Mount Fuji

100km (62 miles) SW of Tokyo

Mount Fuji, affectionately called "Fuji-san" by the Japanese, has been revered since ancient times. Throughout the centuries Japanese poets have written about it, painters have painted it, pilgrims have flocked to it, and more than a few people have died on it. Without a doubt, this mountain has been photographed more than anything else in Japan.

Mount Fuji is stunningly impressive. At 3,716m (12,388 ft.), it's the tallest mountain in Japan, towering far above anything else around it -- a cone of almost perfectly symmetrical proportions. It is majestic, grand, and awe-inspiring. To the Japanese it symbolizes the very spirit of their country. Though it's visible on clear days (mostly in winter) from as far away as 161km (100 miles), Fuji-san is, unfortunately, almost always cloaked in clouds. If you catch a glimpse of this mighty mountain, consider yourself extremely lucky. One of the best spots for views of Mount Fuji is Hakone .

Essentials

There are six ascents to the summit of Mount Fuji (and six descents), each divided into 10 stages of unequal length, with most climbs starting at the Go-go-me, or the 5th Stage. From Tokyo, Kawaguchiko Trail is the most popular and most easily accessible, as well as the least steep. Although the "official" climbing season is from mid-July to the end of August, you can climb Mount Fuji April through October, weather permitting.

Getting There -- The easiest way to reach Kawaguchiko Trail's 5th Stage is by bus from Shinjuku Station; most trips require a change of buses at Kawaguchiko Station. There are some 13 buses a day in operation between Shinjuku and Kawaguchiko Station from mid-July to the end of August, with less frequent service April through mid-July and September through October. The bus ride from Shinjuku Station, with departures a 2-minute walk from the west side of the station in front of the Yasuda Seimi no. 2 Building at bus platform no. 50, takes about 1 hour and 45 minutes and costs ¥1,700 ($16) one-way to Kawaguchiko Station. Note that you must make a reservation for this bus through Keio Kosoku Bus Yoyaku Center (tel. 03/5376-2222) or a travel agency such as JTB. Less frequent buses depart from Tokyo Station's Yaesu south exit for the same price.

From Kawaguchiko Station there are buses onward to the 5th Stage, with the trip taking approximately 45 minutes and costing another ¥1,700 ($16). During the official climbing season, a handful of buses travel directly from Shinjuku Station to Kawaguchiko Trail's 5th Stage, costing ¥2,600 ($25) one-way and taking almost 2 1/2 hours. Note that bus service is suspended in winter, when Mount Fuji is blanketed in snow and is considered too dangerous for novice climbers. Otherwise, buses generally run April through October to the 5th Stage unless there is inclement weather (including snow), though they run far less frequently than during the official season.

If you want to use your Japan Rail Pass, you can leave from Tokyo's Shinjuku Station via the JR Chuo Line to Otsuki, where you change to the Fuji Kyuko Line for Kawaguchiko Station (note, however, that you must pay an extra ¥1,100/$10 for the last leg of the journey). The entire trip takes more than 2 hours. From Kawaguchiko Station, you can then take the 45-minute bus ride onward to the 5th Stage.

Visitor Information -- More information and train and bus schedules can be obtained from the Tokyo Tourist Information Center, including a leaflet called "Mount Fuji and Fuji Five Lakes."

Climbing Mount Fuji

Mount Fuji is part of a larger national park called Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park. Of the handful of trails leading to the top, most popular for Tokyoites is the Kawaguchiko Trail, which is divided into 10 different stages; the 5th Stage, located about 2,475m (8,250 ft.) up and served by bus, is the usual starting point. From here it takes about 6 hours to reach the summit and 3 hours for the descent.

Preparing For Your Climb -- You don't need climbing experience to ascend Mount Fuji (you'll see everyone from grandmothers to children making the pilgrimage), but you do need stamina and a good pair of walking shoes. The climb is possible in tennis shoes, but if the rocks are wet, they can get awfully slippery. You should also bring a light plastic raincoat (which you can buy at souvenir shops at the 5th Stage) since it often rains on the mountain, a sun hat, a bottle of water, a sweater for the evening, and a flashlight if you plan on hiking at night. It gets very chilly on Mount Fuji at night. Even in August, the average temperature on the summit is 43°F (6°C).

Because of snow and inclement weather from fall through late spring, the best time to make an ascent is during the "official" climbing season from mid-July to August 31. This is also when buses run most frequently. However, it's the most crowded time of the year. Consider the fact that there are more than 120 million Japanese, most of whom wouldn't dream of climbing the mountain outside the "official" 1 1/2 months it's open, and you begin to get the picture. About 600,000 people climb Fuji-san every year, mostly in July and August and mostly on weekends -- so if you plan on climbing Mount Fuji on a Saturday or a Sunday in summer, go to the end of the line, please.

Don't be disappointed when your bus deposits you at Kawaguchiko 5th Stage, where you'll be bombarded with souvenir shops, restaurants, and busloads of tourists; most of these tourists aren't climbing to the top. As soon as you get past them and the blaring loudspeakers, you'll find yourself on a steep rocky path, surrounded only by scrub brush and the hikers on the path below and above you. After a couple hours, you'll probably find yourself above the roiling clouds, which stretch in all directions. It will be as if you are on an island, barren and rocky, in the middle of an ocean.

Strategies For Climbing to the Top -- The usual procedure for climbing Mount Fuji is to take a morning bus, start climbing in early afternoon, spend the night near the summit, get up early in the morning to climb the rest of the way to the top, and then watch the sun rise (about 4:30am) from atop Mount Fuji. (You can, of course, also wake up in time to see the sun rise and then continue climbing.) At the summit is a 1-hour hiking trail that circles the crater. Hikers then begin the descent, reaching the 5th Stage about noon.

There are about 20 mountain huts along the Kawaguchiko Trail above the 5th Stage, but they're very primitive, providing only a futon and toilet facilities. Some have the capacity to house 500 hikers. The cost is ¥5,250 ($50) per person without meals, ¥7,350 ($70) with meals. When I stayed in one of these huts, dinner consisted of dried fish, rice, bean-paste soup, and pickled vegetables; breakfast was exactly the same. Still, unless you want to carry your own food, I'd opt for the meals. Note that huts are open only in July and August; book as early as you can to ensure a place. I recommend Toyokan Hut at the 7th Stage (tel. 0555/22-1040); or Taishikan Hut at the 8th Stage (tel. 0555/22-1947). Call the Japanese Inn Union of Mount Fuji at tel. 0555/22-1944 for more information.

In the past few decades, there's been a trend in which climbers arrive at the 5th Stage late in the evening and then climb to the top during the night with the aid of flashlights. After watching the sunrise, they then make their descent. That way, they don't have to spend the night in one of the huts.

Climbing Mount Fuji is definitely a unique experience, but there's a saying in Japan: "Everyone should climb Mount Fuji once; only a fool would climb it twice."

Mount Fuji or Bust -- The first documented case of someone scaling Mount Fuji is from the early 8th century. During the Edo Period, pilgrimages to the top were considered a purifying ritual, with strict rules governing dress and route. Women, thought to defile sacred places, were prohibited from climbing mountains until 1871.