Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ko Trail, allow five to six hours to reach the top and about three to descend, plus time
to enjoy the summit.
The three other trails - Subashiri, Fujinomiya and Gotemba - see less people traffic,
but have little to no public transportation access. All routes converge at the Eighth Sta-
tion, so you need to take care to make sure you take the right path on the way down.
Off-season Advisory
Authorities strongly caution against climbing outside the regular season, when the
weather is highly unpredictable and first-aid stations are closed. Mountain huts on the
Kawaguchi-ko Trail stay open through mid-September when weather conditions may
still be good; none open before July, when snow still blankets the upper stations. Once
snow or ice is on the mountain, Fuji becomes a very serious and dangerous undertak-
ing and should only be attempted by those with winter mountaineering equipment and
plenty of experience. Check weather conditions carefully before setting out and do not
climb alone. Off-season climbers should register with the local police department; fill
out the form at the Kawaguchiko Tourist Information Center next to Kawaguchi-ko Sta-
tion.
Nearby: Fuji Sengen-jinja
During the era of the pilgrim a necessary preliminary to the Mt Fuji ascent was a
visit to the deeply wooded, atmospheric ShintÅ shrine,
Fuji Sengen-jinja
(
0555-22-0221;
http://sengenjinja.jp/index.html
; 5558 Kami-Yoshida, Fuji-Yoshida; grounds 24hr;
staffed 9am-5pm )
, in the neighbouring town of Fuji-Yoshida. In fact, the top of Mt
Fuji (from the Eighth Station up) is part of its sacred precinct; look for a small
'branch' shrine at the summit.
