 This selection was seen as ending the controversy surrounding the mountain's ban on women climbers, as it was given official approval by UNESCO.Traditionally, women in Japan were not allowed to climb mountains sacred to the Shinto religions.While the origins of the traditions can only be guessed at, originally these areas were banned to unclean people, such as those who had recently had a death in the family or menstruating women, which was believed to be linked to Shinto concepts of impurity, specifically the "blood impurity" brought on by menstruation and childbirth.