Hiking Fees For Mount Fuji Climbers & More: Things To Know Before Your Visit
Some restrictions were introduced to deter overcrowding.
If you've never scaled Mount Fuji before but plan to, here's what you need to know:
Mount Fuji opens to hikers from early July to early September, with the peak season lasting from late July to late August. Attempts to climb the 3,776m-tall mountain outside these months are discouraged due to the extreme wind and weather conditions, and the risk of avalanches.
There are four trails to reach the summit of Mount Fuji, namely the Yoshida Trail, Subashiri Trail, Gotemba Trail, and the Fujinomiya Trail.
The Yoshida Trail is the easiest and most accessible route to reach the summit, attracting over 137,000 visitors last year, according to the Council for the Promotion of the Proper Use of Mt. Fuji. So, it can get pretty crowded!
Image via Jiji/AFP/The Japan Times
It takes roughly about five to seven hours to climb up to the summit and another three to five hours to descend. There are mountain huts leading up to Mount Fuji's summit, so climbers can take breaks during the night.
Most people try to time their ascent in order to witness the sunrise from the top of the mountain, as the chances of the mountain being free of clouds are highest at dawn.
Bullet climbing has become a pretty prevalent issue for local authorities, where climbers try to reach the summit before sunrise without stopping for the night. Exhaustion does not bode well with altitude sickness and hypothermia, especially when you're trying to scale a majestic mountain.
With all this in mind, local authorities have introduced new restrictions and safety measures for those planning to climb Mount Fuji from 20 May onwards
Online reservations for visitors climbing the iconic mountain has come into effect to ease congestion on the most popular Yoshida trail situated in Yamanashi Prefecture.
The prefecture accepts a maximum of 4,000 climbers daily and 3,000 slots will be available through online booking up untill the day before the climb.
The remaining 1,000 slots will be available on the day of the climb, with fees collected at the site.
Reservations may close earlier once the daily limit is reached.
Image via Liger Pham/Pexels
Additionally, visitors are required to pay a hiking fee of 2,000 yen (about RM60) per person.
This mandatory reservation is for general admission through the trail gate and not a reservation for the mountain huts.
To curb bullet climbing, the Yamanashi Prefecture will also set up a gate at the Yoshida trail that closes between 4pm and 3am, except for hikers who have made prior reservations to stay overnight in huts.
Bookings can be made on the official website for climbing Mount Fuji
You can make online reservations using your credit card or any cashless payment methods. There are no refunds.
After completing payment, climbers will receive a QR code via email, which they must scan at the entrance of the fifth station of the Yoshida trail.
Image via Yamanashi Prefectural Government/CNN
Overtourism has become such an issue that the Japanese government has decided to set up nets to block the Mount Fuji view:
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