မင်္ဂလာပါ (Mingalar Bar)!! I'm Cho Yee Mon, an international student who came to Japan from Myanmar as a scholarship student from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology in 2022. It's been a long time since I've seen you. Last time, I introduced Eikando in Kyoto, but this time I would like to introduce in detail how to climb Mt. Fuji safely.
■ Why safe climbing of Fuji mountain is important?
The reason why I will introduce how to climb Mt. Fuji safely is that the number of accidents and troubles caused by foreign tourists is increasing year by year. Mt. Fuji is a mountain that symbolizes Japan, so I think everyone who visits Japan wants to climb Mt. Fuji at least once. However, there are many people who try to climb Mt. Fuji as if they were going to a tourist spot without any preparation or climb Mt. Fuji in casual outfits even if they are warned. In 2024, within 24 hours of the opening of the climbing season on July 10, four accidents took place and three people died. So, I would like to suggest what you need to climb Mt. Fuji based on my experiences.
■ There are 4 climbing routes to Mt. Fuji!
・Yamanashi Prefecture side: Yoshida Route / Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station (2,300m)
・Shizuoka Prefecture side: Subashiri Route / Subashiri Exit 5th Station (2,000m)
・Shizuoka Prefecture side: Gotemba Route / Gotemba Exit New 5th Station (1,450m)
・Shizuoka Prefecture side: Fujinomiya Route / Fujinomiya Exit 5th Station (2,400m)
※ I used the Yoshida route
※The climbing season of Mt. Fuji is July ~ September
※The altitude of Mt. Fuji is 3,776m
※Mt. Fuji can be reached by car or bus to the 5th station.
※Due to the large number of users of the Fuji Subaru Line (Yamanashi Prefecture) and the Mt. Fuji Skyline (Shizuoka Prefecture), the entry and parking of cars other than public transportation are restricted.
Click here to find out more about restrictions on vehicle access and parking.→
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■Schedule of the day I climbed the mountain
[Day 1]
06:00 Transfer by bus from Kobe Sannomiya
12:00 Meal at NEOPASA Suruga Bay Numazu (highway rest area)
14:30 Arrive at Mt. Fuji 5th Station
15:30 Start climbing from the 5th station of Mt. Fuji
18:45 Arrive at the 8th station of Mt. Fuji " Haku-un-so "
19:00 Eat dinner at " Haku-un-so "
21:00 Go to bed
※Water is precious in the mountain, so you cannot take a bath in a mountain hut.
[Day 2]
01:00 Depart from Mt. Fuji 8th Station Mountain Hut "Haku-un-so" (start climbing)
04:00 Arrive at the summit of Mt. Fuji
05:30 Start of descent
09:00 Arrive at Mt. Fuji 5th Station
10:30 Take a bus from Mt. Fuji 5th station
18:00 Arrive at Kobe Sannomiya (dismissal)
■Necessities for climbing
・Physical strength to climb to the top of the mountain
・Clothes and shoes for mountaineering
・Cash (*many 100-yen coins are required to use the toilet)
・Water and high-calorie foods (e.g. chocolate and nuts)
・Garbage bag (*Be sure to take your own garbage home)
※ If you want to know more information, please check here.
■ Precautions for climbing Mt. Fuji
※ Prepare： Mt. Fuji is an "active volcano". It can erupt one day suddenly. If an eruption occurs during the climb, do not take videos or photos, but descend immediately. Also, when climbing Mt. Fuji, it is recommended to wear a helmet, goggles, and mask.
※ Avoid climbing in casual outfits： Avoid climbing in casual outfits
※Check the weather forecast carefully： On Mt. Fuji, which is at a high altitude, the air flow is not stable and the weather conditions change drastically. In particular, the summit of Mt. Fuji is windy, so warm clothing is required even in summer. Be sure to bring a down jacket, raincoat, hat and gloves. Also check the weather forecast frequently while climbing the mountain.
Recommended website 「"Fuji-san Weather Forecast"」
※Climbing Mt. Fuji should take at least 1 night and 2 days：Make sure to book a mountain hut and climb with a schedule of 2 days and 1 night. If you spend your time camping in the wild without booking a mountain hut, it is said that the risk of dying from hypothermia and altitude sickness increases. There are people who try to bullet climb Mt. Fuji because they have mountaineering experience. But if you are request rescue in case of emergency, the cost must be paid by the person or his family. Even if you are well prepared, you never know when the weather will change suddenly, so make sure to make a reservation for a mountain hut and manage your physical condition before the climb. (*Reservations for mountain huts should be completed by the beginning of June.)
※Take your trash home：Please take your trash home with you when you climb the mountain (There is no trash bin). The same applies if you use the toilet while climbing. Furthermore, toilet paper is often not provided in the toilets installed. Therefore, when you climb Mt. Fuji, prepare your own toilet paper. (*If you use the toilet at Mt. Fuji, it is 200 yen per time. You can only use cash, so make sure to bring some coins with you.)
※Charger required：There is no place in the mountain hut where you can charge. If you need to charge it, bring it with you.
Make sure to follow the precautions introduced in this article. If one tourist does not follow manners, other tourists will think that he has no manners. In order to protect your own life, please understand the rules of climbing and prepare well to enjoy the climb.
※For details, please see here
■ How I felt while climbing Mt. Fuji (summary)
Ever since I came to study abroad in Japan, I have dreamed of climbing Mt. Fuji and seeing the first sunrise. Therefore, I hiked regularly at least once a month to gain advanced-level climbing experience before attempting to climb Mt. Fuji. As a result, I was able to enjoy climbing Mt. Fuji along the way. But when I looked around, I saw many people trying to climb without mountaineering gears. Maybe because they were taking it easy. On the other hand, I also saw people of different ages, from young children to the elderly, who were enjoying the climb. The trails on Mt. Fuji are beautifully maintained, so even beginners will find it easy to walk. In my opinion, learning the manners ahead and climbing with the reassurance of "I am prepared to climb" will protect your life. When you want to take a challenge of climbing Mt. Fuji, please make sure to plan your climb. Thank you for reading to the end.
■Recommended sites for climbing Mt. Fuji
