Mount Fuji, Japan’s Tallest Mountain, Will Soon Have Wi-Fi

It’ll soon be much easier to share your selfie on Mount Fuji, Japan’s tallest peak. Officials in the local prefectures are installing free wi-fi for all hikers, an initiative designed to spur tourism on the iconic mountain.

The program is specifically aimed to encourage hikers from Europe and the U.S. to share experiences on the 3,776-m volcano through email and social media. There will be eight wi-fi hot spots in the vicinity, reports local daily Asahi Shimbun.

Overseas visitors have been increasing on the mountain in the past year, with between 40,000 and 50,000 tourists hiking along its trails.

According to Asahi Shimbun, the prefectures of Yamanashi and Shizuoka will work with Japanese telecom giant NTT Telecom Inc. to install the service. They then plan to hand out around 70,000 brochures to hikers with login instructions.

An official at the prefecture’s tourism division told the newspaper that the wi-fi wouldn’t just be there for promotional purposes — it will also allow hikers “to obtain weather and other information to ensure their safety.”

But slow hikers best beware — the service will only be available for 72 hours at a time.

[Asahi Shimbun]