Hiking Mt Fuji
Hiking Mt Fuji is perhaps the most accessible 4000m summit, whilst being one of the most iconic landmarks in the world. Since is Japan so far east, known as the land of the rising sun, standing on the highest point in Japan to watch the sunrise is an aspiration of both tourists & locals alike.
Standing on the top of Fuji-san was never on my bucket list – I didn’t actually know you could, with it being a volcano. But the second I moved to Japan & heard you could hike to the top, I was praying the invite would come along.
The summit of Fuji-san is snow free & accessible in the summer months. With the last weekend of the 2024 summer season coinciding with friends visiting from the UK, some Japanese colleagues took the liberty of booking all tickets & arranging an overnight stay in a mountain hut.
How to get there
There are 4 routes up Fuji-san; Yoshida-trail from the north (starting in Fujiyoshida). The Subashira trail & Gotemba trail both start in the east from Gotemba. And finally, the Fujinomiya trail from the south. You can find all the trails here. Each route offers a different starting point & therefore transport access. Do also consider that each starting point means different elevation gain & therefore hiking time.
Thankfully, our Japanese colleagues took care of all logistics – from driving to the base station, organising bus tickets to the fifth station, reservation at the mountain hut & entry tickets onto the mountain. As a non-Japanese speaker, this was a massive help!
A late Friday night
After a 1am pickup & 4 hour drive to the Fujikawaguchiko base station, a bus took us to Fuji Subaru line 5th station. This was at 2250m elevation – and was quite literally a breath of fresh air by comparison to the heat & humidity of Japan at sea level.
It was a long morning, but by 7am – after a quick detour to drop the overnight bag at the mountain hut – we were moving. There was no warm up, no gentle flat sections – you are hiking at a steep gradient the entire way up.
The only respite was ‘stations’. These are mountain huts built in small groups, each representing a significant gain in elevation. Whilst you can sleep in some them with a reservation, you can also buy food & water – and use the toilet. Much like Japan in general, Fuji-san has a very strict waste policy – if you brought it in, you take it out.
We started out full of excitement, making quick progress up the mountain. As always in a group, we would wait at each station to regroup & then progress up to the next. I bought a Kongo-tsue – a ‘walking stick’ which gets stamped at each station. Whilst its seen as a walking stick, it was really for the souvenir!
Since we had planned to do this hike overnight, I had a backpack stuffed full of snacks; onigiri, hydration & energy gels. The temptation to eat at each station, whilst waiting, was high.
It was a long day. The higher up we got, the more it became just checking the elevation inscribed at each station & wondering just how much longer it would take to get onto the top. As the gradients got steeper & the Yoshida-trail joined with the Subashira trail, the crowds got busier and progress was slowed down to a queue at some points.
I’d never been to this altitude before. In Europe, it’s rare to get above 3000m. the fatigue of the day, combined with barely any sleep the night before meant I felt the lack of oxygen. It’s hard to describe the effects of altitude, but breathing faster & feeling a higher level of exertion was noticeable symptoms. Hiking Mt Fuji became more about just ‘getting it done’, rather than enjoyment at this point.
By 3500m, we were above the clouds. It was like looking out of an aeroplane window. As we passed through the final Shinto shrine & crested the mountain, the feeling was more relief than joy. Finally, some flat terrain!
Reaching the summit
Shattered at this point, the news that we still had to walk to the opposite side of the crater and ascend a bit higher to get to the ‘summit’ wasn’t welcome. But, the change in scenery was. Its not everyday your stood on top of a volcano in Japan!
Whilst the terrain on the lower slopes had been largely rocky, here it was more akin to sand. Fine dirt that got in your shoes and gave way every time you put your foot down. Progress was slow as we moved around the crater.
After what felt like the longest day of my life – we made it to the summit. Group photo & hi-five time!
We took a slightly different descent down, taking what looked more like a 4×4 track than a hiking path. Hiking poles were such a good investment at this point – my tired body combined with the loose dirt made traction nearly impossible. Our Japanese colleagues who had done this before were basically surfing their way down!
Darkness fell, last light of day was soon replaced by head torches. We were beyond fatigue and it was just a matter of getting down. I’d also ran out of water – since we took a different route down, there were no mountain huts or places to buy water.
By 10pm, we rolled into the mountain hut, breathing a huge sigh of relief as we took our shoes off & lifted the weight of the backpacks off our shoulders. Whilst the actual climb & descent wasn’t all the fun, the realisation of our achievement sank in – we’d stood on top of Fuji-san!
An evening in a mountain hut
That night, the basic meal we received tasted like the best thing ever. We sat around the table, beers in hand, shattered but content. I was so glad we did in this way around; sleeping properly in the mountain hut after the days exertion rather than trying to sleep full of anticipation & nerves.
The atmosphere was akin to bunch of teenagers away on scout camp; I loved simplicity of it.
The mountain hut is a community thing, you don’t really get any privacy. The sleeping arrangements came as a bit of a shock. The beds were in a community dormitory, you climbed into a bunk that was no wider then 100cm. Each bed separated by a thin ply wood wall. I rolled out the mattress & pillow, before unfolded my sleeping bag. Bring my own sleeping bag turned out to be a brilliant idea, given how cold it was at 2000m overnight.
I wasn’t expecting to get much sleep, until 9hours later I woke up in the same fetal position I’d laid down in. it was the best night sleep id had in ages – probably more as a function of no sleep the night before & a day spent hiking Mt Fuji!
I stepped outside to some incredible views out towards Lake Kawaguchiko. I put my jet boil on & enjoyed a delicious coffee with some coffee beans brought back from Sri Lanka. The view was immaculate, the setting pristine, the air fresh & crisp – with zero city centre bussle. Anyone who knows me understands how much I value peace & quiet – this was a dream for me!
Renovating & selling a house at the start of the year, then moving to Japan this summer & starting a new job has been stressful – but its moments like this that I cherish – these are the moments that make it all worth it.
After a morning onsen treat, I remember driving back through the mountains of Shizuoka prefecture thinking ‘is this real’?!
