Welcome to "Learn Japanese from the News."

Join us as we learn Japanese and about the country through Japanese news stories.

Our headline for today is:

Yamanashi to Charge Mt. Fuji Climbers ¥2,000 Toll.

Mt. Fuji is the highest peak in Japan, with an elevation of 3,776 meters.

Since becoming a World Heritage site,

it's been getting many visitors from abroad.

Yes. I've actually climbed Mt. Fuji myself once before.

Now, it was a really good challenge, I think, it was really fun,

and I'll never forget the view from the summit.

Now, before we listen to this news story in Japanese, let's go over some key terms.

"manaa."

manners or etiquette.

"gikai."

legislative assembly.

"tsuukooryoo."

toll.

All right, try to follow along.

The number of people who climbed Mt. Fuji last year

returned to about the same level as before the spread of the coronavirus.

There are people who make dangerous climbs without resting at night,

or who don't follow (climbing) etiquette, and it has become a problem.

To prevent accidents from occurring, the Yamanashi Prefectural Assembly

has set regulations for climbing Mt. Fuji from Yamanashi Prefecture.

They will build a gate at the fifth station of Mt. Fuji.

From July 1 of this year,

climbers will have to pay a toll of 2,000 yen per person at the gate.

The prefecture will also decide the number of people who can pass through the gate per day.

There are four routes up to the peak of Mount Fuji.

Today's story is about a new toll for climbers who use the Yoshida Trail in Yamanashi.

OK, let's review the following sentence from the story.

There are people who make dangerous climbs without resting at night,

or who don't follow (climbing) etiquette, and it has become a problem.

Now read along with me.

"yoru mo yasumanai

kiken na noborikata o suru hito ya

manaa o mamoranai hito ga ite

mondai ni natte imasu."

There are other ways to say, "Yoru mo yasumanai de noboru."

Yes, you could also say

"tetsuya de noboru"

or "yodooshi noboru."

which both mean "to climb all night."

Correct!

Now, look at the phrase "kiken na noborikata."

We use the suffix "-kata" to express a way or method of doing something.

So...

"noborikata" means the same thing as "noboru hoohoo."

So they both refer to how you climb or the way you climb.

Exactly.

So, Chiara, please rephrase this sentence using "-kata":

"Kippu o 'kau hoohoo' o oshiete kudasai."

So it's "kau hoohoo"...

so that would turn into...

"Kippu no 'kaikata' o oshiete kudasai."

Correct!

"Kippu no 'kaikata' o oshiete kudasai."

Like in the phrase "kiken na noborikata o suru hito,"

you can add "o suru hito"

to describe a person's behavior or approach to things.

Chiara, please rephrase:

Yoshikawa-san speaks in a refined manner.

OK, so that would become...

"Yoshikawa-san wa teenee na 'hanashikata o suru hito' desu."

That's right.

Try this phrasing the next time you describe someone!

Bite-Size Japan.

So, the Yoshida Trail in Yamanashi is set to open on July 1st.

Mh-hmm. That's the beginning of the summer climbing season.

Right. Of course, it's no walk in the park.

During the 2023 climbing season, over 60 people became stranded.

Some even died.

Let's take a look at what's been going on.

Over 200,000 people climb Mt. Fuji every year.

Many come to see "goraikoo"—

the sunrise from the top of the mountain.

Officials recommend hiking most of the way up during the day

and staying overnight at a "yamagoya" before making the final push to the top.

But some attempt what's known as "dangantozan," where they start climbing at night,

and head straight for the summit without a sleep break.

Climbing in the dark is dangerous, with increased risk of falling rocks and slipping.

And not getting sufficient rest means your body doesn't have time to acclimatize,

which can lead to altitude sickness.

There is a temperature difference of 10 to 20 degrees Celsius between the base and the summit,

where it can drop below freezing even in summer.

Without proper clothing, exposure to the cold can cause body temperature to drop,

which can lead to hypothermia, a potentially life-threatening condition.

Now let's have Chiara help us go over the gear you'll need to climb Mount Fuji.

OK! Now first of all, it can get very cold and windy on the mountainsides.

So you want to have several layers of warm, weather-resistant clothing.

Also it's a good idea to bring rain gear just in case.

Now you want to make sure you have a separate top and bottom

so you have full-body coverage while still having ease of movement.

In addition, you'll also want a hat, a headlamp, hiking shoes, and other gear.

For more, check the official website for Mt. Fuji climbing.

Now let's learn some expressions related to mountaineering.

First up is...

"goo-me."

"Goo" is an old unit of measurement for describing the amount of something.

One "goo" is about 180 ml.

Even today, we sometimes use "goo" to measure rice and sake.

This is an "isshoo-bin," which holds 10 "goo," that is, 1,800 ml.

Right...but how does that relate to the mountaineering term "goo-me"?

The term "goo-me" refers to how far along the trail you are.

Zero is the foot of the mountain. 10 is the summit.

Remember it so you can relay your location if you get injured, sick, or stranded.

OK, Chiara, how would you relay your location in this situation?

OK... so in this case, I would say,

"'Hachi-goo-me' no yamagoya ni imasu."

Exactly.

"'Hachi-goo-me' no yamagoya ni imasu."

Next is "mai-kaa-kisee."

"Mai-kaa" means "my car." "Kisee" means "restriction."

You can reach the fifth station of each trail by car.

However, during the summer climbing season,

access by private vehicles is restricted to reduce congestion and environmental impact.

You might be told: "Private vehicles are restricted. Please transfer to a shuttle."

"'Mai-kaa-kisee' no tame shatoru-basu ni norikaete kudasai."

There are also terms you'll want to be aware of when ascending the mountain.

For example, "raku."

Oh yes, now this is very important.

So "raku" is short for "rakuseki" or "falling rocks,"

which are of course one the most common dangers that mountaineers have to face.

If you accidentally kick loose some rocks or notice some rocks coming down from above,

you want to yell "raku" to warn people around you and below you.

Now, it's easy to remember because it sounds a lot like the English word "rock" as well.

All right, that's all for today.

Happy hiking!

See you soon.

"Mata oaishimashoo."