Mount Fuji

What can I say, Amazing view! Mount Fuji, Japan's iconic and tallest mountain, stands at 3,776 meters, rising majestically. This dormant volcano, often dusted with snow, is a breathtaking sight that symbolizes beauty, tranquility, and the power of nature.

This was truly amazing and beautiful. All I can say is I'm glad I got to see something like this in my lifetime. We booked the tour with GoGoDay Travel on Klook. We had Anna our tour guide and I would definitely request her if possible. She shows you everything and gives you the history of Japan

Breathtaking and super amazing to see. Pictures cannot justify how beautiful it is in real life. Definitely a must see spot when in Japan. 🤩❤️ We bought our tour ticket via KLOOK.

I went at the start of winter, and I was surprised I could see Mount Fuji clearly. The snow cap was also there when I came! There was lots of tourist there, so I could tell it was an amazing view.

What more can I say about Fuji-san? Great view, great food around the area and also coming over during the winter period, we saw the snowy peak!

Best sunrise experience of my life. The trek going to the summit was no joke. It was a hard one as it was a continuous ascent hike that was quite steep with lots of scree, but the view once you reach the top was amazing!

Oh my god, this is one of my bucket list and finally have visited the Mt. Fuji! Coming from Tokyo, we rode three trains. It was very cold though so wear a lot of layers and enjoy taking photos.

We took 2 trains from Tokyo. Luckily, the mountain was visible from the Starbucks that's located near Fuji Station.I don't think it's the best view of Mount Fuji from the nearby town. I would've loved to hike up, but I didn't have enough time.

Mount Fuji in Japan is an active volcano located on the Japanese island of Honshu. It is at the summit elevation of 12,389 feet and is the tallest mountain in Japan, the second-highest volcano located on an island in Asia, after Mount Kerinci on the Indonesian island of Sumatra and seventh-highest peak of an island on Earth. Mount Fuji last erupted from 1707 to 1708. The mountain is about 62 miles southwest of Tokyo and is beautiful and visible on clear days. Mount Fuji is a symmetrical cone, mostly covered in snow for about five months of the year. Enjoy!

Climbing Mt Fuji has been on my bucket list for many years.  I had a sense of urgency because I felt I was running out of time, every year I get older and some day I might not be able to do it.    I had convinced my family to join in the quest to reach the summit.  They did it for me. We stayed overnight at The Gotembakan hotel the night prior to the hike. The rooms were modest but the breakfast buffet was delicious. I asked someone in the bus line about the bus to the 5th station and learned that you needed to buy tix at the kiosk. It was about an hour's ride, some people had to stand as there were not enough seats. We spent some time eating and relaxing at 5th station to acclimate our bodies. Donated 1000 Yen each and received a wooden tag with Mt Fuji 2024 etched. We also got wooden poles which were super helpful for the steep hike. Started our hike at 11am and reached our hut at 7th station by 3pm. It took us 4 hours rather than the expected 3 hours. About an hour into our hike, it started to pour rain. I had a cover over my backpack and I carried an umbrella but my feet were soaked. I think the rain cooled the temp from being hot and humid. It was a blessing in disguise. Also the rain made this hike significantly memorable. The hut gave us bags to put our wet things in, they told us not to hang anything, multiple times. But we hanged anyway cuz we had a lot of wet stuff. We were wet, tired, sored, and hungry. It was definitely an adventure. Dinner was better than expected, the hamburger meat was tender and flavorful. Soup was body and soul warming. Thankfully No rain the next day as the incline and elevation was difficult. Another significant sight was looking up and down the mountain, hikers were constantly resting. They were resting more than hiking. Again, we hiked 4 hrs instead of 3 to the summit. Sliding straight down the hill in volcanic sand was brutal on the legs too. I kept thinking to myself, when will these sand sections end? I was satisfied with this accomplishment. I felt alive.

Mount Fuji. A beautiful day in Japan. When you can see Mount Fuji from the bullet train. The snow capped peak with a swirl of clouds encircling the top. The beauty of Japan is there before us to enjoy. Sorry about the blurr we were traveling about 150 mph when I snapped these.

Ugh it's so beautiful here! Seeing Mt. Fuji was definitely a bucket list item for us and it did NOT disappoint. Drove to the 4th station (it's winter and the higher one was closed I believe). Nice warm little shop there (with bathrooms). Bought some souvenirs, took some pictures and got out of there because it was cold.

I'd love to say I climbed Mt. Fuji but it's winter AF and there's a lot of snow, so we took the hour+ train ride and got close enough to do the tourist thing and take pix. First things first when you arrive, buy the all-day bus ticket so you can hop on and off whenever you feel like it. We got lucky and chose the clearest blue sky day of the entire vaca and it was such a beautiful view I could have stared at it until I became an icicle which almost happened, and also prob why the sky ride thing was closed. I bet that's a good time when it's over 50 degrees. We soaked up all the natural beauty we could stomach and it was already getting dark so we bought some overpriced souvenirs that said Mt. Fuji, hit up a sushi place for dinner and then took the long ride back to Shinjuku, still with plenty of time for nightlife 'cuz everything is open til 5am. Two things I learned 1. There is a random small theme park there with roller coasters 2. My coworkers who say they climbed this mountain were probably lying Also I've somehow uploaded the pix to the wrong listing TWICE. See biz photos. Thanks again for the fresh air! Bitsy

WOW! Truly a majestic sight to see in person whether you're up close or far away! Seriously, I was super giddy with excitement at the first glance of the highest peak of Mt. Fuji from afar so you can imagine just how thrilled I was to finally make the trek toward one of Japan's 3 holy mountains. As a tourist, the drive up Mt. Fuji was pretty easy and we used Google Maps as our navigation guide. We had zero problems until we got to an area that was closed off due to the weather conditions--it was snowing when we went up! We quickly took advantage of one of the deserted, snow-covered lots to take photos! Mt. Fuji is simply breathtaking and, regardless of how far it was from Tokyo, it's worth stopping to see it in person. The experience was incredible, the panoramic views were amazing, and just being there in the moment was priceless! I highly recommend adding this to your bucket list when visiting Japan for the first time.

Climbing Mt Fuji was on my bucket list and finally did it! Mount Fuji is one of Japan's "Three Holy Mountains" (三霊山 Sanreizan) along with Mount Tate and Mount Haku. Having climbed both Tateyama and Hakusan before, I needed to hike Mt Fuji to complete all three holy mountains. I heard about weather in Mt Fuji, and since rain was in forecast, every Shinto shrine I passed for the past five days, I prayed for good weather. I prayed at the fifth station Shinto shrine before the hike and thanked the Shinto god for safe return after arriving back safely. Perfect weather anyone can ask for made my trip so much more enjoyable. Left Shinjyuku bus terminal at 7:45am. Ate early lunch at one of the fifth station restaurant to acclimate for the altitudes. Started hiking at 11:30am. I booked a space at the Goraikokan (highest mountain hut at Yoshida route). Arrived there around 5pm. Stopped at every station hut for stamps on hiking stick, I selected which one to get but one of my friends got all and paid 4,500 yen total just for stamps. Each stamp is anywhere between 200 yen to 500 yen. Bring cash! Toilet use is 200 yen. Cash only. Not the cleanest but available. They were giving out a portable potty at the fifth station as the summit toilet was not available in early July. (I paid 1,000 yen donation at the fifth station so it wasn't really free). Woke up at 2am and left the lodge around 3am for 4am arrival at the summit. I found a small spot at the summit and sat there for about 30 mins for the sunrise. That 30 mins was most amazing time, so magical, I was so glad I made an effort to get here. Coming down took only 3 hours. I took 2.5 liter of drinks with me and consumed about 1.8 liter. I gave my 500 ml water bottle to one of my friends who carried 2.0 l of drinks. I packed beef jerky, dried fruits, almonds, power bar (all from the US). I ate most of the food I packed along the way. They said you burn 4,000 calories during a hike. I made sure I had small bites frequently. Since Mt Fuji is sacred mountain, anytime climbing got hard, I mumbled 六根清浄 rokkon shyouzou by clearing all six sense of human body. 4,826 feet elevation gain, 4.6 miles one way, 12,388 feet at summit. I put 3 layers of pants, 5 layers of tops, two gloves, two socks, still felt cold. Not sure what temperature it was but snow was there. Mt Fuji is the best to see from the bottom. Hike itself is not that pretty. I saw five people throwing up near the top from high altitude sickness. I heard from a staff at the lodge, it happens to mostly people with unreasonable hiking schedule. Mt Fuji is very commercialized. They sell most anything you need. I carried everything with me but if you don't want to carry all the water you need, you could just buy one. It may cost 500 yen but available. They said it is a fool not to climb Mt Fuji, also it is a fool to climb Mt Fuji twice. After my experience, I think I would choose to be a fool and come back again.

You are blessed if you see Mt. Fuji from anywhere in Japan. Thus thumbs up if you see it! If you miss it...look at the back of a 1000 JPY bill.

I'm generous with this grade because of the conditions that were uncontrollable. I went on a tour up to Mr. Fuji and the weather was pretty dreadful. Foggy, rainy, and humid, I couldn't see much towards the peak (a couple of passing glimpses but that's it) and could see even less looking downward. The mist was just overwhelming. However, I can say I went. The weather notwithstanding, I can say that the organization of the mountain is quite good. There are several "stations" you can stop at along the way up, so you can do a variety of things at each one. Some stations are larger than others. The 5th station is the larger station that has shops, restaurants, inns, and other facilities. While I didn't fall into the trap of buying touristy items here, I did think the area was well-maintained, clean, and had some nice sights. If you're taking a tour, this is as close as you get to the top. You'd need to hike your way up to the top (9th). If you're fortunate to visit on a nice day, you'll have wonderful views of various lakes and forests. You'll also have a nice view of the peak. But all I saw up here was mist, rain, tourists, and an old guy giving away small suzus (Shinto bells). The roads are also well-maintained and are smooth. I found that pretty impressive considering the heavy motor-coaches that drive here daily along with the snow/cold. I suppose that's the benefit of using a toll road (Subaru).

Definitely must visit this gorgeous mountain. I cant stress enough how beautiful it is. There are tons of souvenir stores nearby and food vendors. And lots of panoramic vantage points to take a picture of. Best time to go here is during spring time through early fall, where going up the mountain isn't as dangerous if weather permits. I cant describe any more enough without being redundant with the other reviews. But volumes do speaks for Mt. Fuji. Will I be back? Off course.... I love it!

I recently hiked from Moanalua to Haiku, aka Stairway to Heaven on O'ahu. After completing this hike, my mother showed me an old looking Japanese flag. The kanji that is written on the flag translates: I was very joyful to complete my hike up Mt Fuji. I was 13 years old when I hiked up Mt Fuji with my relatives.

Climbing Mt. Fuji has been a dream of mine, since high school. To be honest, I was pretty apprehensive about the climb. I'm not much of a hiking person. Not really a fan of outdoor activities. But, I wanted to do this, before I got too old and cranky. Hello, Operation: Mt. Fuji or BUST 2018! I made reservations through the Fuji Mountain Guides website. Booked the Fuji-san hut as soon as reservations opened. I recommend securing a bed spot early. You can either call the hut directly, go with a tour or book through a reservation service, like the Fuji Mountain Guides. If you're lucky and weather permitting, you can watch out for Fuji-san's shadow at sunset and make it to the peak to watch a beautiful sunrise. Pay attention to the weather and pack accordingly, especially if you plan on hiking overnight. The day of the hike, the group and I snagged a bus from Kawaguchiko Station up to Mt. Fuji's 5th station on the Yoshida trail. Yoshida trail is the most populated spot; but, it would be the easiest hike, with the most huts. No one wanted to do a longer hike than we had to. Unlike my other companions, I took this route super slow and steady. A long 7-hour hike up to the Fuji-san hut, somewhere around the 8th station. I'm sorta fit, but I had people of all ages passing me up. I'm not ashamed that I was that slow. I was more concerned about falling, since I'm a klutz. I also wanted to save all my energy for the real challenge - the actual hike down. Are there any downsides? Of course, there are. Yes, there were hordes of people. Yes, prices for goods got more expensive, as you hiked up the mountain. And, yes, the bathrooms were disgusting. Oh, and the hike down hella sucked! But, you know what? If you did your research, you should already know this and expect it all to happen. On a side note, a girlfriend of mine got a bad case of stomach poisoning. Being as OCD as she was and a huge germaphobe, more than likely she caught it in one of the many gross bathrooms we stopped at, along the trail. Unfortunately, she didn't make it to the top; but, was able to watch the sunrise from our hut. There are only 2 medical aid stations, on the Yoshida Trail. The nearest one to our hut was at the start of the 8th station. To get treated, she had to hike back down to the aid station. Even worse, she had to hike back up to our hut, in order to hit the return trail to descend from the mountain. The path up the mountain is not the same as the way back down. Something thing to keep in mind, along with packing some Imodium and hand sanitizer, especially if you are a germaphobe trying to conquer this mountain. The last leg of hike I took a damn horse. YOLO! I said I was going to hike UP the mountain. No one said anything about how I was gonna get down. I slipped and slid the majority of the way. I gave up when I saw the horses. I don't usually advocate the use of animals in tourists attractions. But, I sucked up the ¥10,000 ($100) because I fell so many times that I lost count. After having more than a few people slide into me and knock me on my a**, I just wanted to get to the base station and make my hot springs appointment, back at hotel resort. The hike down was worse than the hike up. Since, I already knew I was going to be losing more than a few toenails from the descent, all I could think was - F*** it! I rode a damn horse. Mt. Fuji isn't a beautiful mountain. But, for me, this was an amazing adventure. Even though it was a huge physical challenge for me, I got to fulfill a crazy, childhood dream. So what if I banged up a knee, had sore ankles and lost a few toenails? It could have been worse. We got lucky when we missed out on the predicted rain storm. Got even luckier to have two clear days for the hike. And, the best souvenir, yet? All those burned stamps for all the huts on our hiking sticks. Proof that I did it. I made it to the top once. Once is more than enough. Mama didn't raise no fool and I won't be doing this, again.

x3.5* Mt. Fuji Japanese icon No snow during the summer Souvenirs and food at fifth station Multitudes of people with backpacks, walking sticks

As Mt Fuji is the highest peak in all of Japan, I knew that my Japan trip would involve attempting to climb it. I am happy to say that I, indeed, made it to the summit of 12,388 feet. There is a Japanese saying, "A wise man climbs Fuji once. Only a fool climbs it twice." I would agree. Depending on your route from the Yoshida Trail, the climb is only about 8-9 miles roundtrip. However, those few miles of ascension are much more steep and difficult than I imagined. Perhaps, in part, due to climbing it on the same day as landing in Japan from Los Angeles, not having any sleep, and climbing overnight to watch the sunrise. Whatever the case, be prepared for a tough hike. There is quite a bit of steep climbing over and on volcanic rock up to the summit. Climbing poles are helpful, as are layers of clothing. During the off-season, which is not recommended to climb, there are few climbers, but the weather and conditions late September were fine. Note that none of the mountain huts are open during off-season. Although no snow or rain, it was quite cold and windy all the way up. The sunrise was beautiful, but the rest of the trail and climb was mostly lackluster, once the sun came up and I could actually see my surroundings. I suppose having so many beautiful places to climb in California has spoiled me. Climbing Mt Fuji - done!

We just hiked this today, July 8, 2018. Let me start by saying I am not an expert hiker. No one in my group was an experienced hiker. I hiked this along with 3 others in one day. Up all the way to the summit and back down to the 5th station. We started at 11:30am. From the 5th station. Finished in 8 hours TOTAL. We were back at the station by 7:45pm. Attire: If you're into wearing hiking boots, spandex, hiking sticks, camel backs, hiking packs, etc. Go for it. I'm never opposing those that are prepared. But I'll tell you what my group and I wore. Sweat pants, sweat shorts, cotton shirts, workout leggings, me: dri-fit shirt, & we all had regular tennis shoes on. We had two backpacks packed with food and other essentials. We had 2 waterproof jackets we rented. The hike up: The ascent. It's not for the faint-hearted. If you lack will-power and determination, I wouldn't recommend this hike. But if you're not a quitter & you like to achieve & cross things off your bucket list, It's a great feeling saying that you've been to the summit & crater of an active volcano. The pictures come out amazing too. It's a long hike, if you ever feel defeated, there are huts/stations that offer rooms to sleep in overnight & plenty of sustainment (food/drinks). The hike down: The descent... This almost made me want to quit but hey, you have to get to the bottom of the mountain sometime right? We chose the bulldozer way to try to beat the dark of night. There's two ways to go down. 1) the same way you went up (yeah, no..) 2) the bulldozer way down (pretty difficult) If you're okay with going back down on rocks you had to go down on all fours for, then you can go for it. It might be just as difficult, if not more, than the bulldozer way. The bulldozer way is almost a cheat, but it's grainy, rocky, and prepare to slip if you're not wearing the proper hiking boots. The bulldozer way is also advertised to get you down in half the time of hiking up. I say that's true. Time: It took us a total of 5 hours to get to the summit. That's with stops at the huts to get drinks, food, snacks, & use the restrooms. We got to the summit at around 4:30 And took us 3 hours to get down since we took the bulldozer way. Overall, this hike is amazing. Vigorous but worth it.

Amazing journey. This is a tough hike up and down, but totally worth it. I followed the other guides and packed for anything(maybe even an eruption...). Turns out I didn't need much of it on the day I was there, so I ended up hauling around 40 lbs to the top and back down again. I had some soy ramen at the peak and it divine. Or maybe I was just really really hungry :)

Meh. Completed this hike up the Yoshida trail and down Subaru three days ago on 10 Jul 2018. 5 hours up, about 2 hours rest/food and circling the crater rim at the top and 2 hours down. Weather was pretty good for hiking. Started at 0500 and finished the first 2 miles in 1 hour. I knew that's when I'd slow down -- and yes indeed I did slow. Very unpretty mountain. Yes, of course I know it's a volcano and would be pretty barren. The views down from the trail are pretty spectacular though. Around 8th or 8 1/2th station the air is really thin. The last kilometer of distance (maybe the final 200-300 meters of elevation gain) were tough due to lack of oxygen. I hike every weekend (low altitudes here in Japan) but it's tough to train for high altitude at low altitudes. Anyways ... that last stretch was tough. 30-50 steps, 30 seconds to regain breath, then repeat for an hour. Hit the top of Yoshida Trail at 1000 so I made my goal time. Walked the crater rim which is the best part of the hike. Down the Subaru trail and two hours later I was back at 5th station. One and done hike. Glad to have knocked this out and conquered Fuji. Japan has hundreds of nicer/prettier mountains to hike and conquer. And that's what I'll be doing each weekend. As a Facebooker put it to me, "Fuji is better seen from afar". No truer words can be said. I love to see Fuji from atop other mountains. Up close and personal it really is pretty ugly.

Mt Fuji is a majestic mountain that is visually stunning to the eyes and a great experience for all. I have seen this thing up close and personal several times but I have yet to climb that bad boy, one day... Regardless, going to the basin or flying by it in the Shinkansen on a clear day is something breathtaking, I kid you not. I would say that this mountain is a must see if visiting Japan. Pros- Majestic Historical significance Beauty Picturesque Visible by Shinkansen Cons- Out of the way Distance from Tokyo

Y'all have seen it and heard about it, and it is a definite challenge to get up and down with the change in altitude and temperature, but Fuji-san is a must if you are in Japan. First, general things about Fuji-san: -Most travelers go from the 5th station rather than the base, and there are 10 stations with the 10th being the summit -The sunrise is the thing to watch at the top -Many stay in an inn around the 8th station during the night, but those could cost over ￥5000 a night for limited space and accouterments -You must take all your trash with you -Have ￥100-200 to tip for using the bathrooms on the mountain -The summit is cold. Like colder than most would think when you climb in the summer. -Beware altitude sickness. It's real. It's difficult to rate Fuji-san, but based on our experience climbing the tallest mountain in Japan, first time is a solid 4-star. Here is what our schedule looked like: 5pm (Sat) - roll up with our Gifuji (Gifu Fuji - see what I did there?) Climbing Crew and park, taking the shuttle to 5th station 5:45pm - Chill at 5th station for a bit to get acclimated 6:30pm - Begin the hike 12:30am (Sun) - Reach 8.5 station on the Yoshida Trail and attempt to sleep (outside...bad idea) 2:30am - Without any sleep, realize that there are TONS OF PEOPLE making their way up, so pack up and join the slow-moving herd 4:30am - just barely make it up to the summit in time to see the sunrise...well if there were less clouds that is... 5:15am - begin the descent 10:30am - reach 5th station. Boom. Done. After our experience, I have concluded the following: -Don't sleep outside at the 8.5 station even if you have space blankets. It's freakin cold -If you are unfortunate to hit a cloudy day, you can't see anything from the summit, and the strong winds blow ash in your face in addition to being cold -Bring enough water (2.5L was not enough for return trip) -Try to beat the crowd going up - there were THOUSANDS of climbers making that trip at the same time, and many did not make it to the top for sunrise -Walking stick was a great purchase -An onsen after Fuji-san is the best feeling *Note: Most stops will also have a stamp that they brand into your Fuji-san walking stick if you so choose to pay them ￥300 as well. Overall, the trip was really about the journey rather than the destination for us, and it was an excellent experience as our group mutually struggled to get up and down the mountain while also giving each other motivation. They say "You are wise to climb Mt. Fuji, but a fool to do it twice." However, I may have to be the fool so I can see the breathtaking view I missed due to the clouds...

We didn't have the strength or the time to climb it, but seeing Mt. Fuji passing by as we're on trains is enough to say it's a beautiful mountain, there's no doubt about that. I hear that it's a challenge to hike up this mountain and so I will stay on the ground with my weak knees in the lower elevations of Japan and enjoy my ramen instead. My girlfriend who lives in Japan said she did the climb up and so I'll rely on her experience instead. Make sure you keep an eye out for this iconic mountain when you're in Japan.

Came here many years ago and it is THE LANDMARK of Tokyo. You can see Mount Fuji extremely clearly when you are in the plane and basically view a piece of it all around Tokyo. There are many "stations" of Mount Fuji for different purposes and to spread out the people so no everyone is crowded in one area. Going up by car, we stopped at the station where most people go skiing from close to the peak. Mount Fuji seemed very small from up here. Here there were little shops for you to purchase Mount Fuji exclusive items, such as a white monchhichi I purchased that was only sold in Mount Fuji.

I have driven by a few times and enjoyed the view from the Gotenba outlet mall. Also snow boarded on the base of Fujisan at Yeti. Last week I got to enjoy the view, share the struggle of hiking and some areas carefully crawl up Mt Fuji. It was a must do within my first year here. The plan/ preparation: late afternoon start, spend the night at an 8th station hut and hike to the top in the morning. We knew it would rain. Brought along rain gear, hiking boots, back pack, extra set of clothes/socks to wear the following day, 1L water and a ton of snacks. Oh yeah...toiletries. No showers so baby wipes are good too. The drive to the Subaru line 5th Station was pleasant. Road was very winding. Beautiful green scenery. There's a part were we drove over the musical road. Look for the treble symbol in the road and turn your music off. Toll at the gate is ¥2000. Subaru line 5th station- hang out here for a good 20-30 mins. You are starting at +7000ft above sea level. Last free restroom. If you want a good souvenir pick up a Staff at one of the gift stores here. Will be helpful climbing and slowing you down on the decent. Subaru line 5th station - Yoshida trail 6th station. Easy day! Level to slight incline. 6th to 7th longer trails with harder inclined. The 7th station huts should be in view. The trail tightens up around 7th to 8th and parts of 9th station. Rugged terrain in between huts. Parts of the trail you will have to use your hands and grip the rocks. Take advantage of the mountain huts and take a break. Each one offers light snacks, goods, and restroom beaks. If you are hiking with the staff, each hit has a unique stamp to brand. We started at 1515 in the afternoon and made it all the way to Hori-kan hut (lower 8th station) before calling it a night. Ate some ramen, had some beer and lemon tea. Got some good rest even though my friends say I was snoring. They compare it to me snoring like a Harley and the guy snoring on the other side of the room as a Yamaha sport bike. I don't believe them. I didn't hear myself snoring so I'm good! Woke up at 0400 and watched the sunrise. Partial sunrise. Visibility was poor but we had our few moments of sun. We took our time trekking to the top. 2 out of four was suffering from altitude sickness. Taking breaks at every hut. The 2 that were sick bought oxygen (1200-1500 ¥). We learned from our mistakes and took breaks at each hit before moving on. After reaching the last Torii gate I was exhausted. Took my pic at the gate and then threw up the ramen noodles I ate earlier. After those noodles left We hydrated, took some pics, a lil nap and headed down. The trail down was a lot easier. Nice zig-zag straight always. Use the restroom while available. After the 8th station there are no restrooms until the bottom of the 7th. Had a blast! Much respect to all the older folks that passed us up and beat us to the top. I look forward to doing this again next year.

fujisan. fujiyama. mount fuji. a sacred place. revered by so many. 3,776.24m or 12,389ft. up in 8 hours, down in 3. lowest temperature -38 degC. highest temperature 17.8 degC. an active stratovolcano in it's history. hopefully remaining dormant for centuries. recently named a unesco world heritage site. an inspiring beauty, cultural rather than natural. 御来光 goraikō, "arrival of light", awaits you at the peak. gotemba premium outlet + Fuji-Q Highland distracts around the base. anybody would be a fool not to climb Mount Fuji once and a fool i'll not be.

This is my favorite mountain hands down. The experience and the hike I haven't had anywhere else. The huts along the way are amazing and I highly recommend staying in the hotel hut if you can!

This review is based on my personal experience on Mt. Fuji in a rainstorm. Oh, Mt. Fuji, you definitely left me feeling defeated. I made it to the top, but under less than perfect circumstances. My fiance and I had planned a trip to Japan in early July. I found out that Mt. Fuji climbing season opens around that time. So, naturally, us being the crazy people we are, planned our trip around Mt. Fuji. After an 2 1/2 hour bus ride from Shinjuku Station we made it to 5th Station on Mt. Fuji. 5th Station was packed with tourists just visiting the station, but it's the last place you'll find decently priced food and drinks, everything above 5th station is priced at 200 -300 yen more then normal. (we paid 500 yen for a snickers bar) It makes sense, since they have to drag it up a freaking mountain. You also have to pay 200 yen every time you need to use that bathroom. After an hour acclimating, my fiance and I started our hike up via Yoshida trail. I get very anxious before be hikes, so I kept checking the weather. The weather report said rain with high winds. We had a reservation at Fujisan Hotel at the new 8th station, so we couldn't back down. In the beginning we were hopeful, the clouds seemed like they were clearing and you could see the top of Mt. Fuji. An hour in, rain started pouring and the clouds rapidly started covering the whole mountain. This is an example how fast weather conditions can change on Mt. Fuji. So for the next 4 hours before we got to our hut, we hiked in heavy downpour and fog. You could barely see anything. At the hut, we experienced less than spectacular accommodations. I know you are climbing up a mountain, but you spend around 60 USD to sleep in a sleeping bag inches away from other climbers. I made friendly with my neighbors, it turned out we both lived in California. One cool thing about this experience was that you meet people all around the world in this hut. Expect to get little sleep or bring earplugs because their are some really loud snorers. I couldn't sleep. The huts do provide you a curry dinner for around 10 USD. It was pretty decent also. AT 2 AM, we get a wake up call. Most people hike at night so they can see the sunrise. At 2 AM they woke us up, but advised us that it was raining really hard and the clouds were covering the mountain, so it would not be smart to go up. My fiance and I waited until around 5 AM. We missed the sunrise, but after talking to people who went up in the downpour, they were miserable and they didn't see a thing. At 5:30 AM, the rain cleared up so again we were hopeful. Going up, was hard since the elevation gain was significant is such a small amount of distance. Altitude sickness was definitely hitting me hard, and every step felt like a weight on my lungs. Luckily, around 8.5 station, we were able to see a view above the clouds. It was beautiful, but it only lasted a good 10 mins, after that, everything went foggy, torrential rain started, and winds doubled. 7 AM, we pass the last tori gate and hit the summit. It was thrilling, and a great accomplishment, but we could not see anything. It was pretty miserable. Thank goodness, my fiance made sure we had waterproof clothes and enough layers. The summit typically has services that will allow you to mail postage, eat, and even pray; but since we climbed up in such terrible conditions, none of those services were opened to us except the last station that allowed us shelter and udon. Conclusion: do not hike up Mt. Fuji in a rainstorm! I've seen pictures of this hike in perfect conditions and it's beautiful, but in a rainstorm, stay away. I'm glad I did it, I have a great story to tell from my climb, but as the saying goes, "He who climbs Mount Fuji once is a wise man, he who climbs it twice is a fool." For those planning: Bring: waterproof jacket and pants, extra layer of fleece or down jacket to go under your waterproof jacket, winter undergarmets, waterproof gloves, a change of clothes for the hut, a head lap if you decide to climb to see the sunrise, and good shoes (volcanic rock is very slippery) Yoshida trail specs: This hike is not easy. You gain elevation in a short distance. Take your time and rest when you can. See below for the specs. 4826 ft elevation gain in 4.6 miles (going up) 4.7 miles (going down)

What an experience! I would highly recommend this climb to anyone that is in Japan during the hiking season for this beautiful mountain. Let me just say that I did this almost the entirely wrong way but I had an amazing time and survived to see the grand morning sunrise at the summit of the mountain. While this is not a difficult hike by any means as far as the terrain it is just a very long uphill and downhill battle against the elements. Plan some time when you are done to stay at a Ryokan with an onsen (hot springs) to sooth your aches from the hike. Few tips and things I learned along the way.. -Don't go when it's raining or cloudy -MAKE THIS A TWO DAY HIKE!!!! Leave the day before around 3-4 and hike up to the 8-8.5 station and stay in one of the huts for about 5k yen and warm up, eat some food, and get some sleep before heading out around 1am to finish the ascent. -BRING WARM CLOTHING!! but clothes that can easily be pealed or layered off since you will be warm until about the 7-8th station portion and then the temperature drops drastically and you end up at choke-points so you are not moving quickly. Highly recommend good gloves and something for your head as the windchill is brutal. -Bring proper tools- Head lamp & backpack/hydration pack were pretty much all I needed. Waterproofing just incase. -BRING LOTS OF WATER - at least 3 liters of water though there are plenty of places along the way to purchase water/coffee/beer they are overpriced($4 for .5liter) and not worth it. -Bring YEN with you as the bathrooms are all 200-300 yen each and most shops deal purely in yen (unless you are paying for an overnight) -If you stop at a hut around the 8.5 station you can purchase some cup of noodles for like 600-800 yen and they let you warm up inside for a few while you eat if there's room -There are bathrooms, shops, and huts at the top for food and warmth. -Buy a walking stick and get it stamped along the way. Each hut does a stamp for 300-400 yen so it may be a bit pricey but it's a cool souvenir to bring back from your trip. Walking sticks are not necessary but its nice to have. -Go around the top rim and see the full view of all around Japan plus the highest point is along the back side. (great photo op) -Sunscreen for the way back down as its wide open to the sun and there's not much for stops on the way back down along the switchbacks.

Have you ever thought of climbing mount Fuji? Do it!! It is Japan's tallest mountain, but to be honest, although it is very high, it's not too difficult to climb. There are easy to follow paths, so you won't get lost...you can switch off your brain and just keep walking to the top. Most people start from the 5th station (rather than from the bottom.) There is easy public transport to get there, and there are lots of shops, so you can buy some last snacks before you start you climb. The mountain is covered in snow during winter, so the only time people really climb it is during the summer (July and August...) My mini Fuji advice: ＊ Start in the late morning so you don't have to rush ＊ Rather than climbing all at once, stop and rest, then sleep at the 8th station. Then wake up at about 2am to walk to the top to watch the sunrise ＊ Bring really warm clothes..it is sooo cold at the top! ＊ Bring a torch for when you climb in the dark 日本で一番高い山の美しい富士山。。。 富士山に「一度も登らぬバカに二度登るバカ」ということわざがありますが、実は、私はその「バカ」の一人です。富士山は２度も登ったことがあります。3度目の正直となれば良いのかなー？戻らなきゃ。。。！ これから登りたい人がバカの私のアドバイスが欲しかったら： ＊昼のちょっと前から登り始め、高山病にならない要素に、自分のペースで歩いてね。 ＊８合目あたりで一泊するのがいいです。リラックスして、夜に寝て、そして２時頃におきて、元気に山頂まで登れます。 ＊暖かい服を着てね！真夏に富士山の山頂は寒イイィィ！ ＊フラッシュライトを忘れずに。 Have fun and がんばれ！

What was not to love about Mt Fuji? It doesn't have a lot off ammenities, but what do you need from a volcano that you can climb? Got all you need at the shop before you go up.

WOW what a hike!! There are several trails to take but by far the longest and hardest is the Gotemba (new station 5). It too us about 7 hours to climb. Everything you read will say it takes average 4-6 hours. I believe this is for very very experience hikers. Our group was all military and in good shape and still took 7 hours. At 1400 meters above sea level the Gotemba 5th Station is the lowest of the fifth stations. We climbed in late April (off season) so none of the stations were open. Highly recommend if you climb in the winter months to go on a guided tour. I brought 4 liters of water and only a few snacks. I highly recommend at least 6 liters and two full meals (even more in the hot summer months). This will increase your hike load but it is well worth when no stations are open. Also bring sunblock!! We didn't, big mistake. My group started at 3am and stopped a few hours in to watch the sun rise, was well worth the early wake up.

An incredible experience! Hiked this with a friend at the end of the season from the bottom and we had the place nearly to ourselves. Incredible experience hiking the endless switchbacks to get to the top, beautiful views once at the top, then a quick trip back down. Only the bottom and top stations were open with no food or water available except for the bottom station, so be prepared if you come at the end of the season. A must do if you're in the area and have the time. Actually - make the time, especially if this is a possible once in a lifetime experience for you.

Went up to station 4 while we were here. Didn't stay long as it was cold. There are restrooms here as well as porta potties. Went to take a few pics while here but there were hundreds of other Chinese tourists here as well that will just shove you aside to get pictures made. Best advice here is to just bully your way to the front and stand where you want to take a pic and wait for them to move. Sadly this was really what we resorted to as there was really no other option.

Didn't burn me alive. :-( Nice view though. Really was expecting to cauterize my hand off.