The city of Fujiyoshida near Mount Fuji has cancelled this year's cherry blossom festival. The reason is a huge increase in tourists that locals can no longer handle. The town is famous for its cherry trees in bloom with Mount Fuji in the background. But the flood of visitors has caused heavy traffic, lots of litter, and bad behavior. Some tourists have trespassed on private gardens or even defecated there, residents say. "To protect the dignity and living environment of our citizens, we have decided to bring the curtain down on the 10-year-old festival," said Fujiyoshida mayor Shigeru Horiuchi. Since 2016, the festival took place at Arakurayama Sengen Park, a top photo spot with a pagoda view. The festival aimed to boost visitor numbers and create a lively atmosphere. However, recent years saw visitor numbers rise sharply, reaching up to 10,000 daily during peak season. The surge is blamed on a weaker yen and viral social media posts. Tourists have shown disrespect by opening private home doors without permission to use restrooms, causing trouble when challenged. Despite cancelling the event, Fujiyoshida expects more visitors in April and May. This is not Japan's first move to curb tourist overcrowding. Earlier in 2024, officials blocked a popular photo spot in nearby Fujikawaguchiko after complaints about foreign tourists littering and illegal parking. Similar steps to control crowds are seen worldwide. In Italy, a new fee was added to visit Rome's famous Trevi Fountain, and Venice requires day trippers to pay to visit on certain days. Such measures aim to protect local communities and treasured sites from overtourism.