Out of the frying pan into the fire as we The COVID-19 germaphobe storm had settled since 2019, so it was time to hop on a plane and go back to the land of the rising sun to climb a mountain to catch the rising sun.

Subashiri Trail

We got up early and left Shinjuku to catch the train to Gotemba where we caught the local bus that dropped us off to the fifth station. This was also the tenth year of Fuji being marked as a world heritage site, fitting as it was 10 years ago that we first stepped foot on this mountain rich in history.

Subashiri Trail

Bought a hiking stick and stuck around for a bit to acclimatize to the higher elevation at 6,561′. Saw a bunch of school kids stretching, somebody joined, from a distance.

Subashiri Trail

Praying for good fortune and weather on our hike.

Subashiri Trail

The initial part of the trail was nicely shaded, but the trees soon thinned out and the boiling sun blasted us while the lady in the back with the reflective umbrellas started looking smarter with every step.

Subashiri Trail

The trail was well marked with white ropes and gun metal chains.

Subashiri Trail

Mari coming up between and a rock and a hard place.

Osada-sanso

Our first hut on the trail and first yakiin (stamp) on my hiking stick. 300 Yen. Inflation.

Subashiri Trail

Standing above the clouds.

Seto-kan

Brief stop at the original sixth station where another group was staying for the night as the higher huts were already taken. Pays to plan ahead.

Subashiri Trail

The summit was strikingly clear as we continued on the trail. A good sign.

Subashiri Trail

Spoke too soon, as the clouds started to roll in.

Subashiri Trail

Climbing up to our next hut. No rest for the weary.

Taiyo-kan

Mari pushing her way up to the seventh station.

Taiyo-kan

Eating our anpan brunch at 10,137′ elevation. The outside temperature was still t-shirt wearable. Climate change is not always a bad thing.

Subashiri Trail

Back on the trail as the clouds rolled across the volcanic landscape.

Subashiri Trail

Going up the trail as another hiker descended down Yoshida trail in the background.

Miharashi-kan

The temperature dropped to 57 degrees as we started to slowly pick up more elevation. Time to add layers.

Subashiri Trail

Constantly playing tag on the trail.

Subashiri Trail

Is that the next hut?

Shimoedoya

Monks on their way down passing the eighth hut which is all technically private property from the eighth hut up. I did not know that.

Subashiri Trail

Looking back at Lake Yamanaka and the surrounding areas.

Yoshida Trail

Mari passing through the traditional Shinto gate which marks the transition from the mundane to sacred ground.

Ue-edoya

Hut sweet hut for the night. What? No private rooms! False advertising.

Ue-edoya

Enjoying our 4:30pm dinner of curry, hamburger, vegetables, rice and a cup of water. What? No hot tea?

Ue-edoya

We stepped out in the now cold air to catch a glimpse of kage Fuji, or the shadow of Fuji as the sun passed over the volcanic mountain.

Ue-edoya

Day 2
We decided to sleep in and leave the early risers at 1am to get stuck in gridlock traffic going up to the summit. It’s almost like Everest, without the bitter and freezing cold. Instead, we woke up at 4am and still caught the breaking mountain sunrise.

Goraiko-kan

Approaching the 8.5 hut with the breaking sun at our back.

Yoshida Trail

There were no water fountains on the mountain, so let’s stick some coins in the torii base and wish for luck with the views.

Kyugome

Passing through the shuttered 9th hut.

Yoshida Trail

Light sprinkles as we approached the top, didn’t put a damper on our spirits.

Mt. Fuji Summit

Standing in front of the Kusushi shrine, which is the terminus for the Yoshida, Subashiri, and Kawaguchiko trails.

Ohachimeguri Trail

The weather was good so we decided to make the pilgrimage around the crater which is marked by eight sacred peaks known as Ken-ga-mine, Hakusan-dake, Kusushi-ga-take, Johju-dake, Asahi-dake, Koma-ga-take, and Mishima-ga-take.

Ohachimeguri Trail

Looking down into the crater of the still active Mount Fuji. The prospect of the volcano erupting has been high on people’s radars due to the Great East Japan Earthquake of March 11, 2011 that resulted in cracks appearing on the roof of the magma reservoir. The last recorded eruption was in 1707, a modern eruption would severely impact the infrastructure of Tokyo and beyond.

Kusushi Shrine

We dropped off postcards at the highest post office in Japan and paid our respects at the highest shrine in Japan, Okumiya shrine which is the terminus for the Fujinomiya trail.

Kusushi Shrine

Getting my last stamp on my hiking stick. 500 Yen please. I guess the price rises with the elevation.

Ohachimeguri Trail

Looking ahead to the cloud wrapped peak known as Ken-ga-mine, which is the highest point on Mount Fuji at 3,776 meters.

Ohachimeguri Trail

Fighting gravity as we went up the slippery slope.

Kengamine Peak

The actual highest peak of Fuji at 12,389′ elevation.

Ohachimeguri Trail

Traversing the Summit Crater Loop that was mostly cloaked in clouds.

Mt. Fuji Summit

Back to where we had started.

Mt. Fuji Summit

Why pay for overpriced miso soup when you can make your own? Exactly.

Mt. Fuji Summit

Last picture of the picturesque landscape below us as we left the summit.

Yoshida Trail

Passing the torii that marked Fujinomiya trail.

Yoshida Trail

Going down the trail of volcanic rock, gravel and loose dirt.

Yoshida Trail

Yielding to tractors going up the trail with supplies for the huts.

Yoshida Trail

How many more switchbacks?

Yoshida Trail

Passing through a series of tunnels designed to make up for the lack of hard hats.

Yoshida Trail

Mari coming down the stone cobbled trail where we soon passed horses waiting for paying passengers and other hikers making their way up.

Yoshida Trail

Passing one of multiple tour groups comprised of domestic and international hikers.

Fuji-Subaru 5th Station

Stand or sit at the finish line.

All pau

I guess being in fifth place is better than last place.

GPS Tracks

Our seventh trek up to Fuji-san covered a little over 11 miles that was blessed for the most part with good weather and spectacular views.

Note: I have been made aware that some hikers have been using my blog as a hiking guide and getting lost on the trails. Please note that this blog was made to document the hike for the crew(s) that did it. That is why some of my comments will seem to have no relevance or meaning to anybody outside of the crew(s) that hiked that trail. My blog was never meant as a hiking guide, so please do not treat it as such. If you find inspiration and entertainment from these hikes, that is more than enough. If you plan on replicating these hikes, do so in the knowledge that you should do your own research accordingly as trail conditions, access, legalities and so forth are constantly in flux. What was current today is most likely yesterdays news. Please be prepared to accept any risks and responsibilities on your own as you should know your own limitations, experience and abilities before you even set foot on a trail, as even the “simplest” or “easiest” of trails can present potential pitfalls for even the most “experienced” hikers. One should also always let somebody know of your hiking plans in case something doesn’t go as planned, better safe than sorry.

We left another record breaking heat spell in Japan that was steaming her cities and embarked on our sixth visit to Mount Fuji. Fools that will never learn from the second time.

Bus depot

It took a train and a bus ride to get us to the 5th station.

Subashiri 5th Station

Wandering around the more undeveloped feel of the station, we should have taken a gander at KoFuji which was 20 minutes away. Missed opportunity that needs to be re-visited.

Trailhead

We donated to the Fuji Conservation Efforts and were rewarded with new shiny pins to mark our altruistic behavior.

Komitakejinja

Walking up to the subordinate shrine of Fuji Sengen, which houses Oyamazumino-kami, ruler of Japanese mountains and Fujisan-Tarobo, a long nosed goblin that watches the trails.

Subashiri Trail

Mari blessed to be hiking on the fourth and final trail up Mount Fuji.

Too bee or not to bee

One of many bees that were busy pollinating the plants and apparently my hiking stick.

Subashiri Trail

Passing the pine tree lined trail.

Subashiri Trail

Breaking free of the tree line as the trail took on more of an exposed nature.

Subashiri Trail

Zig zagging our way up through the switchbacks.

Osada-sanso

Our first stop at the sixth station. Is it Boy’s Day up in the mountains?

Heated inflation

The first stamp on my hiking stick. Price has risen to 300 yen from 200 yen last year.

Subashiri Trail

Some continued while others rested on the trail as it became more congested with fellow hikers.

Subashiri Trail

Clouds starting to drift in as we gained elevation.

Seto-kan

Quick stop at the original sixth station, another burn on our stick and off we went.

Subashiri Trail

Mari gave me back my hiking stick …

Subashiri Trail

… as she broke out her hiking sticks. Might as well use them if you’re carrying them.

Subashiri Trail

Somebody was looking forward to taking another break at the next hut.

Taiyo-kan

Mari making her way up to the seventh station. No marks, just stickers. 100 yen discount.

Subashiri Trail

Rocks drink sake?

Subashiri Trail

The pitch of the mountain soon took on a steeper slant.

Subashiri Trail

Isolated pockets of green plants pimpled the barren volcanic landscape.

Subashiri Trail

Silhouetted hikers on the cloud soaked trail.

Miharashi-kan

Socked in stop at the seventh station. Higher elevation equaled lower temperatures, which required us to fish out our fleece sweaters from our packs.

Hiking memorial

Tribute to all the fallen hikers that failed to summit the mountain.

Subashiri Trail

Hiking above the clouds.

Subashiri Trail

Following the signs to Yoshida trail.

Edoya

Passing the 8th station.

Yoshida Trail

Leaving the relatively quiet Subashiri trail for the jam packed Yoshida trail.

Yoshida Trail

The clouds constantly changing the landscape.

Yoshida Trail

The crumbly rocks gave way to loose volcanic dirt which made gaining traction uphill that much harder.

Yoshida Trail

Passing through the wooden gate which meant our destination was near.

Munatsuki-edoya

Reservations at the original 8th station? Sorry pal, we are going next door.

Yoshida Trail

Time to finally sit down and relax for the night.

Tomoe-kan

Our hut sweet hut for the night.

Yoshida Trail

Enjoying our solitude that would soon be broken by shoulder to snoring shoulder in the eight person cubicle.

Dinner is served

The Japanese sales pitch was blissfully blocked out by my inability to comprehenend the language so it became background noise as I ate my meal that has not changed from our first visit over seven years ago.

Yoshida Trail

The billowing clouds muted and distracted the sunset.

Yoshida Trail

Enjoying the twinkling city lights as I hurriedly made my way to the chilly community toilets.

Yoshida Trail

Joining the early morning crowds outside.

Yoshida Trail

Catching the breaking sunrise before the rain swept the mountain.

Decisions. Decisions. Decisions.

What with the rain lashing the outside, typhoon warning and a minor headache; the painful decision not to summit and go back down the trail was made for us.

Yoshida Trail

Morning rush hour in the mountain.

Yoshida Trail

The swirling clouds filtered the green landscape below us.

Yoshida Trail

Shuffling through the loose switchbacks.

Yoshida Trail

Enjoying the panoramic landscape of the five lakes of Fuji.

Yoshida Trail

Just follow the signs down.

Yoshida Trail

What happened to the rain? The typhoon? Does Guy Hagi work part time over here?

Yoshida Trail

Sometimes you just have to stop and enjoy the views.

Yoshida Trail

Making our way down to the very crowded toilets. Will hold until the next less crowded one.

Yoshida Trail

We met up with two of our hut mates.

Yoshida Trail

I guess shelter is not needed from falling rocks.

Yoshida Trail

Falling rocks anybody?

Yoshida Trail

Passing through the closed station.

Yoshida Trail

Winding our way down to the sixth station that was preceded by the loudspeaker instructions in multiple languages.

Yoshida Trail

The trail to the bottom of Fuji. Next time.

Yoshida Trail

Cobbling our way down.

Yoshida Trail

Enjoying the forest bath on our way down.

Yoshida Trail

Where the climbing route meets the walking route.

Yoshida Trail

Water for us?

Yoshida Trail

Goodie bags for the runners.

All pau

Please take our picture.

Post hike meal

Two hot bowls of noodles topped off with a vanilla and sesame ice cream cone.

Ja mata

The clouds descended down from the mountains and enveloped the scenery as we boarded the bus back to Shinjuku.

Post script

Mari filling in the eye of the daruma after another successful hike up Mount Fuji. Was it the right or left eye?

GPS Tracks

Our sixth hike up Japan’s iconic mountain covered a little under seven miles. While we completed all four trails, we did not successfully summit this year due to bad weather. There is always next year!

Note: I have been made aware that some hikers have been using my blog as a hiking guide and getting lost on the trails. Please note that this blog was made to document the hike for the crew(s) that did it. That is why some of my comments will seem to have no relevance or meaning to anybody outside of the crew(s) that hiked that trail. My blog was never meant as a hiking guide, so please do not treat it as such. If you find inspiration and entertainment from these hikes, that is more than enough. If you plan on replicating these hikes, do so in the knowledge that you should do your own research accordingly as trail conditions, access, legalities and so forth are constantly in flux. What was current today is most likely yesterdays news. Please be prepared to accept any risks and responsibilities on your own as you should know your own limitations, experience and abilities before you even set foot on a trail, as even the “simplest” or “easiest” of trails can present potential pitfalls for even the most “experienced” hikers.