Taiwan Hiking Team Ties Marking Ribbons on Mt. Fuji, Sparks Public Outrage

Taiwan has many high mountains, and a lot of people enjoy hiking on holidays. However, deep in the mountains, when there’s no signal or people are unfamiliar with the terrain, some hikers will tie ribbons as markers to prevent getting lost. In this regard, a netizen recently climbed Mt. Fuji in Japan and discovered ribbons tied by a Taiwanese hiking team hanging from tree branches, prompting them to angrily criticize, “Of the whole Mt. Fuji, you’re the only ones randomly tying ribbons.” The post has since sparked heated discussion online.

According to United Daily News on the 2nd, this netizen posted on the social media platform “Threads” that they had recently discovered an orange ribbon printed with “8309 Hiking Team” while on Mt. Fuji. The ribbon was tied to a tree branch, fluttering in the wind, starkly clashing with the beautiful surrounding scenery. The poster lambasted, “Who gave you the right to litter Mt. Fuji with tied ribbons? It’s bad enough in Taiwan—don’t embarrass us in Japan. Of the whole Mt. Fuji, you’re the only ones tying ribbons everywhere.”

The post immediately drew numerous comments, with many saying, “So embarrassing, thanks for helping to remove it,” “Embarrassment all the way to Mt. Fuji,” “A hiking team with really low standards,” and “There are markers all along the Mt. Fuji trail, and you can check in online the whole way—why tie any ribbons? It’s so embarrassing.”

In addition, some netizens responded, “I’ve also taken down a bunch in Taiwan. The route is so clear, so why mark your territory like a dog?” “If you’re afraid of getting lost, the last person should remove the ribbons,” “On less-traveled, unclear trails tying ribbons can help prevent getting lost (but reading a map is even more important than ribbons), but it’s odd to tie one when the path is obviously clear,” and “Ribbons were originally to prevent getting lost, but now some people use them to claim territory.”

In response to the ribbon-tying incident on Mt. Fuji, the leader of the "8309 Self-Formed Hiking Team" also posted an apology, saying, “A member of our group recently climbed Japan’s Mt. Fuji and, out of ignorance, randomly tied a ribbon, causing an international joke. As the group leader, I apologize to everyone! We will strengthen group guidance and promote that ribbons should not be tied indiscriminately!”