Hello everyone! I was wondering if anyone has tips on hiking Mt. Fuji or something they wish they did last time when they did it.
I am an intermediate hiker. I have all the gear except for hiking boots (hoping to rent from somewhere) and poles. I’m planning on bringing lots of layers (I know it is cold at the top). Also, I plan on taking the train there for 5pm ish hiking at night, then training the following morning back home.
Thank you!!
41 comments
The train doesn’t go up Mt Fuji, a bus does. You can catch the buses easily from Shinjuku station. Also, it’s going to be very crowded this time of year. So be prepared to basically stand in line while going up.
Bring your own supplies, they’re expensive on the mountain. Bring coins, the toilets are not free.
Good luck! I’m going next month. My friend went last weekend and gave me this advice;
Wear gloves for sharp rocks. Take at your own pace, altitude sickness is no joke. Sleep at one of the rest points. Sunscreen for the morning after
I climbed in 1985 and again in 2019.
I am in my mid 50s, out of shape, and have stage 4 metastatic cancer which is why i am so out of shape. My son and I climbed together. I felt like the beginning was the hardest part. I had 5 bottles of water and other stuff, but was weighed down by it. I climbed in my street shoes, jeans, and a light rain jacket. I did toss the shoes later.
My tips:
1) bring 1 bottle of water and buy more along the way. There are shops (stations)
2) Wind breaker/rain jacket. Coat if you are cold natured. It does get very cold even when it is 100 degrees down at the bottom.
3) bring some coins to pay for toilet. It gets more expensive as you get higher.
4) Buy the Fuju walking stick and bring money to get the stamps burned in as to climb. Nice souvenir.
5) flash light
6) Do not buy oxygen. My son got altitude sickness, but the oxygen tank probably would not have helped. Me, the mid 50s cancer patient didn’t get sick. Oxygen is a scam.
Some people hike from like 10pm to sunrise and some stay at a station near the top. The station that we slept at was cold and bedding was very damp and the guys next to us were snoring. We got no sleep. I had paid for private(ish) bunk, but it was taken when we got there. You want to patronize the shops on the way up. It is how these guys make a living.
I would not say that this was easy by any means, but I am NOT a hiker and I did it. The trail can get crowded, so be careful. Damn tourists! Ha ha. The walk down is not easy. Loose lava rock. Did I say that the walk down is not easy?
I cannot wait to try it again. I am sicker these days, but willing to try again.
A wise man climbs Fujisan once. A fool climbs twice. Not sure what a third time says.
You need the bus from Shinjuku.
I hiked from the bottom and camped on the mountain below stage 5 parking in 2006. It was great but pretty brutal to get to submit and back to the car in one day. Personally hiking to see the sunrise seems like a waste of time a d just means you’ll be in with bigger crowds.
One thing I would suggest are some simple gaiters or an old pair of socks that you can cut open. Then you can use these to keep rocks and sand out of your boots as you run down through some loose gravel/sand
I’ve climbed it 10 times while I was living there. Not a pro but can offer a few tips.
1. Stay hydrated!
2. Cover your skin. Really easy to get sunburned during the day. Since you’re hiking at night you should be good.
3. Stay on the paths. They are maintained and do have chains to grab onto. Some spots you will need to use your hands and feet.
4. It can be hot and COLD. I always liked the hiking pants with zippers at the knee. Gives you options. Sounds like you have it covered.
5. Bring something for headaches and general aches and pains. It’s going to hurt. Plan on taking the next day off to recover.
6. Leggings. These will cover your ankles to prevent rocks from getting into your boots. The straps on those will wear out. Bring spares.
7. I tried the Mt. hiking stick. Noisy bell and really hard to use on the way down. It’s a good souvenir. I do have one. Make sure you get the stamps at every station. I liked using ski poles. Easy on the hands and you can use your palms on the tops to help on the way down. I use to get blisters depending on how I held the poles. Band-Aids helped. Really helps on the knees.
8. Bring lots of light. If I had LED poles back in the day it would have really helped.
9. Remember what you trail name is. You can go up and end up in a different prefecture. Bring a map! The trails do switch over. The trail up and down are different paths.
10. Taking a picture at sunrise is pretty cool. My first hike was the night hike. I was soooo tired!
11. If you have the energy and if weather permits, you can hike around the top all the way around. There’s a post office up there too. The tallest spot in Japan is the tower opposite of Station 10. Really good view. On the hike around, I enjoyed watching the clouds wrap around the mountain.
12. Cell service. Spotty at best.
why not join an organized group? less risk and they’ll probably take you through a less crowded route.
Altitude sickness can affect anyone, I went with a group of friends and despite being the only one that trained, I got hit the hardest.
I’ve climbed higher peaks, but generally as part of a multi day trip, with the surrounding towns already up in elevation. For Fuji esp from Tokyo you’re starting from sea level and immediately going up hundreds of meters after riding the bus before the hike and before you’ve had the chance to acclimate.
The hike itself wasn’t too difficult, but next time I’m definitely reserving a nice mountain hut, arriving early afternoon, and getting some proper rest time.
I wish I’d brought some painkillers. I was fine oxygen wise, but I didn’t anticipate severe altitude sickness.
https://www.reddit.com/r/japanlife/comments/uvy0mt/advice_on_climbing_fuji_to_see_sunrise/
https://www.reddit.com/r/japanlife/comments/p74hbx/climbing_mount_fuji_by_myself/
https://www.reddit.com/r/japanlife/comments/4wpgpr/what_are_the_bare_necessities_for_climbing_mtfuji/
I hiked in a pair of low top sneakers, this was a **MISTAKE**. This was fine going up. Going back down the sharp little volcanic rocks got into the shoes and my feet got cut to shreds not to mention having to stop every couple of hundred meters to clean my shoes out.
High top sneakers should be fine – something that seals around your ankle so you don’t get rocks in your shoes.
Other than that remember that you’ll be drinking the water on your way up so don’t worry to much about the weight of it (it’ll be going inside and then outside again).
Bring some cash there is a restaurant to have your top of Japan ramen and a post office and some very expensive vending machines for restocking.
I highly recommend gloves and a wind/rain shell. Mechanix and Montbell worked well for me, respectively.
I got gnarly pneumonia from doing it in the rain, plus sleeping in one of those crowded huts and (not) sleeping on the night bus.
Take care of yourself and drink water, you’ll be fine.
This is a very helpful website: https://www.garyjwolff.com/climbing-mt-fuji.html
Good luck with your climb!
It’s not a difficult climb by any means (altitude sickness aside), but you’ll be glad of preparing a few common-sense things for it.
* Hiking boots are a must, IMO. You do see people in trainers and even sandals on the mountain. Aside from the significantly higher risk of dumb injuries like twisted ankles, those people are going to have a *miserable* time on the way back down, which is a descent through slope after slope of deep ash and fine, sharp scree. Boots that seal or can be pulled tight at the top, and support your ankles, will make this much more tolerable.
* Have a few layers of light clothing. You know this already as a hiker, but the temperature differential between sea level and the summit is likely more intense than you’ve experienced before. You’ll likely leave Tokyo in ~35 C heat and be down to almost zero at the summit before dawn. Also, a light waterproof layer in your backpack could be a lifesaver – it can rain hard on Fuji’s slopes even when there’s no rain on the forecast for the surrounding area.
* Beyond that, don’t over-pack – you don’t need advanced hiking stuff. Trekking poles are strictly optional (going back to the first point, I saw a kid going up the mountain with her parents in a pair of Donald Duck plastic sandals – you don’t need your full hiking gear load-out).
* Bring your own snacks and drinks – they’re very expensive at the mountain huts – and make sure you have coins for stuff like toilets. (Also, you may well be grateful for a pack of toilet wet wipes.)
* The sun was strong on the upper slopes from a very early point after dawn – if you’re hiking through the night, bring sunscreen to apply for the way down.
* Speaking of, hiking through the night is a pretty reasonable way to do it IMO, even if the usually recommended way is to hike most of the way during the day, stay for a few hours at a mountain hut and finish the climb before dawn. When I did it, I booked at one of the mountain huts not quite realising how impossible it would be to sleep at that altitude, especially in a room full of other people all having similar breathing problems. If I did it again (which I won’t, see below), I’d probably do it your way.
Finally… IMO, it’s important to temper your expectations. As someone who really enjoys hiking, I honestly did not enjoy Fuji – I didn’t find it technically difficult (I didn’t get altitude sickness), but it was fairly unpleasant in many regards. It’s generally pretty boring and repetitive visually (above the fifth station it’s essentially just ash and scree), the trails are so busy that in later stages you’re essentially in a slow-moving queue up the mountain (and at the end you’ll be dodging around puddles of puke from people with altitude sickness), the descent down slopes of fine ash isn’t much fun at all, and… well, this is a personal thing, but while I was happy to be able to sit somewhere warm and eat some noodles, I also felt like the presence of shops and vending machines at the summit made reaching the top feel very anti-climactic. YMMV; when we got to the top it was cloudy and we couldn’t see the dawn or the view properly, and maybe I’d feel like the whole thing was more magical and worthwhile if that had been different. As it is, I’m glad I did it, but it mostly feels like I ticked a box and have no reason to repeat the experience. I think if you come to it with low expectations (especially compared to some of the other amazing, beautiful hiking trails you can do in Japan), you’ll be in a better place to appreciate the experience for what it is.
Oh, one final thing! If you get the bus back to Kawaguchiko from the fifth station after you finish the descent, it’s pretty quick to hop in a taxi and get it to bring you to the large onsen just outside Fuji-kyu Highland. That was a pretty good way to wash off the mountain ash, relax and unwind a bit before taking the train back to Tokyo.
It took me 6 hours up and 4 hours to go down. Good supportive boots are a must since you’ll be walking in loose rocks the entire way. Bring water and some snacks. The thing that really saved me was hiking poles.
Sunscreen at the peak is a must
My piece of advice: don’t try to hike during a typhoon. It isn’t fun and you won’t get far.
Try to go during weekdays or at the end of the season. We went during September 1st week last year and not many people(Although there is a light layer of snow around 50m below the peak). Gloves to use while climbing up as rocks are sharp in some areas. I used running shoes and didn’t have any issues, just cover the shoes to avoid any stones getting into it while coming down.
This may seem obvious, but avoid alcohol.
On my second climb up Fuji I got cocky and made the mistake of having a couple of beers when I checked in at the sleep shelter on the eighth step, not considering the effect the lower oxygen and dehydration from the climb would have on me. What resulted was one of the worst hangovers of my life. I was in such bad shape that I couldn’t even really enjoy the top of the mountain.
Edit: Also, having poles really helps on the way down the mountain. It’s steep and VERY gravelly, so it’s really easy to lose your footing. Having poles helped tremendously.
I climbed 4 years ago. I had brought 2 2 liter bottles from the local supermarket. I only used one of them. I ended up carrying one of the 2 liter bottles all the way up and back down.
Did it all one one day. Water resistant pants with the vents helps much when walking through clouds or in the rain. Dress in layers with a water resistant wind breaker is important. Comfortable boots and bring a ukulele. I met others with instruments and we had a good time jamming. Ukulele does not require blowing so it is easier to play while hiking and it is small enough to be a out of the way on more difficult bits.
I wish I hadn’t gone for dawn. It’s incredibly crowded. Much better to climb during the daytime.
Maybe I was young and dumb but I’ve climbed Fuji twice, and all I had both times were nike shoes, cargo pants, a nice jacket for the top, some water, and my camera.
Maybe my Canadian upbringing prepared me for the summit but it was only around 6 degrees C or so at the top.
The walk is a cinch, even for someone who had *never* climbed a mountain before like me. I even did the entire climb throughout the night without a light because the moon was so bright. Going down wasn’t particularly gruelling, either, it just took awhile. Probably nearly twice as long as the journey up.
Honestly, if you prepared like all the Japanese people I saw climbing along with me, there shouldn’t be any problems whatsoever if you relatively fit. Only thing I’d change from my two woefully ill-prepared treks is dressing a little more stylishly because I kinda looked like a scrub.
[This was what I had on from start to top.](https://imgur.com/2OCJ3lw)
[Try and leave so you arrive at the top with enough time to get a good position to see the sunrise.](https://imgur.com/9SEYA1i)
I hiked a few weeks ago with Fuji Mountain Guides. I’d recommend it if you’re willing to fork over the money and if you don’t want to deal with planning/organizing.
If the weather is good, you can do it easily in casual clothes. If the weather is bad, you’ll wish you had proper hiking gear – the essentials are hiking boots, full rain gear, a couple of layers, some snacks and water, and a torch/head lamp. Sleeping in the mountain huts didn’t feel necessary for us.
The hike itself is kinda easy but very long and a bit boring. The hike down is incredibly boring and monotonous. But the view at the top (if the weather is clear) is just about worth it.
I’ve heard there’s lots of gravelly ash. Gaiters will keep the grit out of your shoes.
From what I’ve heard about Fuji, I’d much rather climb a less crowded mountain, and you’re spoiled for choice in Japan.
I hiked at night to get the sunrise at the top.
If I were to do it again, I would probably book a night at one of the shelters near the top to do the same. I don’t know the price but going down without any sleep was brutal.
I didn’t particularly enjoy hiking Fuji so I’ll probably never do it again. It’s a good one time experience though!
Make sure you have decent hiking shoes and I would recommend a hiking pole/poles. Although it’s probably not the most difficult hike, the ground is pretty loose and gravelly so it can be slippery, especially in the way down.
Other than that, make sure you have enough warm clothing, I underestimated how cold it would be at the summit. We also packed a few bottles of water and some snacks.
We hiked from the afternoon and then stayed at the 8th or 9th station for a nap, then started hiking again around midnight in time to see the sunrise.
The sunrise and view from the top are absolutely beautiful so I hope you enjoy it!
Just went there last week (the weather was a disaster so im planning on doing it again)
If you are intermediate hiker you shouldnt have any problem.
I’m not and we went slow but steady and it was relatively easy.
I rent some stuff from Yamarent (they have a store in shinjuku to pick up your stuff before the hike and return just after, if you speak japanese try to the japanese website, the price were different)
• stay at 5th station for one hour
• take an ibuprofen before you start
• go slow if you climb by night you have plenty of time. (Started at 8PM, with a lot of break and really awful weather was at the top around 3AM)
• take plenty of water (2L+) and lot of snacks (carbs are you friends)
• poles are really nice, help me a lot but im not intermediate
• we got oxygen but didnt use it because we were never out of breath (slow hike)
• for the weather : https://tenkura.n-kishou.co.jp/tk/kanko/kad.html?code=19150004&type=15 (we try an english site and it seemed ok but most people didnt get to the top because of the weather)
• coins for toilet
• if you can try going during the week as it is less crowded we did thursday/friday and not so many people 🙂
Besides the usual sensible stuff, don’t forget to bring sunscreen for the trip down. If it’s a clear day you’re going to get burned. Also bring a bandanna or something to keep the dust out of your face on the way down together with sunglasses.
If possible, be flexible with the date of your hike so you can target a good-weather day. It pretty much sucks to do in the rain and clouds.
Unless you’re a professional hiker (is that a thing?) you’ll be using and abusing muscles in unusual ways, so take some ibuprofen before, during, and after the hike in order to help with the inevitable soreness.
This sounds dumb, but bring some duct tape and before you start down the mountain, duct tape your pants (preferably outer-shell cheapo rain pants) to the top of your hiking boots (creating a seal). Do it right and you’ll be the only one not stopping to fish volcanic scree out of your socks periodically. That stuff is murder on the feet. Looking kinda weird is worth avoiding that fate.
If you start feeling weird while hiking don’t push through it. Take a pause, drink some water (preferably with some aquarius powder in it for electrolytes), have a caloriemate, and just give your body some time. Odds are you feel better and continue. If you feel worse, turn around.
Somebody else mentioned it, but I’ll reiterate — onsen after is heaven.
Try to find if there’s any brace or device to make it not hell on your knees and corresponding muscles when you’re coming back down. That was the worst part, I’m sure some low tech solution exists, I just don’t know what it is.
I did it 30 years, off season, in regular shores, with no food or water. Don’t do that, would be my principal recommendation.
You CAN start via train, it’s much harder/time-consuming but a better experience.
I did it back in 2014 with two others. We started at Mt.Fuji Station and walked to 大塚丘.From there you can start on the Yoshida Trail. Takes about 5 ish hours to make it up to the new 5th station where the busses take you. Along that way, you’ll see the 1st and 2nd stations along with the old 5th station. The hike isn’t too challenging but it’s an actual trail and not some paved path like it will be from the new 5th station to the top. You can even plan a stop in at a tea house. I really recommend starting here since you’re at the intermediate level.
You could eat lunch in the town then grab dinner at the new 5th station, then head up for your night hike.
We did breakfast, then lunch. When we got to the top we took a nap until morning, outside under the stars. If you do bring gloves, and a hat to keep you warm. Catch the sunrise then jog down, just be careful going down, it’s very easy to pick up a lot of speed heading down. From there you can take the bus back to Shinjuku or, head back down the Yoshida trail. We just took the bus and slept on the way back.
We had a lot of fun doing it this way, and honestly from what the others are saying it felt more rewarding as well. We only saw 4 people until we go to the new 5th station. So I’d really recommend it.
As for gear you should know all the basics. But bring some money for food, and others needs.
All in all it’s about 30k hike
Err on the side of being cooler and don’t bring too much water.
First time I went I had like 6L of water and way too many layers, the combination of which made me sweat profusely up the first half and freeze in said sweat at the top while waiting about two hours for dawn to arrive.
I wouldn’t layer or over pack. A good windbreaker is what you need and maybe a long sleeve thermal.
I just did it in July and enjoyed it. Bring yen for the stamps on your hiking stick it’s worth it as a memento. Depending on how much you sweat, a change of clothes may be worthwhile.
Have fun, hydrate and be safe!
Mt. Fuji was the first mountain I ever climbed. Had zero gear and a backpack full of garbage. If it wasn’t for the fact there was a typhoon, I think it would’ve been pretty chill. Since you have your gear sorted, make sure you bring plenty of water and food. It’s hella expensive on the mountain. Also bring cash since card is not accepted anywhere. Lastly, make sure you understand how you will get to the starting point and how to get back home. Good luck and enjoy.
FYI – It isn’t a particularly nice hike compared to other famous mountains in Japan though I didn’t do the sunset which might have been nice. However, it was a very fun trip.
I think I had a small 14L backpack with build in 3L camelback thing. A few SIS energy bars you would take cycling. Had hiking shoes, gym clothes, a thin wool underlayer if I got cold. Took my wet weather cycling shell and and cycling pants because they are really light and pack into a small pocket. I am sure there are hiking or running versions which are the same. But best bring something warm and waterproof just in case.
Most of my bag was filled with cans of beers.
We jogged up for a lot of it which is easy enough with route we took. Well maintained, wide, gradient was fine. There was a section over rocks you had to clamour over which gets slippery when wet and closer you get to the top, harder it is to keep good footing if going fast and it is busy.
We rested at the top, had some beers and then walked back down finishing them getting drunker. Were well drunk by time we got to the onsen we went to after. Which I recommend.
The areas around Fuji is nice to walk around. Lots of peaceful forest walks and pretty lakes for hangover people.
If you would like a hydration secret that helps prevent altitude sickness. I recommend about 1-1.5 liters of sports drink with 3-4 grams of salt added to it. You can add it a gram at a time and find your tolerance for taste but 3-4 was the effective dose in studies. If you are staying at one of the lower huts drink it right when you wake up before you start the rest of the ascent. If not drink and hour before you start. Then continue to drink water with electrolytes as you go up.
As you go up in elevation your blood plasma volume decreases causing headaches, nausea, and lose in performance but if you salt load with water before you go up, it will raise your blood plasma volume so as you go up you will have less of that volume loss overall and lowering the chances of getting the things that come with volume loss.
Just hiked Mt.Fuji once with friends.
We took the bus from Shinjuku station and it left us super close. We hiked at night so we could see the sunrise.
I was out of shape back then, so the beginning of the trail was hell for me. If you hike at night, dons forget a head lamp. We brought oxygen with us, but it we didn’t need it.
The higher you go the darker it gets and even in the most dangerous areas, you don’t have any security or support measures (at least when I went almost 7 years ago). I stayed at station 8 something, and it still was a great view.
Take into account that the peak is so so so small that it doesn’t fit everyone and there is a line to get there from the station below. Saw pics my friends who made it there took, and it looks scary af. Super tiny trail where only one person fits and no security whatsoever…
Bring gaiters for in the way down. Go 1 week after they “close,” might have to take a taxi to the start and there will be less climbing stations open but there will be almost no people besides locals.
Wear proper hiking shoes.
Might be a different for others but I brought two seats of headgear: a bucket hat for the sun and rain and a beanie when it’s too cold up top. Sure, it was added weight, but I was glad I brought them.
I was also glad I brought oxyfen but I didn’t use it for me at all. My boyfriend had a bad case of altitude sickness and he used up his and lucky that I had mine as his extra. Up there they sell oxygen canisters for quite an expensive price.
Also bring a fresh changes of clothes with you on the hike and also leave some clothes in the locker at 5th to use once you’re back down and done. Better if these clothes are moisture-wicking and breathable.
I didn’t like how I smelled that time and boy was I glad that I was able to change out of them.
Bring a decent pair of gloves. There’s some parts that require using your hands.
I found those leather work/gardening gloves did the job well; kept my hands warm and were tough enough for the rocks.