Climbing Mount Fuji on the Yoshida Trail: A First-Timer's Guide

How the climb works

Most first-timers split the climb over two days and spend a night in a hut. It is safer than climbing straight through, and it puts you on the summit for sunrise.

Day one. Arrive at the 5th Station around midday and spend about an hour there, eating, drinking and letting your body adjust to the altitude. The first stretch to the 6th Station is a gentle path. Above that, the trail steepens into rocky zigzags, with sections around the 7th Station where you will use your hands. Most people reach a hut at the 7th or 8th Station after roughly three to six hours of climbing, depending on the hut and their pace, eat an early dinner and sleep for a few hours.

Day two. Leave the hut in the middle of the night, headlamp on, for the final push. In midsummer the sun rises roughly between 4:30 and 5:00 a.m. From the 8th Station upward, expect slow queues on busy nights, so leave extra time. Including breaks, the full ascent from the 5th Station takes most first-timers about five to seven hours.

The summit. The Yoshida Trail arrives on the northeast side of the crater. The true high point, Kengamine, is on the far side. Walking all the way around the crater rim takes about 90 minutes, which is worth it if you still have energy and the weather is clear.

The descent. The way down follows a separate trail of loose volcanic gravel, switching back and forth down the slope. It is hard on the knees and usually takes three to five hours. Around the 8th Station, at a junction near the Shita-Edoya hut, the Yoshida and Subashiri descent trails split. Follow the signs for the Yoshida Trail and the Subaru Line 5th Station. Every season, tired climbers take the wrong fork and end up on the opposite side of the mountain, far from their bus.

Altitude and weather

Altitude sickness is the most common reason people turn back. The warning signs are a headache, nausea and unusual tiredness. The way to prevent it is to climb slowly, drink regularly and rest at the 5th Station before you set off. The only reliable cure is to go down. Don't climb through the night without sleeping, an approach known in Japan as "bullet climbing". It is exactly what the overnight gate closure is meant to stop.

Even in August, the summit can drop to around freezing before dawn, and the wind makes it feel colder still. Thunderstorms and sideways rain can blow in within an hour. If the weather turns, a hut is the place to wait it out.

What to pack

• Boots with ankle support, and gaiters to keep gravel out on the descent.
• Layers: a base layer that wicks sweat, a fleece or down jacket, and a hat and gloves for the summit.
• A two-piece waterproof jacket and trousers. A poncho is useless in the wind up there.
• A headlamp with spare batteries.
• Water and snacks. Huts sell both, but at mountain prices, and supplies can run short.
• Cash, including coins. Not every hut takes cards, and the toilets on the mountain charge a small fee.
• Sunscreen and sunglasses, since you spend hours above the clouds. Trekking poles help a lot on the way down.
• A bag for your rubbish. There are no bins on the mountain; everything goes home with you.

Hut etiquette is simple: lights go out early and people sleep packed closely together, so keep quiet, and pack your bag the night before so you can leave without waking everyone.

Plan your trip

Book your hut and register for the climb first, then arrange transport around them. If you have a spare day, spend it at the Fuji Five Lakes before or after the climb. Sleeping at lake level helps your body adjust, and seeing the mountain from below makes the climb mean more. Our guide to the best Mount Fuji viewpoints covers the classic spots around the lakes.