How To Climb Mount Fuji

Above, a shinkansen view of Mount Fuji. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

A confession: I have never climbed Mount Fuji. The highest I've been on the mountain was by bus to one of the Fifth Stations. At my age, I would probably have a coronary if I ever decided to attempt climbing it.

I personally don't know anyone who has climbed Mount Fuji. But, in case someone reading this does want to attempt to scale Japan's highest mountain, Japan Times has posted a comprehensive guide to climbing it.

They begin with:

Mount Fuji. At 3,776 meters high, it’s Japan’s tallest mountain: standalone, vast and beautiful. A little over 100 kilometers southwest of Tokyo, and well connected by public transport to the capital, it is also one of the world’s most popular climbs — in 2018 alone, almost 300,000 people attempted the climb in the summer season. 

Despite the numbers, and the infrastructure that has been built to serve them, the mountain is not without its challenges. Altitude is one of the most significant; there is little chance to acclimatize on the hike and, approaching 4,000 meters in height, the mountain is easily tall enough to induce altitude sickness in even the fittest of climbers. Another is exposure: Above the treeline there is very little shelter, Fuji is so prominent that nothing blocks incoming weather, and conditions can change very quickly. 

However, to summit Mount Fuji is a great challenge, one that should be relished. The view of Japan from the top is unparalleled, especially when sunrise is thrown into the mix. With this guide, you should have an idea of what to expect from the mountain, and what is needed to make a successful summit.

To read the guide, go here.