Climbing Mt. Fuji ~ 2

This is a continuation of the "Climbing Mt. Fuji" post found HERE. The climb was completed in early September, 2016.

For most travelers, the quintessential image of Japan is Mt. Fuji. This symmetrical mountain rises 3,776 meters (= about 12,388 feet) and has been named a World Heritage Site. For many tourists, climbing Mt. Fuji is a must-do adventure.

There are numerous routes up to the summit: Yoshida, Fujinomiya, Subashiri, and Gotemba. Gotemba is the longest, as it begins at the lowest elevation (1,440 meters), while Yoshida is considered the easiest, and thus, most crowded.

I hiked the Fujinomiya trail which is the shortest and begins at an elevation of 2,400 meters. The trail to the summit is 5.0 kilometers long and information guides state the time to summit is between 5~7 hours. It is very steep in some places and the trail becomes very narrow near the summit; you may have to wait for others to pass by before continuing your climb.

Source: http://www.fujisan-climb.jp/en/trails/fujinomiya.html

As mentioned in the first Mt. Fuji post, it is best to acclimatize yourself to the high elevation by resting at the 5th station for about 40 minutes to 1 hour before beginning the climb. You should be able to hike normally until the 8th station. For me, breathing became difficult and my pace slowed considerably after the 9th station.

Resting on Mt. Fuji.

From the photo above, you can see Mt.Fuji is not like a normal hiking trail. You're walking on volcanic ash which is dusty. The sun is intense and there is no shade, so a large hat is recommended. Whenever you take a rest, be sure not to sit under large rocks, as some have been known to come loose and cause injuries to hikers. If you rest near a mountain hut, most sell snacks and drinks (even beer!) but be warned -- the prices are expensive.

Enjoy the compilation of photos below showing the rising elevation of the trail towards the Mt. Fuji summit. It's a great memory to have your photo taken at the station signs -- I highly recommend it!

Flowers are for privacy & respecting fellow hikers.

It's important to note that the 8th station is the last point for first-aid before reaching the summit. If you or your climbing partners do not feel well, it's advisable to stop at this station and monitor your heart rate & breathing. Some fellow climbers recommend taking aspirin here as headaches are common with the increased elevation.

What kind of gear did I bring on my climb? My 40 liter backpack contained:

• 2 liters of water. I used a bladder bag, which has a hose snaking out for easy, hands-free drinking. I got mine at a Walmart in Canada last summer for about $20 (thanks Jackie!). 
• Some snacks. Light snacks are best. Recommended Japanese snacks: senbei (rice crackers), bread, power bars ~ all can be bought at convenience stores here. 
• A towel. You will sweat. 
• Sunscreen. If you burn easily, this is recommended. 
• Torch/Flashlight/Headlamp. I carried a headlamp as it tends to get dark on the descent ~ especially if you take your time at the summit. 
• A down jacket. I have a special jacket which rolls up into a small bag and weighs only 2 grams. The summit is extremely windy and cold. You really need a warm jacket. 
• Gloves / hat / warm hat. Again the sun and wind are strong on the mountain. These are recommended strongly. 
• 100 yen coins. Toilets on Mt.Fuji are all pay toilets. As you ascend, they get more expensive too. The ones on the summit were 300 yen per use; ones at lower elevations were 100 yen. 

Reaching the summit of Mt. Fuji is like a scene from another planet really. The volcanic crater at the top is a grey mass of crumbing stone. As I climbed on the final day of the hiking season, I even saw ice crystals hanging from inside the crater. Most climbers stop here to get photos, but the true summit is actually another 250 meters further up....

The Japan Meteorological Agency has a weather station at the true summit of Mt. Fuji. This is where you will find the actual summit marker. Usually, there is a line of climbers waiting to have their photo taken here, so that warm jacket will certainly come in handy while waiting! I waited in the line up for about 10 ~ 15 minutes. Getting my photo taken took less than 5 minutes. As a courtesy to other hikers, offer to take the photo of the people waiting behind you in the line; and, when getting your photo taken, try to be as quick as possible so others are not left waiting too long.

The summit marker is quite nice and looks like this:

The marker reads: Japan's highest mountain, Mt. Fuji, 3,776 meters.

From here, you can complete a circuit of the summit. This takes 1 hour of light up and down hiking; however, be warned - it is extremely windy. There were times when the wind was so strong, it was hard to stand upright.

Once you have finished, you can climb down the same route (Fujinomiya) in about 2.5 hours.

In total, I started this climb at 8 AM and finished by 7 PM. I only recommend completing Mt. Fuji in one day for experienced hikers (those who have completed several 10+ hour climbs). Otherwise, please make a reservation at one of the many mountain huts so you can complete the climb in two days, which is much easier on your body. You can reserve space in a mountain hut by accessing the official Mt. Fuji climbing page HERE.

Regardless of what you read, Mt. Fuji is a very challenging mountain. Come well prepared, with enough water and proper gear. Make sure you have some experience or are in good physical condition before attempting this climb. Whenever you start to feel ill, or lightheaded, stop and rest. Altitude sickness is easily cured if you watch for symptoms and go slow.

Mt. Fuji is considered to be an iconic New Year image in Japan. So, I thought it fitting to welcome 2017 with this post.

I hope, if you enjoy climbing as much as I do, you'll attempt this beautiful mountain someday.

Enjoy hiking!

Information: 

Mt. Fuji Official Climbing Site (English)  ~  LINK


Japan National Tourism Office: Guide for climbing Mount Fuji    ~   LINK 

The climb featured in this post was completed on the last official day of the 2016 climbing season: September 10th. The hiking season runs from July 1st ~ September 10th each year. 

Climbing Mt. Fuji

I've been living in Japan for over 10+ years and have never climbed Fuji. I thought it was tacky and unnecessary; Fuji is best viewed from below to see it's iconic symmetrical, upside-down V. On the final day of the official climbing season, I was dragged along by a Fuji-loving-climber, and surprisingly, enjoyed the hike immensely. This post will focus on the start of the route, how you can prepare for the climb, and secret tips from insiders.

Sept. 10, 2016 ~ A perfect day for climbing!

First, for the ascent, my hiking partner and I took the Fujinomiya route. It's the shortest, taking 5~6 hours up and 3 hours down. It's also quite steep, and should be attempted by more experienced hikers as there are tough sections where you have to climb up large boulders using all four limbs. Info pertaining to the Fujinomiya route is HERE and a detailed map is HERE (courtesy of Mt.Fuji Explorer & MTG).




Photos at Fujinomiya 5th station, the starting point:

A quick guide before you start climbing:
- You cannot take a car to the 5th station during the official season as vehicles are banned from the national park. You'll need to take the bus. Return ticket is 1,800 JPY ($18 USD). The bus stop looks like this:

- Buses leave every 10~15 from 5:30 AM. After 8 AM the departure times slow to every 20~30 minutes. Don't worry, it's very well-organized and impossible to get on the wrong bus. Japanese + English signage seen. From the parking area (near American army base Camp Fuji) to Fujinomiya 5th station takes about 15~20 minutes.

- Volunteers will give you a detailed map in English (Chinese & Korean may be available too) before you get on the bus. Study it; it has info about where to seek medical attention + approximate hiking times between each station. You can also make a 1,000 JPY donation to the Mt. Fuji Conservation fund. It goes to trail maintenance and is not compulsory.

- All toilets on Mt.Fuji are "tip toilets", meaning you should donate 100~300 yen per use ($1~$3). The money aids maintenance, cleaning & toilet paper stock. So, bring lot of 100 yen coins before you start the climb. You should pay to use the toilets (at the summit, payment is mandatory).

Cutenekko's finger indexes our starting point!

Climbing tips when you get to Fujinomiya 5th station (2,390 meters): 

- Take 30 minutes to an hour to allow your body to acclimatize to the altitude. Many hikers skip this step and the result may be headaches, shortness of breath, and more. Use the time to eat breakfast, see the souvenirs, or use the toilet. You can also stretch your muscles before the climb.




- There is a large souvenir shop and food + drinks are sold at this station. You can stock up on supplies if you forgot something. Frugal climbers should bring all supplies from outside the Fuji area -- much cheaper!


What to bring: 

I cannot stress this enough: Mt.Fuji is a real mountain, so be sure to bring proper climbing gear. These include:
- solid hiking shoes (sneakers are not recommended) + a sturdy backpack
- a warm jacket or sweater; the summit is about 8 degrees C
- a flashlight (during descent, you'll likely be hiking in darkness)
- sunscreen + a large hat that will not blow off in the wind (it's VERY windy at many points)
- about 2 liters of water for one person
- snacks
- hiking stocks (if you have them, they are useful).

Insider secret tips: 
- Bring  a mask to cover your nose and mouth. Why? Fuji is full of ash, and that stuff blows around getting into your nose, mouth and ears.
- Some people recommend snowboard/ski goggles too, especially for contact lens wearers as the ash particles can easily get into your eyes.


The trail from Fujinomiya 5th to the 6th station (notice the ash!): 

The wide trail on the right is not for hikers -- it's for bulldozers which carry supplies up to the mountain huts.

I'll post more pics of the climb itself + photos of the mountain huts. 

~ Enjoy hiking!

Information: 

The official Japan Tourism Office site for Mt. Fuji is HERE. 

Another great resource for hiking this mountain is Japan-Guide.com's site HERE.

The official climbing season is usually July ~ early September. It is not recommended to hike after October due to heavy winds and snow. 

Mount Kintoki ~ A 2nd Time!

How does one spend X-mas in Japan? Sadly, I cannot afford a plane ticket home, nor do I have much time off for the holidays, so I did what I love most -- headed to the mountains for a climb! Mount Kintoki has been featured on this blog before (see HERE  &  HERE); I gave it another go and enjoyed a special, yet very nontraditional Christmas dinner at the summit.

Please come hiking with me....!

Kintokiyama is located in Hakone area and is famous for its view of Mt. Fuji on a clear day. The hiking route chosen started in a parking lot, just off the main road where a map informed hikers of the routes available. 

Photos: The start of the trail is marked with Kintaro's axe. 

Mt. Kintoki is thought to be the setting of a legendary folk tale in Japan. A boy of great strength named 'Kintaro' (lit. 'Golden Boy') befriended numerous animals in (supposedly) this area and later, slayed a demon (wiki page with more info is HERE) who terrorized those on the mountain. Regardless of the folk story being true or not, it's commonly told to small children in Japan, who view Kintaro as a hero. 

Photo: Only 20 minutes more to summit! 

This mountain is relatively easy to hike, especially for beginners. There is only one section in which you need to climb up a set of steep rocks, next to a tree; however, a rope assists hikers there. 

Photo: At the summit! 

The entire hike to summit takes approximately 1.5 ~ 2.5 hours depending on one's strength. At the top, a mountain hut and coin toilets can be found (cost: 100 yen). There are some picnic tables to rest your feet, but be sure to bring your camera in case of a clear day which will give you beautiful views of Mount Fuji (sadly, on my hiking day the weather was cloudy...). 

Photo: Summit marker

Mount Kintoki reaches 1,212 meters and at the summit marker, hikers can get a photo holding Kintaro's axe! As there were very few hikers on this day, I went overboard and took a lot of photos with the axe....(laugh) 

Photo: That axe was a little heavy...

I mentioned earlier this hike was completed on X-mas day, so I celebrated the occasion with a special dinner at the top ..........Ta-da!

Photo: Merry Christmas to me~!

Thank you Santa.

For those who enjoy the outdoors and don't mind a 2+ hour hike, Mount Kintoki is a lovely spot to visit. On a clear day, close views of Mount Fuji can be seen. 

Enjoy mountains! 

~ Information ~ 

Mount Kintoki (also called Kintokiyama) is located in Hakone, Shizuoka prefecture. English PDF file of various hikes in the area is HERE. English info is HERE. 

Access: 

Okakyu Romance Car from Shinjuku station to Hakone-Yumoto station. Change to a bus -- use platform #3 -- the "Togendai Line" route (exiting the station, it's across the street on your left). Ride for about 20 minutes. This route will be a little expensive due to the express train fare.

Romance Car info is HERE.

OR

Take an Odakyu bus from Shinjuku and get off at Kintoki-tozanguchi bus stop. It takes about 2 hours one way and costs about 2,000 yen ($20). 

Odakyu highway bus info is HERE.

Bring: 

Good hiking boots or solid sneakers, a warm jacket as the summit is windy, a camera, water and lunch or snacks. No burners are allowed at the top due to the bio-toilets. 

Hiking time: 

Round trip is approximately 4 hours. 

Special Bonus:

Madonna visited to Japan and I managed to snag a ticket to her "Rebel Heart" tour which was held at Saitama Arena on Feb.13th. With thanks from my friend in Chiba, and a radio station supporting the tour, my seat turned out to be an awesome one -- right on floor, two seats away from the end of the runway, which jutted out from the main stage. Woo! I didn't take many photos, because I wanted to enjoy the concert and dance till my little booty shook no more. 

My two photos to share: Cutenekko waits for Madonna / Madonna points to my butterflies.

   

Madonna was actually really funny during this concert. She bantered with the crowd and chatted quite a bit. This point surprised me most. I heard Radiohead will come to Japan to participate in this year's FujiRock festival. I wish I could go!