I climbed Mount Fuji !

Next time I visit Japan and see Mount Fuji, I can proudly say, hey I've been to the top!



At 3,776m, Mount Fuji is the highest mountain in Japan and climbing it has been in my bucket list ever since I fell in love with the country many years ago.

Planned to climb alone but then my sister and my high school friend Lisa crashed this trip so I wasn't #foreveralone yeayy!

Like most climbers, we started the ascend from the 5th station. Felt like cheating cos it's already halfway of the trail but we didn't have the time. Starting from the base at Sengen Shrine to the 5th station would add on another 5-6 hours climbing time, which means we need to start our climb right after dawn to reach the mountain hut before dusk. Well actually we had time but I had other things lined up in my things to do :p

We took highway bus from Fujisan Station (as we stayed at Fujiyoshida town) to Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station, where Yoshida Trail is. This trail is the most crowded as it is the easiest to access from Tokyo, its 5th station is the most developed with shops, restaurants, lockers, post office etc, there are more than a dozen mountain huts on this trail, and the sunrise takes place on this side of the mountain. So it is the choice of most climbers. If you want to get away from the crowd, try the other trails.

We reached there slightly past 10am. The 5th Station is located at 2,305m above sea level. It's already quite high altitude so we spent an hour to acclimatize to avoid altitude sickness. Checked out the shops, went to the toilet and took the obligatory photos with Fuji background.


Mount Fuji as photographed from the 5th station

At 11am, we were ready to ascend. Paid 1000 yen at Mount Fuji Management Office just outside the trail cos we were nice people I wanted this souvenir. This climbing fee is optional. The money raised is used toward conservation efforts on the mountain.


souvenir from Fuji

Took some photos here and there.




Izumigataki crossroads

Finally we set off at around 11.30am from the Izumigataki junction. There's two path at this junction, a downward slope and an upward slope. Both also head to the summit. The downward slope will lead you to the trail's 5th station if you're climbing from the base.

Not wanting to waste time, we took the upward slope on the right. We walked through the forest just a short while before coming out to the barren area. It was cloudy but ok la cos it would make the climb much cooler.

Within half an hour, we already reached the 6th Station at 2,390m. There's Mount Fuji Safety Guidance Center, police box as well as toilet facilities here.

safety guidance center


toilets




tour groups

We continued the climb through the zigzag gravel path for about an hour before reaching the first of the many mountain huts on the 7th Station, at altitude 2,700m. Lost Lisa here cos she was wayyy to fast but it's not a problem. I already told her I would take my own sweet time taking photos while climbing and she could wait anywhere on the route if she wanted to. Climbing a mountain, you just have to follow your own pace cos ascending too quickly to a higher elevation would risk you getting the altitude sickness. I just had to make sure my sister was with me cos we're each other's photographer hahahaha.


can you see all the mountain huts?

Rocky ground begins just before the 7th Station. Finally, some real climbing.

We stopped at each mountain huts, taking a breather while stamping our souvenir board. The stamps are unique to each mountain hut and cost 200 yen or 300 yen. Oh the board cost 1000 yen. Many climbers buy the climbing stick (1500 yen) and stamp on it but I wasn't sure how to carry it back to Malaysia so I just bought the board. Quite expensive but for memories sake, I closed one eye and just paid. We got almost all the stamps except a few ones that we thought 'macam tak cantik je' haha.




one of the mountain hut and its unique stamp shown together with the price

Drinks, noodles, snacks, climbing sticks, oxygen cans and some other climbing essentials are sold at these mountain huts. Just bring a lot of cash as they don't accept credit card and the prices go up the higher the altitude.




colorful climbers



Two and a half hours later, we reached Taishikan. Reaching this mountain hut meant that we're now at 3,100m, the 8th Station. Being above 3000m gave me some kinda motivation cos you know, the number 3 in front made it felt nearer to the summit as compared to 2 hahaha

But the thinning air slowed me down. One hut to another seemed like forever although they're actually 50 meters apart. These marking were not accurate, rightttt?? To make it worse, it started drizzling. Oh no. I had to speed up so as not to get wet and cold. But luckily it only lasted for a few minutes. Penat je keluarkan and wore the raincoat.

The terrain changed several times, from rocky ground to gravel to rocky again and back to gravel zigzag path.




mountain hut at 3,250m

Finally, we arrived at our mountain hut, Fujisan Hotel at 3,400m at around 5.30pm. Yeayy!! Half made it!


Fujisan Hotel


common room and dining area


our beds

Quickly performed solat at the changing room and we went out to enjoy the view before the sunset at 6.17pm.



Beautiful!

Had an early dinner while checking out our social medias. Forgot to tell you, the network coverage was good all the way up here. Also there's free Fujisan WiFi at some of the mountain huts.

Suited up in my heat tech and fleece, we went to bed around 8pm. The dorm was warm enough but I changed in advance so that when I woke up later, I could just grab my backpack and went off. The staff told everyone they would wake us up at 2.15am for the summit attack.

2.15am, wake up call. We got up and got out of the hut. It was dark and cold and the wind was very strong. We started the climb and past Goraiko-kan, which is the 8.5th Station at 3,450m and the highest mountain hut on the trail, the crowd became bigger.





Before long, we got stuck behind other climbers. There's not enough space to overtake those in front of us so yeah.. we just climbed slowly following the lines.



This is Fuji guys! There's human traffic jam on the mountain. But actually ok la cos you got to rest while waiting for the line to move. I went on a weekday and nearing the end of the season. The traffic during weekend and Japan's Obon holiday is much more insane.


Mukaekusushi Shrine torii gate at the 9th Station



9th Station at 3,600m. Almost there!!



Just a little more push and the famous Toriiohashi came into view. A few more steps to go!



Once we climbed past the stone guardian dogs and the torii gate, it's mission accomplished! We've reached the summit! Woohoo!!




Kusushi Shrine

We reached the summit at 4.40am. Still had time before the sunrise at 5.12am. Found an empty spot in front of the shrine, and we took turn guarding each other to perform Subuh prayer there. Done with it, we went to get our summit stamps at the shrine and later joined the crowd to catch the sun appeared on the horizon.





Sadly it wasn't as beautiful as I imagined it to be cos it was foggy and cloudy. The sun emerged through the clouds, and that was it. Sun is up, morning has started.









But don't celebrate just yet. Because this is not the actual peak of Mount Fuji. Many people reached the top, wait for the sunrise and then descend. Sooo rugi! Japan's highest point is located immediately next to the weather station on the opposite side from where the Yoshida Trail reaches the peak. You have to walk around the volcano crater about half an hour to reach this point, the Kengamine Peak.


the highest point in Japan, Kengamine Peak

Mount Fuji's crater

Done circling the crater and back to Kusushi Shrine, it was time to start our descend.

Yoshida trail has separate ascend and descend paths. The descend path is a zigzag route on slippery gravel and sandy volcanic ash, all the way down to Mount Fuji Safety Guidance Center at the 6th Station. If you're daredevil enough, you can slide down through the path.

An hour into descending, I got rid of my fleece and heat tech. It's becoming hotter. Took a quick stop at 7th Station to rest and go to the toilet. Halfway to go. My toes hurt from braking to slow down myself. Confirm I'm getting the black toenails -_-

It took us less than 4 hours to reach the starting point at the 5th Station. Exhausted, sunburned, covered in dust and in pain. But it's all worth it. I have climbed Mount Fuji yo!

ice cream after the descend was heavenly

Will I climb again? Yes! I wanna climb from the base, or do another trail. But there's a saying,

" A wise man climbs Fuji once. Only a fool climbs it twice."

Hahaha.

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[ Guide to Climbing Mount Fuji ]