Shrines with Shinto priests working
Post office with people queuing up at the counter
Restaurants lining the street(?)
Shops selling a variety of goods, including souvenirs
Vending machines (just like convenience stores, they can be found everywhere in Japan!)
Many people gathered at photo spots or waiting in a long line for the toilet
　

Where do you think this is?

Yes, it's the summit of Mt. Fuji, the highest mountain in Japan.

It's a bit like a tourist spot in town, isn't it? This scene is the true reality of the very special mountain, Mt. Fuji, and it can also be said to be related to the attributes of the climbers who visit here.

However, this is just one aspect of Mt. Fuji climbing, and by no means is it the whole story.

So, to realize the experience you are hoping for, you will need to have a solid understanding of the reality of climbing Mt. Fuji.

The conditions for climbing Mt. Fuji are very different between the climbing season (summer) and the off-season (spring, fall, and winter). Here, I will be dealing with the climbing season, which is like the introduction.

Reality 1

The majority of climbers are “beginners” and many of them are “climbing Mt. Fuji for the first time”.

According to a survey conducted by the Ministry of the Environment at the trailheads (in 2010), 1/4 of the respondents said they had no climbing experience and 1/3 said they had little experience. In other words, about 60% of climbers attempting to climb the highest mountain in Japan are “beginners”, which is a unique situation.

And, of course, many people are climbing Mt. Fuji for the first time, accounting for about 2/3 of climbers. Furthermore, if we limit the number of climbers to those of foreign nationality, this figure rises to about 90%.

In a survey conducted this year (2024), the number of first-time climbers of Mt. Fuji remains high, accounting for about 80% of the total.

So, what is the purpose of everyone's first (and probably last) climb up Mt. Fuji?

It's for, literally, “Been There, Done That”.

Here,

• There refers to the summit of Mt. Fuji.

• That refers to the sunrise at the summit.

I think that this is the intention of most people.

But will it really come true as intended?

It depends. It depends primarily on two things.

• Physical strength

• Weather conditions

Reality 2

Make no mistake, climbing Mt. Fuji is a continuous physical (especially leg) exercise that lasts for hours. And what's more, you do it in a low-oxygen environment.

It is an activity of continuously ascending to the summit and descending from the summit on climbing trails (mountain slopes) that are made up of large and small rough stones and rocks, and that are steep and uneven, including steps.

In other words, it is a process of raising and lowering the total weight of your body and your luggage (backpack) by the difference in altitude over the course of the climb.

It is completely different from a leisurely stroll on flat, level ground.

Reality 3

Mountain weather, especially in high mountains like Mt. Fuji, is very different from that of the plains and is often rough or even severe.

In addition to 2, the weather (weather conditions) of Mt. Fuji has a very big (both positive and negative) impact on the experience of climbing Mt. Fuji.

• Weather: very changeable with the following widely varying conditions

Sunny/Cloudy/Fog/Rain/Hail/Sleet/Snow
Lightning: frequent
Winter-like weather is possible even in summer.

• Wind: strong

• Temperature: low

Another characteristic of Mt. Fuji is that the weather varies greatly depending on the side of the mountain (east, west, south or north) and the altitude (such as the middle of the mountain or the peak).

So, don't assume that it's the same as the weather and forecasts for lowland areas, which you're probably used to seeing.

Looking at these realities, it seems that the combination of the attributes of climbers and Mt. Fuji (a very high mountain) is a mismatch.

For people who have no or little real-life experience (Reality 1), it may be difficult to fully recognize Realities 2 and 3, make their own judgments, and deal with them.

This 2024 season, for the first time, climbing restrictions were implemented on the Yoshida Trail, which has the highest number of climbers.

Until now, so-called “bullet climbing”, a type of climbing that is particularly dangerous, has been a problem. It involves setting off from the trailhead the night before and climbing all the way to the summit in the middle of the night in order to see the sunrise from the summit the next morning.

Since climbers who are almost like tourists(?) go up Mt. Fuji with the mindset of a tourist (that is, with the feeling that they are just going to a tourist spot), the risk of accidents and disasters increases.

The regulations were mainly aimed at this bullet climbing and the passage of climbers through the trailhead gate after 4 pm was restricted. As a result, these regulations, which were put in place as a safety measure (to prevent accidents), were effective.

Based on the results of this season at the Yoshida Trail, similar climbing restrictions will be enforced at the remaining three trails on the Shizuoka side (Fujinomiya, Subashiri, and Gotemba Trails) in the 2025 season.

Regardless of whether there are restrictions or not, what can be done to make climbing Mt. Fuji a safer and more satisfying experience?

1. Be well prepared.

2. Do it in a small private party (neither alone nor with a large group).

and

3. In any case, do it under good weather conditions.

There are many climbers who are unaware of the weather conditions ahead as they go mountain climbing, or who don't care about them. Even if you have the physical strength to complete the climb in good weather, it is quite possible that you could find yourself in a difficult or dangerous situation in bad weather, which has a negative impact on both your body and mind.

And in bad weather, visibility is very poor to begin with, so you won't be able to see the magnificent scenery, let alone the sunrise.

The attributes of climbers of Mt. Fuji are probably not going to change in the future.

For most people, climbing Mt. Fuji is a once-in-a-lifetime experiential event that provides an invaluable experience of “the greatest(?!) challenge and sense of achievement in one's life”.

Climbers anticipate a kind of pre-determined outcome, but at the same time, they may also hope to gain their own personal experiences and discoveries.

Going to the summit (a specific spot on Mt. Fuji) is not the only thing that makes up Mt. Fuji climbing. The same can be said about the sunrise at the summit.

“Experiential Discoveries of Mt. Fuji” is the concept behind the Fujisan Curator tours, and the Mt. Fuji climbing tour is the best example of this.

The motives and purposes of climbing Mt. Fuji can be truly diverse. What kind of Mt. Fuji climbing experience are you looking for?

Please feel free to consult with me first.