Mount Fuji is THE mountain in Japan. It is 3776 m tall, is surrounded by flat land and has this particular snow cap which makes it so iconic. Truth be told climbing Mt. Fuji is probably not everyone’s cup of tea. If you just want to take nice pictures with Mt. Fuji on it, there are a lot of other locations to go to. However if you want something more adventurous here is the go to receipt to climb Mt. Fuji. Most people will start from the 5th station at 2300 m above sea level and climb it up in the afternoon to the 8th station at 3100 m. You would then rest at that level and start again at 2 am to climb up the last bit, arriving just in time for the sunrise. There are guided tours but they might be a little bit more expensive and you might be limited by the weakest chain in the link.
The corresponding diary, impressions and a many more pictures can be found here. I personally did do the Yoshida trail which is why my knowledge about the other routes is limited.
Overview
- opening season: early July to mid September
- overall costs: ~ 120000 – 15000 Yen
- suggested time spend in the area: ~ 2 days
- personal rating: 9/10
Highlights
Ascending
Views on top of Mt. Fuji:
A post office and a shrine is also located on top of the mountain, where you can get exclusive stamps
Access
There are 4 trails which ultimately lead to the mountain peak. The most touristic one is the Yoshida trail which starts at the Fuji Subaru 5th station. You can get there by bus (e.g. Willerexpress) for around 2000 yen within 2 hours starting from Shinjuku. Make sure to reserve a return ticket as well since you don’t want to wait in hope to get a returning bus with free seats. The Subashiri trail which merges with the Yoshida trail at the 8th station starts at the Subashiri 5th station. Be aware that although the other trails do offer parking lots you still might not be able to get there by car because it is only accessible by electric car ( as that is what my friend told me).
There are different lodges around the 8th station and they are mostly the same price and depend on the day you want to stay over night. Many of them only offer a Japanese website, however tomoekan does have an english website where you can even reserve your ticket through credit card and they also describe recommendations on your time management. It is located at the original 8th station at 3400 m above sea level from where you need another 2 hours to the peak. Be aware that a lot of people want to see the sunrise which causes bottlenecks along the trail.
At the mountain peak you should calculate another 1 -2 hours to just walk around and enjoy different angles and sights of Mt. Fuji which you mad lad just climbed up.
Tips:
Remember to pack some warm cloths with you even though it might be in the middle of the peak summer season temperatures can drop to 8°C. You can also purchase water (and beer) as well as snacks at the mountain hut but it is expectingly expensive. I packed 2l of water and a pack of peanuts and it was just barely enough.
resource japan-guide.com