed you to see it and removed the blissful ignorance
That would explain a lot with this picture.
I think the last 4yrs have highlighted how many Borg there are.
Lawson should capitalize on the situation and build a platform on top of there store and charge entry to viewing deck to view Mt Fuji
Well, for whatever reason the people want a photo that looks as if Fujisan was sitting on the roof of that konbini. 🤷🏻♂️
I think the appeal is to have Lawsons in the foreground and mt fuji in the backdrop
They are not like you.
@@BGwControlStop Why?
@@Hannoi why not? Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, you’d have to ask the annoying tourists trying to take the shot
Hello John. Thank you for the update. Just watched the news yesterday. Take Care ❤❤
Unfortunately this is a product of social media. It's such a shame that it only takes a few influencers to post a nice picture, then everyone thinks that they NEED to make that part of their holiday. I admit, I do go to touristy places when I'm on holiday, but in reality most of the best places I've been that really stick in my memory were lesser known places. This place personifies that problem. Like, I get it. If I happened to go to that Lawsons for a snack and saw Fuji, I would probably take a photo of it, but a similar view of Fuji is available from hundreds of places. No one should be making a special trip just to get a picture of Fuji behind a Lawsons.
I'm glas they seem to have come up with a solutioin that works. I expected the tourists to just get more reckless to get that IG worthy photo.
People couldn't make up their own mind. I don't see anything good about this lawson and the Fuji mountain behind it. I had went to rest area with ample view of the Fuji mountain, that was breathtaking.
@@RidwanGosal yeh, I understand the photo esthetic is nice, but I think I'd rather see it from the other side of a lake, in the forest somewhere.
It seems John is guilty of it.. influencer are trying to make a living from this..
I was in Tokyo 3 weeks ago. I was at the observation deck to have a good view of Shibuya Crossing… there is a sign in the room saying don’t move the furniture but I saw some European influencer just doing that because they want to take a good shot of them being there n signing the wall..
My best photo of Fuji I took during my Japan trip last December was in my ryokan balcony on Suruga Bay in Uchiura, Numazu on the Shizuoka side of Mt Fuji just as the sun was rising and reflecting off the mountain. Bonus points because I was staying at Chika’s ryokan from Love Live Sunshine.
There are so many better photos of Fuji you can take, but I guess because this one is right across the street from a train station that’s not that hard to get to from Tokyo; plus the juxtaposition of the Lawson in front of Fuji, all the tourists had to have this photo once I got popularized by those damn influencers.
I have a technological solution for this issue.... put giant infrared spotlights in Lawson's and it will ruin everybody's picture. Lawson's/Japan Transit Authority, feel free to hire me as a consultant on this project lol
I Feel like them trying to block out the view just brought even more tourists..
It might have, for now! News tried to interview why I came. I said because I wanted to see the wall 😂 fan of Pink Floyd.
This is so dumb. They blocked one area across the street? That black barricade should be on top of the Lawson. If they just spoil the view, you fix the issue in the parking lot too.
LMAO. Japan always right for this 🇯🇵 Not foreigners 😂
The sign that should be on top of Lawson should be a painting of Mt. Fuji🤣
The marking on the traffic light crossing is commonly known as zebra crossing in many countries. It’s usually painted on uncontrolled crossings, where vehicles are required to stop to allow pedestrians to cross. In this case, I’m not surprised many foreign pedestrians are so used to this type of crossing in their countries, that they do the same in that exact crossing
I miss what is so nice about Lawson with mount Fuji in the background. There are numerous pictures with a shinkansen (on a bridge) with Fujisan in the background. Is there not an vintage point where tourist can enjoy this view by them self?
I am Japanese, but I have no idea what is so good about the combination of Mt. Fuji and Lawson.I think foreigners have a crazy sense of beauty.
People can see the crossing light they don’t care. I grew up in a college city and everyone jaywalked everywhere it’s just normal. I have to constantly remind myself not to jaywalk when I travel because of how used to it I am. And yes every few months you hear a story about some kid who got hit by a car or bus while jaywalking
Yeah, growing up in NYC, jaywalking is a fact of life and I practically do it every day to get to work to cross the street leading from the ramp off of the Brooklyn Bridge in front of the Manhattan Municipal Building. And I work for the damn city as well. Because I know the timing of the light, which only has like a 20 second walk signal as opposed to a minute or so don’t walk timing, plus most cars that come from the bridge turning left before the crosswalk, and a delayed green for traffic from the left side, I know when I can walk across safely even when the walk signal is red, because I can wait in the bike lane down the middle if there’s a car actually coming before I finish crossing.
Had to remind myself not to do so when I visited Japan back in December and in March, but I still did it late at night in Tokyo when there were absolutely no cars visible approaching. It’s really hard to turn off my life long instincts in doing so.
Oh my, I can already see it how the "Thirty-six blocked Views of Mount Fuji" will get famous for centuries to come. 😂
Best comment of the thread 😂
Thanks for sharing it. ✌️
Thank you for your report! Exactly! IMHO , whatever you like, for natives , it's like taking photos of the Empire State Building with pair of your socks.... That's how funny it is. All in all, respect the culture wherever you would visit. Follow the rules.
I was hoping you would do a follow up on this spot. Much appreciated and thanks.
I was there last year - without the wall!
But I would not cross except at the cross walks nearby
Disney has established photo spots with signs highlighting the best views. Perhaps Lawson's should set up a photo opportunity in the rear for photos and charge a nominal fee 500!yen for the privilege.
Haha
I just wrote something similar and then read the comments and you beat me to it!
Very nice!
@@ndyajeff it's ok, keep the good ideas coming
Problem is this area is a residential zone, not a tourist spot.
I miss when we had just disposable cameras and lived in the moment.
Also even with them not getting in traffic it’s annoying just trying to get into the parking lot and having to wait for people to move,
Why they installed it over there?
Why not above Lawson's roof?
They still keep taking pictures cause you can still see Mt. Fuji from the parking area!
Just contact the owner of that Lawson, and ask them to install on their roof, it's already causing public disturbance, they will comply.
Sometimes i couldn't understand how theysolve problems😵💫
In Osaka the guards stand on the sides of the streets and help people jaywalk lol. Not just tourists literally everyone walks in the street and crosses when they want so I guess they figured they should put the guards there to help them cross safely at least.
I thought the fence they put was on both sides. I think that would be the best solution instead of just putting on just the other side. Another option is Lawson should put a net like barricade on top of their store. That way Mt. Fuji is covered entirely. Maybe a small Lawson billboard on the roof would be nice since that is their store.
I plan on climbing Mt. Fuji next year. I'm not sure if I will stop by the Lawson's.
I kept hearing about this, but I didn’t realize the insanity that it was. This is crazy. There are so many people. Are these Taurus from outside of the country? Are they local domestic Japanese tourist that realize that there’ Instagram. I just have never in my life seen this many people just show up to random gas station to take a picture.
I don't see any mythical bulls?
Last year, my mom came to Japan to visit me and she planned a trip to kawaguchiko like other foreign tourists. But although the view from Kawaguchiko is beautiful, I find it overrated as a tourist spot. This year when she came to visit me, I did the tour planning, and we went to izu ooshima instead. The Mt Fuji view off the mainland combined with the ocean is much better and less crowded.
Ah, that brings to mind the view made famous by Hokusai in his woodblock print with the engulfing ocean wave surrounding a distant Mount Fuji.
Fujiyoshida has changed quite a bit. I had a great discussion with staff about how they dealt with a similar issue. I think on 5 years, we’ll see Japan dealing with this challenge much much better. Be creative with it.
Even the signage on the road indicates that people should not run into the street, looks like those tourists are from Mainland China 🇨🇳, and they don’t understand English. So even with visual signage, it is not helpful to tourists.
It's not they don't understood... it's they simply don't care
The songs are also in Mandarin, in many places but not enough. I don’t think locals want Mandarin all over the road 😂 English is on road signs so it’s okay. They need staff on the Lawson side, at least for a few months. In summer, less people come because Fuji loses its snow cap.
Trust me it would not make a difference even if the signs are in their own languages! Never encountered one from that country? 😂
Just a thought. Build a 2F LAWSON Premium Cafe on top of the existing with viewing deck and seating area. Charge 500YEN + compulsory drink. Contain them inside. lol. haha
Good idea, I would love to sip coffee on a roof!! But I think these tourists want the Lawson in the shot. Fuji is seen everywhere around here. It’s a silly shot for sure. The coffee, could use a cup right now ☕️🗻
I was there last week on the day the wall brought up,I knew straight away that the materials at the walls is very poor and would be broken/poke easily. It won't last long and will need replacement again.
Well im planning a trip in November. Is there a better place in Japan to view Mount Fuji?
Everywhere, a 300 km radius!
@onlyinjapanGO Tell that to those ignorants thinking that's the only spot😂
I totally thought they’ll erect the black fence just right behind Lawson so it really blocks out the view. With doing it only on the sidewalk it’s still not keeping them away..
Side note this shows how powerful Tiktok and Instagram.
It’s a group tourist coach, that’s mean the tour guide brought a big group here by bus
Somebody, somewhere is looking for the next iconic shot of Mt. Fuji with a Daiso store in the foreground.
😂 there’s a nice one in Fujiyoshida, big Daiso & Fujisan … ooops! I’ve said too much.
@@onlyinjapanGO haha, I see potential commission for OIJ!
Hi John have a great day.
More people are showing up because this location is INfamous. I've also seen tourists do the exact opposite of what signs tell them to, "because it's there".
It will fizzle in a year or I’ll have to eat those words 😂 the next trend is surely coming.
@@onlyinjapanGO Time for a social experiment where we get a bunch of people to go to some random not interesting place, get some social media buzz about it, and send all the clout chasers there lol
Sounds to me like the issue is not so much the view, but rather that the road is terribly unsafe. Frankly, it sounds like something America would do. Treat a symptom rather than the cause in the case of urban design.
This is the product of social media. There's a great view of Mt Fuji near the lake itself.
I love that view, esp during the Sakura season 🌸
Instagram makes this place crazy! 😄😄
I think that Lawsons could build a brick wall on their side and make a raised stand for photos and charge like 500JYP for 1 minute on the stand.
At that price they could hire a guard to manage crowds..
Set up a nice cue line, make it safer and self sustaining financially.
Except when Chinese group tour comes in and make a mess xd
As a stereotype, mainlanders don’t know how to line up and will happily cut any lines they think they can get away with. I would know because I see that happen all the time here with mainland tourists. HKers and Taiwanese tend to be more orderly, to say nothing about most western tourists.
Also, the point of the photo is to have the Lawson in the foreground of Fuji, so making a stand wouldn’t satisfy most of these people. Also, a brick wall would block access to their parking lot (unless you meant behind the Lawson), and a line for a stand out front would also likely do the same if you placed it where these tourists want the photo.
How about install a deck above Lawson to give tourists a clear view of Fuji? Charge 1000yen for admission. Or make a dental appointment at the dentist across the street. 😊
Lawson or surrounding houses could build a rooftop wiewing gallery and charge accordingly if possible 😉
Chinese tourist galore 🎉
Not all of them were Chinese if you have any cultural awareness…but I suppose you don’t really care or being stereotyped 🤷♂️
The Asian tourist majority is a mix of Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese and Taiwanese; to a high ratio - these countries have by far the highest tourist presence in Japan on any given month you check since tourism reopened in Japan in 2022~23, dwarfing the presence of Americans and any other Westerners, or other countries internationally for that matter.
Yeah those white Chinese with blue eyes and blonde hair
@@yuut01234 🤡 🤡
Even ABC News in Australia had this story on their news bulletins yesterday.
John, I've had a baby-stroller rolled onto the road right in front of my moving car whilst the parents were busy taking video of (I assume) the wife/mother.
Omg! 🤯 I cannot imagine … a photo is not worth it.
John, thanks for your video we always enjoy watching your work and creativity. Please consider writing to lawson for food trucks/modified photo friendly vehicles, collaborate with them to sell posters of lawson mount fuji-only in Japan. Souvenirs etc. ❤🎉😂
They definitely need to do that!
oh brother...... Thanks John. The News Outlets are getting a load of mileage outta this!
They really are! I think it’s interesting to see it from all angles, and I mean the tourist and Japanese side. It’s an awful spot for a “tourist attraction” and hope the trend / fad fades fast. The wall looks temporary.
@@onlyinjapanGO It made it all the way to NY! I don't think that wall will be up before too long either!
This reminds me of residents around the Hollywood sign area complaining about the traffic and parking situation caused by the flood of 'tourists'.
The small street, the cars, narrow streets , and the gate seem to be an issue, too, John. It seems very strange situation that is continue to be remembered.
The Lawson seems perfectly placed isnt it.
It’s is certainly a perfect storm for danger. I went to a few other social media hot spots, much safer, less traffic and further from locals everyday life. This - is the perfect location 😂 next to a train and bus station full of tourists. Tour buses even stop here so passengers can swarm! Hahaha! They’re part of the problem too.
I agree with you John that safety is very important hope you get home safely
Exactly what you said when I was there a month ago. People crossing the road illegally, and not even checking if it's safe to walk! Vision blocked by vans, I even took photos out of frustration and the next day I see the news of the barrier 😂 Almost every bus was honking as people were sticking heads and body parts out into the road, people crossing on a red man expecting people to stop for them since they thought it was a zebra crossing.. Tourists climbing on the exact spot you showed... and they were tourists from all over the world.. I guess the most straightforward solution would be a sign translating the pedestrian crossing button, and explaining to cross only on a green man. Perhaps a visual sign might reduce the size needed. It's always either a retaliate or rehabilitate response, but it's not Japan's responsibility to educate good manners and they shouldn't be expected to.
I keep saying it: They should have put a big digital ad board on top of this Lawson. Might as well make some money solving this tourism problem.
Also, I was here two weeks ago and there weren’t that many people in front of the Lawson when I went. Lucky me I suppose!
The Lawsons should have a giant inflatable balloon on their roof.
As for the cross walk, unfortunately they need to bring it back to basics and have cross guards and other guards fine jaywalkers which will help their economy.
At the location of Lawson sign, setup a designated area to allow people take photos , and to enter the area you will need to pay 5000 or more yen, the fees will pay for the construction and guards guarding the area.
I JUST come back from Japan with Gotemba being the last stop. I didn’t go there to get pictures because at the Premium Outlets it has a FEW perfect spots to do it. Actually, I have a perfect view from my hotel.
Many were telling me when there’s no view, buses go to the outlets 😂 where people can chance a view. I haven’t been there in years! Should take Kanae for a visit.
@@onlyinjapanGO at the Outlets, go to the Hill Side for the best view. When you get to the high street by the restaurants, there is a more quiet spot with a REALLY good view.
From your prior Fuji view video it looked like those wanting to get "the shot with the stairway" were pretty good about queuing up. I'll bet if Lawsons builds a small, elevated viewing platform in their parking lot that would alleviate the problem of people edging into the street to get "the shot with Lawsons." With the elevation it will be a better view worth standing in line for by those wanting a photo of Fuji fronted by Lawsons. Now the shot I would prefer personally would be Fuji as seen from the flat roof of Lawsons, but I guess that defeats the purpose for those who want to have Lawsons in the photo.
Yes, it looks - safer. Not better though, just safer 😂 I do not think Lawson wants to be in that business. They want to encourage the residents who repeat to visit their store. Tourists will eventually go away, the Lawson reputation has taken a hit. It’s not positive, when locals can’t pull in to shop. That’s why they issued an apology on something they really can’t control. This is 100% a trend that will dissolve away in 1-2 years like all of them. It’s moved on to another Lawson 10 min down the road 😂
if i was the owner of tht store i would have made the ceiling tourist friendly and charge anyone that wanted to take a picture
I understand what you mean. However, the owner of the Lawson of the Kawaguchiko cannot do anything unless the headquarters of Lawson want to do something on it.
Very ridiculous though.
I need to find out where this place is and mark it on my map... Just so that I 100% do not accidentally go there.
It's farmland behind that LAWSON. If they felt like it the farmer could put up giant bamboo poles like for Children's day but hang something to block the view. I have a feeling that LAWSON decided that they were going to be hands off on this.
We’ll all just have to do our part to be the most thoughtful, pleasant tourists we can be when we visit, and try to set a good example. I feel terrible that local people are having their lives disrupted by tourists who don’t care to follow the most basic rules. I’m sure there will be more ideas on how to get the situation under control.
Flags and banners on the roof?
They should put a stand in the parking lot amd charge people to use it take a photo
I would do this if I’m a local
I don't see going out my way just for that pic omg 🙈
Right! I think most people just happen to be visiting Kawaguchiko which is a really nice area. It’s a 2 min walk from the train station 😂 if it were out of the way, it would be a lot better. Many bus tours stop here too!
@@onlyinjapanGO After watching the whole video, I realized how inconsiderate people are. Some people left their suitcases on the middle of the sidewalk. 🙈It's just small things that nobody thinks about that can disturb locals. I live in Switzerland and people are very serious about following rules as well. Thanks for making a video on this.
wild!
It is such a shame, even today, a large population of local people in Japan 🇯🇵 don’t understand English, and so they cannot enforce laws to tourists who don’t understand Japanese 🇯🇵 .
They’re over 70 years old. Really? I think in any language, you can understand you shouldn’t be there, doing that. It would help to speak English - some tourists can’t speak English. Common sense should apply here.
These are not all English speaking tourists. Although, I do understand that people are more likely to speak English as a second language than other language.
Why did they block😂
Apartment owners next to the Lawson: Lol, we get to see the great view daily.
But they don’t see the Lawson and Fujisan together 😂 that’s the point for these people. I used to live in Fujinomiya, seeing it from the window everyday is like a painting that changes with the weather! Stunning.
While unrelated to this video, it is fascinating to see that on Japan mainstream TV they are actually starting to talk about and admit the harm that was done by strongarming everyone to get the (you know what). You even discussed these on this channel and portrayed that these are useful. I knew back then that this was a lie but many people in japan did not know any better and are now facing the consequences. My heart goes out to everyone who got swindled.
Japanese media is not always honest, maybe more so than the US but they always have a narrative. I was disappointed the cherry picked the bad actors and showed that. Most people are just fine.
i guess people forgot about selfie sticks to get height or gimbals with their tripod/stick ,but no lets climb all over the poles soo nthey wil lhave gates on the poles
3:02 I CAN'T STOP LAUGHING. He said that people will cross anyway and stay there to prove it but everyone obey the law then proceed to talk about 7-11 HAHAHA
I figured even with all that it won’t stop the tourists. The issue here is the bad tourists not the good ones. The only way to stop bad behavior is have legit consequences like actually fining ppl for illegally crossing the road, public disturbance, etc.. or like some ppl commented maybe they should make a specific viewing spot or something
These inconsiderate people blocking the walkway forcing users to walk near the roadside closer to the traffic should be stopped and penalised!
I am going to Hokkaido next!!!
Kawaguchiko Lawson Observatory deck incoming 😏
Wondering why there are a lot of cones in the parking lot,
Perhaps if the residence facing lawson is enterprising, they can charge entrance fees to their 2nd level apartment. View should b great.
When life gives u lemons, make lemonade...
Unlike you and your money-grubbing mindset, some people just want peace and quiet at home.
They’re not interested. It requires insurance, staff … headache. This trend fizzles and the investment it moot. Someone should sell tshirts and snow globes 😂
Gosh, there is so many vantage points to take better picture of Mount Fuji. Not only there. Why are people that dense? I've been there like 3 to 4 times before the pandemic and I never once took a shot there.
In any normal small business, more customers is something they are ecstatic about. The footage doesn’t even look that bad. Wait until you go to Kyoto.
This is hilarious! There are so many better spots to photograph Mt Fuji in the area.😂😂😂
💯
The height of the lights are fine. People are just ignoring them. Geez…
Probably, I’m just looking at potential problems. One is certainly the zebra crossing with the light. There are many trouble spots with this area having so many clueless people around
I live in Japan. And I'm tempted to take the same photo like 100 million others before me lol. But no, I will try to find a different angle. And tbh, this lawson angle isn't even the best Fuji photo for me
I would never walk past a Lawson without going in! Why don't they install barriers to block the view on top of the Lawson as well?
It’s the city’s job, I don’t think Lawson would want that. They’d get so much more negative publicity. In Japan, this is not a positive thing for Lawson. Bad press is not good press in Japan, reputation is everything and it’s hard to repair. They’ve done press releases and tried to be both inviting and keep tourists safe. A very hard balancing act. Glad I don’t work there.
Poor Lawson!
People should stop feeling FOMO about pictures or “must-see” destinations when traveling and just experience life genuinely.
Even if Lowson starts a service such as building a second floor and people can go there to take photos, there will be always people who dose not follow public rules. People who visited there should think what caused setting a black screen... It is not because of over tourism, lack of space or mountain Fuji is there. It was because of the fact that too many people did not follow the traffic rule and local residencies wanted an immediate solution ( though it may be temporal and looks not nice at all). Low moral behavior can damage tourism resources and take away nice view from other people.
I think most do see the walk/do not walk signals but they just walk anyway if they feel its safe because they didn't want to wait 😬
I could see why this would be true. Laziness. All the Japanese I talked to called it “rudeness”.
@onlyinjapanGO yeah. people are always such in a hurry these days especially in big cities. We need to slow down more often
Time to start selling Lawson dioramas
😂 bring on the dioramas!
bad manner tourists is headache for local. personally I don't find the mount fuji on top lawson photo is that much of interest.. maybe just a temporary hype.
I thought this entire time the screen would be put on top of the Lawson. Honestly that would have blocked it better
An easy solution would be for Lawson to just put up a large "Lawson" branded sign or banner on top of their store? Just big enough to make taking that picture impossible? I'm sure the city council could give them a building regulations waiver.
It's sad when the town has to give up the beautiful everyday view, just for the tourists...
Just taking a glance at it while you're passing by without photoing, or even just be quiet and kindful and thoughtful of the surroundings while shooting photos, and everyone could've been happy! What a loss...
Hi, Idea. Create a viewing deck for people to take photo's on. Sell tickets $5. Use that money for security and give Lawson's a way to cover costs of losses due to tourist.
The whole point of the photo is to have the Lawson in front of Fuji for whatever reason. A viewing deck won’t help with that.
Yeah thats will end japan hospitality 😂 today they go for respect soon money money just like other country
They can open a park or area where tourists can actually take pictures
They have so many of them. SO MANY! Google “Chureito Pagoda” it’s all tourists and guides 😂 maps.google.com?q=Chureito%20Pagoda,%202-chome-4-1%20Asama,%20Fujiyoshida,%20Yamanashi%20403-0011&ftid=0x6019674cfd52a073:0xda57e34920aee799&entry=gps&lucs=,94215790,47071704,47069508,94218635,94203019,47084304,94208458,94208447&g_st=ic
not trying to be racist, but it seems that the issue mostly stems from Chinese tourist behaviors
If you were to take a poll, and I talked to many, it is mostly China, but it’s definitely a mix. Many from HK and Taiwan. Mostly neighboring countries. Westerners are maybe 25%.