A Chinese influencer couple has sparked major backlash online after posting a dance video filmed outside the famous Lawson convenience store near Mount Fuji, one of Japan’s most crowded tourist photo hotspots.
The couple, known on Douyin as “藤短短”, recently uploaded a video showing themselves dancing in front of the popular Lawson Kawaguchiko Station Store with Mount Fuji visible in the background.
The clip was later reposted by Japanese users on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, where it quickly went viral and reportedly attracted more than four million views.
Large numbers of Japanese netizens criticised the pair for allegedly blocking pathways and creating disturbances at the crowded tourist location, with some branding their actions as “confusing behaviour” and “typical bad tourist conduct”.
Some online comments described the dance performance as “stupid”, while others accused the influencers of contributing to growing frustrations surrounding overtourism in the area.
In response to the criticism, the influencer couple later defended themselves online, insisting they deliberately filmed the video at around 5am specifically to avoid disturbing other visitors.
They claimed the area was nearly empty at the time and stressed that they did not obstruct anyone entering or leaving the convenience store.
The pair described the online backlash as an unfair “internet witch hunt”.
The incident has reignited wider debate in Japan over overtourism issues linked to the iconic Mount Fuji Lawson location, which has become an internationally famous photography hotspot in recent years.
Large crowds of tourists regularly gather outside the store to capture social media photos featuring the convenience store sign together with Mount Fuji in the background.
However, local residents and authorities have repeatedly complained about tourists stepping onto roads for photos, blocking traffic and leaving rubbish around the area.
Earlier this year, local authorities even installed a large black screen to block the Mount Fuji view in an attempt to reduce overcrowding, though some tourists reportedly cut holes into the barrier to continue taking photographs.
Observers believe the influencer dance controversy became the latest trigger for frustrations that have been building among locals over disruptive tourist behaviour in the area.
