What’s it really like to climb Mt Fuji?

One climber reveals the key to climbing Mt Fuji successfully might be to do it more than once.

Mt Fuji is famous for being Japan’s highest peak, and every year approximately 200-300,000 people climb it during the July-September climbing season.

Our reporter Udonko is one of the thousands who’ve climbed it, and she has a particularly impressive climbing record, having reached the summit three years in a row when she took part in her school’s “Mt Fuji climbing training camp” as a member of the track club in junior high.

Now, with the official climbing season done and dusted for another year, she’d like to share her experiences of climbing Mt Fuji, in the hopes that it will be helpful for those thinking of attempting it next year. One question she often gets asked is what it’s really like to climb the mountain, so she’s divided her answer into four parts, with the preface that things may have changed slightly since her last visit.

1. The “station” signs almost break your spirit

Mt Fuji is divided into ten sections on the way to the summit, with each marked “First Station”, “Second Station”, and so on. Udonko began her climb at the Fifth Station on the Yoshida Route, and although she thought the stations might be evenly divided, she quickly found they were not, because sometimes she was surprised to find she was already at the next one while other times she found herself wondering when the next station would appear.

It became tough on her mentally, especially around the Eighth Station area, where there was even a sign for an 8.5 Station. After initially thinking it was the Ninth Station, Udonko’s spirits plummeted when she found she still had a way to go to reach it. With her spirits low, she found herself tiring easily, but the good news is that the next time she climbed it she was prepared for the 8.5 Station so her spirits remained high from the second climb onwards.

2. The blue of the sky near the summit is completely different

It might be hard to convey with photos, but the blue of the sky on Mt Fuji was completely different to anything she’d seen before. Especially at the summit, there was an exceptionally deep blue sky that she’d never seen anywhere else — the only thing she could liken it to was the blue seen from an airplane. The stronger sunlight and the clouds far below her made her feel like she was closer to space.

3. It feels odd being at the highest place in Japan

Naturally, reaching the summit means you’ll be standing at the highest point in all of Japan. The fact that nothing obstructs the view around you and the horizon is a uniquely odd experience, and the slight curvature of the horizon around her made Udonko feel like she was no longer in the real world. One time, though, when the weather was bad and clouds covered everything, Udonko couldn’t see any views, which was unreal in its own way, but the impact and excitement was far greater when the weather was clear. Bad weather can bring thunder, which feels slightly frightening at high altitude, and being hit by rain can totally drain your energy, so fair weather is really a blessing for climbers.

4. The descent is more difficult than the climb

Many climbers make the mistake of thinking the descent will be easier than the climb, but it’s actually the opposite, especially when using the Yoshida Route as the trail zigzags on the way down.

There are many mountain huts on the ascent, with various scenic points along the route, but the route down has almost no buildings, so the scenery doesn’t seem to change much, making the walk feel further than it is. Udonko found her spirit breaking more on the descent than the ascent, especially when small stones found their way into her shoes, making her feet hurt and draining her energy.

As most of the stones on Mt Fuji were originally lava, they have a sandpaper-like texture that pricks the soles of your feet, so you have to stop regularly and remove them or else you can’t continue walking. For a stress-free experience, she recommends you have solid protection for your feet in the form of sturdy, well-fitting walking shoes.

Despite all the physical and mental challenges outlined above, Udonko says climbing Mt Fuji remains in her mind as a great memory, and the Yoshida Route isn’t too difficult in the end, as long as you’re well prepared.

▼ Don’t let the climb intimidate you.

Once you’ve climbed Mt Fuji, you’ll have a better idea of the things you should and shouldn’t do, so climbing it more than once will give you a truly satisfying result. Whether you’re attempting it for the first time, or the second or third, Udonko recommends preparing now for next year’s climbing season. Being fit and well prepared is important as it can make a world of difference to your climb, and if you don’t have the right gear, the rangers will now refuse you entry until you purchase the proper goods nearby.

Photos©SoraNews24
● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
[ Read in Japanese ]