Climbing Mount Fuji

Mount Fuji is open to climbers on July 1st, and closes at the end of August. The mountain-climbing season, which falls during the summer vacation, attracts mountain climbers from throughout Japan and around the world. As Mount Fuji has been worshipped by Japanese as a sacred peak since antiquity, it is not surprising to find that the summit contains a branch shrine dedicated to the deity worshipped at the Sengen Shrine in Fujinomiya.

Every year more than 300,000 climbers ascend the mountain to worship there. Rituals and ceremonies are performed, including the offering of a giant straw sandal, a ceremony known as the owaraji hono, on the day that the season opens. The huge sandal is roughly twice the height of a person and is dedicated to the branch shrine to pray for a safe ascent of Mount Fuji and for traffic safety.

Mountain climbing routes

The three long-established trails for climbing Mt. Fuji located in Shizuoka prefecture are considered among the finest ways to ascend the mountain. The "Fujinomiya Trail", reached from Fujinomiya Station by bus, takes around 5 hours to reach the peak. The "frontal approach" to the summit affords a spectacular view of Suruga Bay and the Izu peninsula to the south during the entire climb. The Gotemba Trail, which lies on the eastern side of the mountain and is closest to Tokyo, begins at a point about 45 mins. by bus from Gotemba Station. The Subashiri Trail, which begins at the Sengen Shrine in Subashiri is a bus ride from Gotemba. It takes about 4 hours on foot to reach the summit. All three trails are well marked, and simple rustic lodgings are located at each stage of the climb. There are also places to eat and rest along the way. Climbers must wear stout shoes and take warm clothing; even in August as the temperature at the summit averages only around 7 degrees Celcius.

Those who would rather enjoy Mount Fuji in a less strenuous manner can take the Fuji Skyline Road by car or bus to the 5th station, where the Fujinomiya Trail begins (2,000 metres above sea level). The entire road linking Gotemba and Fujinomiya is open from the end of April to mid-December. At the 8th and higher stations, climbers can greet the sunrise (goraiko) between 4:30 and 5:00 a.m.

Mount Fuji can be viewed from a lover altitude, such as at Asagiri Heights, which lies north of Fujinomiya. In addition to a spectacular view of the mountain, the area along the western slope of Mount Fuji offers lots of other delights, such as the 20 metre Shiraito Falls, whose cascading waters are said to resemble white threads. Lake Tanuki, stocked with carp and smelt, is a great place for fishing and camping.

Durring mid-winter, when snow prevents climbing or motoring on Mt. Fuji, visitors are often rewarded by clear, sunny skies, which add to the pleasure of skiing at Nippon Land ski ground or skating at the large open-air Gotemba skating rink.

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