Water shortages hit tourist spots in Japan during Golden Week

Sightseeing boat and hot spring facility operators and other businesses have been forced to reduce service hours.

Water levels in lakes around Mount Fuji have been declining since last year.

Fujigoko Kisen, a local sightseeing boat operator, has suspended services on Lake Motosu and altered tour routes on Lake Kawaguchi.

"Water levels have rarely fallen that much," said Kazuya Fujii, 57-year-old head of the operator.

"Although there are problems, including water shortages and soaring fuel prices, we hope many visitors will come this year as well."

In Lake Chuzenji in the city of Nikko, Tochigi Prefecture, northwest of Tokyo, low water levels are preventing boats from being docked at piers.

Tobu Kogyo Co.'s sightseeing boat business usually operates boats on routes with three piers, but the piers are now excluded from the routes.

"Our customers may feel inconvenience," said Kazuyuki Yamada, 60-year-old deputy manager of the business.

At the same time, Yamada noted that the low water level allows visitors to see a rare landscape.

"We'll work while looking on the positive side," he said.

A boat rental operator has installed a new boat dock where the water level is high enough. "(The new dock) is farther away, so we're using three times more energy than before," said its 56-year-old chief, Hirokazu Okamoto.

Meanwhile, a hot spring facility in the city of Tomioka, Gunma Prefecture, north of Tokyo, has suspended the operation of its two open-air baths since March and is operating only indoor baths. It also increased the number of closing days to two per week from one. In March, the number of visitors to the facility dropped to around 70 to 80 pct of the year-before level.

"We're really in trouble, with no prospects for future operations," said Ryoichi Arai, a 66-year-old senior official of the city's tourism association.

Elsewhere, some hot spring facilities have been able to resume services.

In the village of Chikuhoku, Nagano Prefecture, central Japan, water supply restrictions imposed in mid-February were lifted on March 31.

"We're grateful" for the lifting of the restrictions, said Fumito Otsuka, 74, who works at a hot spring facility in the village, noting that it resulted from water-saving efforts by local residents.