Hiking at Mt Fuji 3776 meters
This was my second trip to Japan and I got inspired by my colleague to a trek to MT Fuji. She is an avid trekker, traveller and a gem of a person.
So after couple of calls I had my TO DO list ready and so was my shopping list. I visited a decathlon store in Noida and stocked up myself with all the necessities for my first lifetime trekking trip experience. The preparation took a month and every morning I used to stock up my trekking bag with all the stuff and used to walk for 5 kms and climb my 15 storey apartment building. This helped me physically to get used to carrying my loaded bag for the trek.
Not everything goes as you plan
So on the D day, 3 of us met at Delhi airport for our flight to Tokyo. We were supposed to arrive a day earlier in Tokyo to get proper rest before our next morning early start. But if everything happens as we plan then there is no adventure in life. So after being in flight for 2 hours and numerous announcements from our pilot we realised that we are not flying today due to technical glitch in the aircraft. One of my colleagues falls asleep and thought that we arrived in Japan when we started deboardingggg. Little I knew that our trek was at stake. What hit me the most was that no one in the aircraft seemed to be too upset or screaming on the crew due to this and calmly started to make way out of the flight. This is what we call the Japanese culture and I was completely amazed to see that.
Determination and not giving up
Now starts the fun of what we do next. Does this mean that the entire preparation will be for next time, we will have to store the trekking stuff for future or will we still make it somehow but miss our bus to 5th station of Mt Fuji, the start point of the trek. So with the entire dilemma we kept waiting for our luggage and were supposed to transfer to an airport hotel in Aerocity, Delhi. But nowadays internet is there to save you. I checked if there is an alternate flight to help you reach Tokyo on time and though we lost the night can we still make it for the bus on time. And guess what a ray of hope arises. We found a flight via Bangkok arriving at Haneda 2 hours prior to our bus to 5th station. We checked with the ANA crew and luck seem to be favouring us. We got the last 3 seats on the connection, so nothing was over yet. Here we are finally in the flight to Bangkok and then to Haneda. All went well and we enjoyed our dinner at Bangkok airport, repacked our backpack so that we are ready to roll once we arrive at Haneda. So the flight arrived on time at Haneda and immigration was smooth with little time. Arriving at Haneda was a blessing, as the Shinjuku bus station was 30 mins drive and with a private car it was easy to reach there. We left the extra bags in the car to be transferred to our hotel in Tokyo.
Sigh of relief
15 mins to our bus departure on 1st July morning we just made to the bus stop all excited and felt like an accomplishment and laughed at each other in joy. The smiling face waiting for us at the bus stop was our 4th colleague who was in Tokyo and fully charged up. Reunion happened and we are on our bus to Fuji. 2.5 hours on the bus we arrived at Mt Fuji 5th station on the opening day of Mt Fuji trek season i.e. 1st July.
In all this excitement we hardly remembered that we have not slept for 2 days in managing all this logistics. But who cares when you are about to do something which you always dreamt off. A crazy adventure of summiting Mount Fuji in the land of rising sun and be the first one to see the Sun rise amidst all the beauty.
Where to book the bus
Japan has an excellent transport system and you can book your bus Shinjuku to Mt. Fuji 5th Station Line (For Mt. Fuji 5th Sta.) and back here.
When to Climb
July to mid-September is the official climbing season when the trails and facilities along the trail are open. During this time the mountain is usually free of snow but you might see a bit near the submit which we did, the weather is relatively mild and we experienced the wind at quite a few patches. Anyone without much hiking experience like me personally in this case should stick to the official climbing season and take Yoshida Trail which is beginner friendly. Also during the season time access by public transportation is easy. The specific dates depend on the year and trail. During our climb and now a day they are set as follows:
- Yoshida Trail (Most popular trail): July 1 to September 10
- Subashiri, Gotemba and Fujinomiya Trails: July 10 to September 10
The Climb
Mount Fuji 5th Station is the entrance of Fuji-Yoshida trail which is the most popular trail and the longest route to the summit of Mount Fuji but throughout the trail you have ample of mountain huts the only place where you a sip a tea or coffee, buy water, etc. are operating and you can also get your walking stick (bought at starting point) stamped with unique stamps which you can carry back as souvenir. Many people climb Mount Fuji from here as a starting point. Mount Fuji 5th Station bus stop is different from “Fujisan Station”.
Climbing Mount Fuji is very popular not only among Japanese but also outsiders, who count up to a third of all hikers. To avoid crowd we recommend climbing Mount Fuji on a weekdays and avoiding weekends. First half of July is generally less crowded compared to rest of the period. The downside of a climb in early July is the weather, which tends to be somewhat more unstable than later in the season. I can vouch on that.
After a quick snack and seeing some inspiring summit pictures at the restaurant we were ready to roll and finally make our move for the climb of a lifetime at around 1130 hours. I was anxious and excited for my first climb of my life.
We got our gears ready and walked towards the starting point of 5th station of Yoshida Trail and clicked our first group picture. You begin your climb at 2305m.
I was superbly excited at this time and wanted to do this. One of us bought a climbing stick to get it stamped at each station and take back home as a souvenir.
The first stretch was plain and seemed pretty easyyyy. But this is where the fun started and we had a small uphill climb and you arrive at your first stop.
Please remember there are no washrooms available here and there and the only place are the mountain huts at each pit stop. So the first on our journey was the Helmet rental place with some mobile toilets known as 6th station Fuji Climbing safety guidance centre at 2390 m.
We had a lovely old man informing every one of dos and don’s while the sun kept playing hide and seek. They say that Mt Fuji is a very shy mountain and it can rain anytime during the trek. The weather is highly unpredictable so need to have your raincoat and winter chitter at all times. It was super windy and chilly at certain patches but amazing beauty all around. We saw a couple of super fit people running downhill and at an amazing good pace which reminded us of the pictures we saw at the cafe at 5th station. 6th station is also the point which you crisscross while descend.
As we moved on, we were greeted with the black sand, rugged terrain and the weather become very cloudy. You can also feel water drops on your face.
Then came the most interesting and daring part of the climb which was straight up and rocky. For a second, I said to myself am I really fit enough for this one but I saw some lovely charming and daring people much younger in age 🙂 and still going up efficiently. So I pilled on the ropes and at times literally flat on my tummy at few patches and started to make my way up.
There you see a beautiful tori gate up next to the small mountain hut where you can replenish water and have something hot. From 6th station to this place can take 30 to 40 mins. The views are mesmerising and it became sunny clearing the clouds and super windy.
There are couple of mountain huts on your way to 7th station where you can take a short break or continue towards 8th station.
The climb from 7th to 8th station is the longest and can take up to 100 mins or more based on your energy level. One of our German colleague was quick as she was recharged well with her on time arrival in Tokyo a day prior and we 3 who just made it for the day after our flight cancellation and were slowly feeling the burnt now. So we slowed down.
The terrain had different surprises on the way and we also did climbed some big boulders. And it was time to take out my warm clothes and woollen cap as the temperature started to drop quite significantly.
It started to get darker and we were a good distance from our stay for that night. One of the things which needs to be pre-booked is your mountain hut where you can take a short nap before making a sunrise ascent, it is highly recommended.
We had to make a significant effort to reach our mountain hut and nearly 30 mins away from our hut we had a breakdown for one of our colleague who felt totally exhausted and sat down. Somehow we managed to boost her and ourselves and gave our body the required push.
We reached our mountain hut around between 8:30 to 9:00 PM and on time for our dinner. They normally do a non veg patty, rice and curry for dinner and can also do a vegetarian curry on prior request. They also serve you a portion of sake (Japanese rice wine) which is a hugely helpful in such a climate and to relax your body.
We stayed at the Original 8th Stn. Tomoekan which is located at an altitude of 3,400 m. For here it takes about 1 hour 30 minutes to reach the summit. The Original 8th Stn. Tomoekan is located at the crossing point of the Yoshidaguchi trail and the Subashiriguchi trail, as well as being the starting and ending point climbing to the summit, therefore, you can leave your luggage and climb back and forth between the summit and our hut. Leaving your luggage back is a big advantage during this trek. There is one more option at 8.5 station but I would recommend staying at 8th station for the right break to your journey and do not stretch your body too much for the first day.
One thing you need to absolutely clear is the quality of Mountain huts on Mt. Fuji. They were originally built as emergency shelters from harsh mountain conditions. All huts offer simple dorm style accommodation where you will be sharing your bed in a communal space. They might try to give a space for 2 and 4 people separately but this is all based on availability at that moment. The huts provide safety and shelter to as many hikers as possible, it is not possible to pay for extra space. The huts provide the essential shelter and food you need to reach Mt. Fuji’s summit.
None of these huts provide a shower facilities to limit the water usage and be mindful of Mt Fuji. However you have toilets, it is important to climb with spare, dry clothes kept in dry bags so you can change before the summit climb. We did the same and this really helped after being wet on the first day.
The night view of the Kanto region, the view of the shadow of Mt. Fuji at dusk, and the view of the sea of clouds from the Original 8th Stn. Tomoekan are superb. It will take about 5-6 hours from the Subaru line 5th Stn. to reach the Original 8th Stn. Tomoekan, therefore, please leave the Subaru line 5th Stn. On time.
While we four hit the bed around 1030 PM, only one of us was sure to start at 2 AM for the submit climb and to see the sunrise. I was 50-50 and the other two were 100% NO.
Summit day
At 1:30 am, people started to move and one of our colleague was up as well. She woke me up and after a sleep of 3 to 4 hours, I said to myself lets give your body the last push and do it. The others joined as well and we all up. This was my first ever hiking and I wanted to see the sunrise from the submit.
We saw a huge trail of headlights down the line and lot of trekkers who stayed at 7th station had already started to make their way up for the sumit. We had an added advantage of nearly 1.5 to 2 hours as we were on 8th station. We started our submit climb at 2:00 or 2:15 am and joined the herd of people making their way up. One of us was already on the move and ahead of us and we 3 musketeers stuck together for the final ascent.
I was so excited to see the rising sun and also be the first one to see that on that given day. Something I can boast for the rest of my life.
Around 4 am we started to see the sky changing its colour with a hint of orange line making its way up. The sunrise was about to happen all the trekkers started to pick up pace for the summit spot.
What we also realised that the place on the top was getting really crowed and we made a wise choice.
We stopped a little before the submit to have the best views and sat down.
The sun never looked so beautiful and I enjoyed every moment of it.
Post the sunrise we made our way up and got a 360 degree view of the lakes, mountains and some snow as well.
We also clicked some amazing pictures and were all smiles and happy with our accomplishment and the effort which went in. Don’t miss the stamped stick in the picture.
You could also choose to go around the crater which is around 3 kms and can take put to 90 mins. We choose to descend down and I was totally aesthetic with the experience and so relieved. So we jumped from a mini rock and I went crashing down.
The descend took less than an hour to reach our 8th station mountain hut to have light snack and you can also drop any garbage here which is rare on this trail. The mountain hut then sends it back to the ground in a structured way. After 30 min break we were all geared up with our bags and looking forward to make our way down.
We also got overexcited with the descend and had our share of slips on the gravel and shared some lighter moments.
The trail is well marked in English and this makes it easier for non Japanese speakers.
You naturally come down much quicker and we were all smiles after we reached the 5th station.
This is also the place for quick bite and the famous black ice cream can really cool you down. We had pre-booked our bus from 5th station to Tokyo for 1:30 PM.
This is one of the lifetime experience which is worth taking once you are in Japan at the right time. I want to close with a pic created with the print out I took along from the day I was planning this trek.
In all sense, this is was an epic trip and we did it.
