I am planning to hike Mt. Fuji in July once the climbing season opens. I would prefer to make the climb during the day and avoid staying in a mountain hut overnight. My rough plan has been to stay somewhere near Kawaguchiko station, catch the earliest bus to Fuji Subaru 5th station, and then be back to the 5th station before the last bus back to Kawaguchiko station leaves. Going by the 2022 bus schedule on [japan-guide](https://www.japan-guide.com/bus/fuji_season.html), this would give me about 11 hours to complete the hike, which seems reasonable from everything I have read.
I have a couple questions about this plan related to getting to and from the 5th station:
* japan-guide lists the bus schedule for the climbing season as starting July 16, at least for 2022. Does anyone know if this is when I can expect it to start this year?
* Assuming I can’t take the bus, how difficult would it be to arrange for a taxi (or really any other form of transport) to the 5th station and back?
* Even if the busses are running, I know I need to plan for the possibility that I can’t get back to the 5th station before the last bus leaves. Should this happen, is there some alternative way I can get back to Kawaguchiko station? Or would I be stranded on the mountain and facing a 4 hour walk back to my lodging?
Thanks for any help you can offer.
2 comments
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Let me emphasize that: speedracing Mt. Fuji is a good recipe for ending up in a hospital or at the very least in need of serious medical attention. Altitude sickness is a very, very real possibility if you are going straight from sea level to Mt. Fuji height with no period (at least 4-6 hours of adjustment).
> japan-guide lists the bus schedule for the climbing season as starting July 16, at least for 2022. Does anyone know if this is when I can expect it to start this year?
Official announcements will not be made before May. Depth of snow cover and work needed to repair the trails needs to be taken into the account.
> Assuming I can’t take the bus, how difficult would it be to arrange for a taxi (or really any other form of transport) to the 5th station and back?
It’s possible and it will cost about 16,000 JPY.
> Should this happen, is there some alternative way I can get back to Kawaguchiko station?
Cab is the only other option.