Mount Fuji: Barrier blocking view removed – for now

“We wanted to see what would happen,” an official told AFP news agency.

“There are still some people who come to the place, but we no longer find many people suddenly rushing out into the traffic to cross the road. We feel like it has been effective,” he added.

The barrier blocked a view of a Lawson convenience store in the foreground with Japan’s most iconic landmark rising behind it.

The contrast between one of Japan’s most ubiquitous shops and the soaring volcano made it an especially popular photo spot for visitors looking to capture the perfect ‘Japanese’ photograph.

But seeing their local convenience store – popularly referred to online as “Mount Fuji Lawson” – become a viral internet sensation was an unwelcome development for the inhabitants of Fujikawaguchiko, especially in a year when Japan experienced record levels of tourism.

“They cross the street and they don’t seem to care about the cars at all, it is dangerous. And they leave trash and cigarette butts everywhere,” said one local resident speaking to the BBC in May.