Mt Fuji: The Peak Of My Japanese Adventure

It was an early winter morning and I was very excited for two reasons. Firstly, because I was travelling from Tokyo to Osaka in the Shinkansen, the famous Japanese bullet train, for the first time in my life. Secondly, my dad had managed to make sure that we got a seat on the right side of the train. Why was I so excited about sitting on this particular side? Because if you are going from Tokyo towards Kyoto or Osaka in the bullet train, you get to see the stunning symbol of Japan, Mount Fuji, on your right.

And there it was, about 40 to 45 minutes into our journey, around the Shin-Fuji Station - the perfectly conical snow-capped beauty! Every bit as picturesque as described by so many poets and artists, Mount Fuji has rightfully featured in Japanese literature through the ages. It is also one of its three holy mountains along with Mount Tate and Mount Haku. It’s really no wonder that it was added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List as a Cultural Site on 22^nd June, 2013.

Where is Mount Fuji?

Mount Fuji, the highest mountain in Japan at 12,389 feet, is located on Honshu Island. It is about 100 kilometres south-west of Tokyo, and can be spotted from the city on a clear day. But generally speaking, visibility is much better in winters than in summers, and in the early morning or late evening than mid-day. Mount Fuji is an active volcano, but it last erupted long ago in 1708.

Now I knew all these quick facts about Mount Fuji before I even started planning my trip to Japan. But one thing I did not know was that the sacred summit was forbidden to women until the Meiji Era, which roughly dates up to late 19^th century. Fortunately, that’s not the case anymore and I could go back to climb up this historic peak.

Climbing Mount Fuji

There is a popular Japanese proverb, which says, “A wise man will climb Mount Fuji once; a fool will climb Mount Fuji twice.” Not surprisingly, there are many wise Japanese as well as foreign tourists who come specially to hike up the mountain from all over the world.

The route is split into ten stations, with the first one at the foot of the mountain and the tenth right at the summit. You can drive up or take a bus up to the fifth station after which you have to start trekking. There are four 5^th stations on different sides of the mountain - one the most popular trails is the Yoshida Guchi trail, which goes from the Kawaguchiko Gogome 5^th station to the summit. While many people would tell you that it takes roughly six hours to ascend and three hours to come down, I would recommend that because of the high altitude and weather conditions, keep a margin of about eight to nine hours for the climb up and don’t underestimate the descent.

You will have to take breaks in between to let your body adjust to the changing altitude and there are a number of mountain huts at various stations where you can rest for some time, but they tend to sell out fast so it’s better to book in advance. Also, there are a number of shops on the way that will sell basic stuff like water, medical supplies, instant noodles and coffee but of course the higher you go, the higher the cost.

Sunrise at Mount Fuji

Japan is called the ‘Land of The Rising Sun’ so it’s only natural that the sunrise from Mount Fuji is believed to be one of the most breathtaking and a lot of hikers armed with their hiking sticks and head lamps climb the final track at night so they can reach the summit in time to see the sun rise. Watching the sun peep over a blanket of clouds is the stuff magic is made of. But if you aren’t very confident climbing in the dark, don’t stress, the view is really beautiful in the day as well.

What is the best time to climb Mount Fuji?

The official climbing season for Mount Fuji is between July and August because the weather is pleasant, it’s usually free of snow, and there are plenty of options in terms of public transport and other facilities. Just keep in mind that vacations in school last from around 20^th July to the end of August, which means that the crowds are particularly dense and you might have to queue up at various points. Also the Obon Week in mid-August, is extremely popular for climbing and weekends are obviously more crowded than weekdays.

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But don’t worry too much about the crowds because part of the fun in climbing the mountain is the friends that you make on the way. One of the most heartwarming sights is that of people from all over the world, across age groups encouraging each other to climb that last leg. One of the words you’ll keep hearing over and over along your way is Ganbatte. It means do your best!