Japan has cancelled its famous cherry blossom festival

Officials in Fujiyoshida, a city famed for its springtime cherry blossoms beneath Mount Fuji, have announced they won’t be holding their popular spring sakura festival this year. The annual event, which has run for about ten years, draws crowds eager to see the blossoms with the iconic mountain in the background.

City leaders say the decision comes in response to growing complaints about visitors’ behaviour. While the spring season is still expected to attract large crowds thanks in part to a weak yen, local residents have reportedly been frustrated by problems such as heavy traffic around the park and excessive litter. There have also been reports of tourists entering nearby private properties to use toilets and even defecating in gardens, and schoolchildren being jostled aside by throngs of people on pavements.

Despite the festival’s cancellation, officials still expect many visitors to come to the viewpoint at Arakurayama Sengen Park during the April blossom season. To handle these crowds, the city is planning increased security and additional facilities.