A Japanese tourist was left stunned after discovering that a bottle of Coca-Cola at the summit of Mount Fuji costs 600 yen (about RM18), but many netizens believe the price is more than reasonable.
The tourist shared a photo of a vending machine at the mountain’s peak on X, saying he was surprised by the price when he stopped to buy a cold drink after reaching the summit.
“I wanted to buy a Coke at the top of Mount Fuji yesterday, but it was so expensive. Can you believe this price?” he wrote.
The vending machine showed bottled Coca-Cola selling for 600 yen, a price the tourist felt was unusually high compared with other mountains he had climbed.
However, many social media users quickly came to the vending machine’s defence, pointing out the enormous effort required to transport drinks and maintain vending machines at an altitude of more than 3,700 metres.
Netizens said every bottle must be carried up the mountain, while electricity, restocking and maintenance all add significantly to operating costs.
Some even argued that 1,000 yen would still be a fair price, considering the logistical challenges.
Others noted that the price has barely changed over the decades, claiming a bottle of Coke at the summit sold for around 500 yen about 40 years ago.
Several climbers also recalled that drinking an ice-cold Coke after reaching the summit was one of the most memorable moments of their hike, with one describing it as “the best Coke I’ve ever had.”
Mount Fuji, Japan’s tallest mountain, is known for its higher prices due to the difficulty of transporting supplies to the summit, making food and drinks considerably more expensive than those sold at ground level.
