Guide to Mt. Fuji climbing

Guide to Mt.Fuji climbing

This page was written by Tomoyuki Takenawa,
a guide of Mt.Fuji for organized climers group since 1992 untill 1999.


Since 25th April '97
(last modified in Sep. '03)
Mt.Fuji is 3776 meters high.It is the highest and most famous mountain in Japan.

Related links

  • Introduction to Mount Fuji Climbing by Scott P.Keehn's : a recommended page
  • Climbing Information by Fujiyoshida city in Yamanashi prefecture : information of Kawaguchiko trail.
  • My Home Page in English : selfintroduction


    Season for climbing

    One can climb in relative safe in July or August if one has physical strength of ordinary people. But in the other seasons only people who are trained as a climber can climb Mt.Fuji. It is danger especially to climb in winter, from October to May.

    The snow on the way around the top vanish in the end of June and we have the first snow in the middle of September in ordinary year. A few huts open from the end of June to the beginning of September and few huts open in other season above the fifth station.
    One needs full equipments for winter climbing (crampon, ice axe, climbing rope, partners, etc.) from October to the beginning of June in ordinary year.

    See Page "Mt.Fuji Climbing in Winter" in Marchan's Mountaineering Advice for foreginers in Japan for further information.

    If you need a guide for winter climbing, please contact the guide society below. But it should be better to reed the above linked page before it.

    Japan Alpine Guide Society
    105 Maison Yoyogi
    2-39-7 Yoyogi Shibuya-ku Tokyo Japan
    151-0053
    TEL +81-3-3379-4183
    FAX +81-3-3320-1583


    Routes for climbing [ map: linked page]


    There are 4 popular routes leading to the top of Mt.Fuji.

    1.Kawaguchiko route.Kawaguchiko means Lake Kawaguchi.
    2.Fujinomiya route.
    3.Gotenba or Sunahashiri route. You can go down at a run(hasiru) on sand(suna) on this way.
    4.Subashiri route.


    Characteristics of 4 routes

    1.Kawaguchiko route [map]

    This route is the most popular route to the top of Mt fuji and from lake Kawaguchi in Yamanashi prefecture. We often call this route Fujiyoshida route. The 5th station of this trail,the starting point and the last stop of a bus,is about 2350 meters high.
    This route has 2 ways, one for going up and the other for going down. You can see sunrise easily on this way, because this route is on the east face. But of course you need stay or climb over night in order to see sunrise.
    It is a weak point of this route that Kengamine, the most highest point (3776 meters high) at the top, is located on the other side of the crater of the top. To reach Kengamine, you have to go around the crater. But it is no matter for many people to reach at Kengamine or not.

  • Information for Hut Space,There are a lot of huts. Perhaps you can find some huts not full on weekday.

    How to access.(by public transportation)

    1.From Tokyo to the 5th station (5go-me).(10 go-me means the top.)


    2.climbing

    Informatin and Attention in 1998


    2 June,
    According to the TV reports,the snow on the top of Mt.fuji vanished. It is very early and near record.

    Information and Attention in 1997


    15 July,Tue
    The route was opened some days ago. You can climb to the top. The only problem remained is the weather. It rained throughout the last weekend.

    9 July,Wed
    The route will be opened from 11 July.

    28 June,
    The route is closed until about 10th July because Typhoon No.8 broken this trail.


    2.Fujinomiya route

    This route is the 2nd most popular route and from Fujinomiya city in Shizuoka prefecture. the Shin(new) 5th station of this trail is about 2400 meters high. You can go to Mt.Hoei(Hoei is the name of an era in the Edo period,this volcano erupted in this age.)from the shin 5th station.

    How to access.(by public transportation)

    Shinfuji or Mishima station of JR Tokaido Shinkansen line
    ---(a bus)---shin 5th station
    ---(climbing up in 5 hours except recess time)---the top,(Kengamine)
    ---(going down in 2.5 hours)---shin 5th station

    City and Mt. Fuji page by Fujinomiya City


    3. Gotenba or Sunahashiri route

    Both routes have the same starting point and the same end point,the top. They are longer routes than 2 routes which I have explained avobe. You can go down at a run(hasiru) on sand(suna) on Sunahashiri way.

    Sightseeing and Mt. Fuji climbing page by Gotemba City

    How to access.(by public transportation)

    JR Gotenba station(s station of JR Gotenba line) ---(a bus)---shin 5th station (different from shin 5th station of Fujinomiya route)
    ---(climbing up in 6 or 7 hours except recess time) ---the top,(Kengamine)
    ---(going down in 3 hours)---shin 5th station


    4. Subashiri route [map]

    This route is a little longer.
    Many people use this way only to go down.

    How to access.(by public transportation)

    JR Gotenba station(s station of JR Gotenba line) ---(a bus)---shin 5th station (different from any other shin 5th station)
    ---(climbing up in 6 or 7 hours except recess time)---the top,you arrive at the same place when you take Kawaguchiko route. )
    ---(going down in 3 hours)---shin 5th station


    Other usefull links

    Climbing Resouces - climbing related news, books and web resources


    Tomoyuki Takenawa :e-mail [takenawa@poisson.ms.u-tokyo.ac.jp]