In a mere 5 hours, full of shivering, a close mental break-down, and trail-side peeing, I climbed Mt. Fuji…on the last day it was open for the season. It was utterly freezing up top. I spent the better part of two hours hiding behind a broken shed, waiting for the sun to rise, wrapped in the American flag I brought to the top. Determined not to miss the sunset, I cursed my boyfriend’s name every five minutes for making me leave my extra sweater at home. My spare socks were being used as gloves, but I was 50% sure that my fingertips had already gotten frostbite, and were going to fall off anyway. I could feel him shivering violently, pressed against the shed to try and shield the wind, but there was no avail.
We were both so intensely cold, we almost left the mountain without seeing the sunrise, despite having climbed all night to get to the top. “Oh, it’s only supposed to be close to freezing,” I thought sarcastically. “Why would I buy the gloves at the base of the mountain? They were overpriced anyway.” Despite apparent DO NOT ENTER signs, I hid behind a storage shed at the summit, impatiently waiting for the sun to rise. I’d be damned if I wasted 5 hours of climbing, a night of sleep, and a 600-yen dixie cup of tea just to descend early.Â
One of the many Torii that surround the rim
Mistakes were Made
When the highway bus drops you off at Fuji 5th station, DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT start your climb at 8pm. I don’t care how many caffeine pills you may or may not have already consumed; don’t do it. If you do, chances are that you will find yourself in shambles at the top of the mountain like I was: Freezing, miserable, and angry at anything that moved.
- DO start your climb around 10pm.
- DO eat at any of the restaurants around the 5th station area to kill time until you can start climbing.
- Hint:Â If you are cheap like me, there is a rest area just below the round-about, I didn’t see if until after I climbed, but it’s warm, and they have an informative movie about Fuji-San that is actually really interesting.
- DO purchase gloves at the 5th Station if you don’t have any, unless you really like looking like an idiot and wearing socks on your fingers like I did.
Mountains were Climbed
The climb itself was long but fairly easy. The first half hour to mountain hut #6 was probably the hardest for me, as my muscles were slow to warm up. After that, be sure to stop for a few minutes at each hut thereafter for water and a snack. Not only will it keep elevation sickness at bay, it will keep you from being fatigued and will make the climb feel like a breeze. I was so worried about climbing in the dark, but honestly it wasn’t that hard to see with my headlamp. And the view of the city below is worth it! I caught a glimpse of a “hanabi” (firework) show in the distance. Seeing fireworks from above is way cooler than being beneath them.
After the 8th Station,hiking fuji resembles bouldering. The pathway is steeper, marked with a rickety chain. I had to take many breaks to force myself to finish the climb.We summited atthe awful hour of 3:00am. When you make your own climb, check out the Torii at the summit! They have hundreds of Yen coins shoved into the wooden beams. The trek around the crater takes about an hour to walk, and it looks quite alien in the low light. It feels like you can see all of Japan!
The walk/jog/hobble/fall down is frustrating. I was ready to be back at the starting line, but the faster I walked, the more pressure I put on my knees and calves. The descent is the toughest part of the hike. The forest below, Aokihabara,doesn’t nearly look as insidious as it’s reputation holds.
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We had to rock our Seahawks Jerseys!
How to do Fuji on the Cheap
- Purchase bus tickets from Highway Buses. They are cheap for a non-stop ticket to 5th station. Be sure to buya round tripbecause they sell out quickly. Don’t get stranded at 5th station!
- Skip the Mountain Hut: I was on a tight budget to climb Fuji, and chose not to rent a mountain hut. They don’t really provide a quiet night anway, since people come and go at every hour of the night in preparation for the sunrise.
- Rent your gear from Kobe. They deliver it to your hotel. Simply drop it at a “Konbini” (Convenience Store) after. I.E. Family Mart, 711, Lawson, etc.
- I personally think that if you can bring waterproof gear to Japan, do so. I rented boots and headlamps. The boots were worth it ($40 for 2 days). I skipped the “gaitors” and they realliy werent necessary to keep rocks out of my shoes.
- Hiking Poles: I didn’t rent or bring them. They would have been useful to relieve stress on my knees on the way down, but I made it without them just fine.
- Bring an extra lunch. Store it inand your clean clothes ina locker @ 5th station. Everything is pricey up on the mountain, you will be grateful that you don’t have to spend $15 on a bowl of ramen.
Tips
- Elevation sickness: THIS SUCKS. Don’t climb too fast, unless you like feeling like death. I stopped at every mountain hut for a water or snack break to try to prevent this.
- Pack your backpack with water and light-weight snacks: Everything is expensive oneI brought 6 bottles of water and a large gatorade. Don’t bring heavy foods that will make your pack heavy on the climb. I was thankful for the protein powders I brought to mix with the water.
- Caffeinate Up!: Because you will climb over night, Bring some caffeine to take before you start, and another to dose up halfway up the mountain.
- Check the weather before you go. It will be cold, but you might want to bring some extra layers if the wind chill is extreme.
- Bring 3 pairs of socks. I wore 2 ended up needing to put the third on my hands
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