How to Climb Mount Fuji Successfully with 10 Tested Tips to Exploit

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There is an idiom in Japanese that has supposedly been around since Edo period:「富士山に一度も登らぬ馬鹿、二度登る馬鹿」which is normally translated as “A wise man climbs Mount Fuji once, a fool climbs it twice”. It’s not really that poetic, or at least not the way I normally translate “馬鹿” (pronounced “baka”). I always take it to actually say “you’re an idiot not to climb Mount Fuji, you’re an idiot if you do it twice”. I love to hike in Japan, but knowing how fast the mountain can change from friends’ experiences, I believe those words. I was highly lucky on my one trek-up. Here are 6 things NOT to do when you climb Mount Fuji.

[Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in July of 2018 and has been updated for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness.]

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What Not To Do When You Climb Mount Fuji

As the tallest peak in Japan at 3,776 meters (or about 12,389 feet), she’s not to be taken lightly, though Mount Fuji is very accessible to people of all abilities. Just ask my Japanese coworkers that climb her every year (apparently they don’t care about the saying). Or this centenarian that climbed it every year from age 89 on. That said, if you are looking to trek up this conical, mars-like behemoth, there are definitely some things you should consider and be prepared for.

However, before we go too far – something I get asked a lot is if a beginner can climb mount fuji? My thought is if you go into the situation prepared and are willing to take your time, I would say yes as it’s not too technical of a climb. That said – don’t be disappointed if you have to turn back early! I’ve had several friends that didn’t make it to the top their first time, but they tried again and succeeded! (We’ll give them a bi on the idiom for those ones!)

Fun fact for the day I climbed? There is a trail race that runs from the sea to the summit of Fuji. For those of you that want to take your Japan racing to the next level!

Now, let’s get on with the suggestions, all based on yours truly and my experience.

1) Not having the right clothes

I should preface this with I overheat VERY easily. Booking it everywhere I go doesn’t help matters. But yes, the above picture is me about to climb Mount Fuji and I’m in a tank top and capris. Not exactly the best attire unless you have extra clothing with you. The hiking season to climb Mount Fuji is usually from July to September but it is COLD at the top. Hell, it was cold at the 5th station (2,300 meters), where we began. My group hiked it on a sunny day so this didn’t end up being an issue but most people hike at night to see the elusive sunrise.

Don’t be me. The extent of my “extra preparations” was to have one of my colloquially called “kite jackets” I use during road races if it’s cold at the beginning (more on that in a second). If you aren’t used to carrying a lot when you hike, I suggest you wear layers that you can take off and tie around your waist.

Gaiters are also not a bad idea to keep the rocks out of your boots. However, I ended up fine with just some high-top hiking boots. That is until the hike back down when they fell apart. Literally. Soles were completely gone. They were old (a friend had given me them when they upgraded) but the terrain can do a number on your gear.

If you are doing the night climb, don’t forget a headlamp! Daytime hike? If you aren’t covered up, sunscreen is a must!

2) Not being prepared for a weather shift

You very quickly get out of the tree line when you climb Mount Fuji. The only protection from the elements you’ll get is from the “huts” as you hike up. If the weather shifts and you don’t have some good rain/snow gear, well… Guess what I had with me? What I colloquially call my “kite jacket” as it’s made from the same materials as kites. Sure they make great running jackets, there’s really not much warmth factor and rain soaks through pretty fast. It’s not the rainy season for most of the climbing season but it still seems to rain most days I’ve had friends go climb Mount Fuji.

Definitely would suggest you have decent lightweight rain gear in your pack. As well as something heavier than a windbreaker! This especially goes for if you are doing a night hike. I’ve had plenty of horror stories from multiple friends climbs where the sky opened up with either torrential downpours or even snow – yup, even in August!

The opposite holds true too – “nice days” aren’t always nice to your body! What if it starts out raining and gets better? You NEED sunscreen up that high. I had tan lines from the burn I got for nearly a year. Check out my post for tips on buying sunscreen in Japan.

3) Not anticipating altitude sickness

This originally started as two bullets. Not having enough water and not being in some form of athletic shape. Plenty of beginners hike Fuji and survive. It might take what feels like an obscene amount of time but you’ll make it. One way to help with altitude sickness is to make sure you stay hydrated! Lots of water. Drink up. Have at least 2 liters on you. Water on the mountain is expensive for obvious reasons. Have money (YEN) to get more! A Camelbak works wonders and can be added to any pack but it is nice to have one that is designed to take on one.

The second piece of the puzzle. I’m just going to be blunt to throw this out there: it helps if you are in shape. Or at least some shape. I.e. you are active in some capacity. If you live at sea level like me, you’re going to get hit by the altitude. I had recently trained for a marathon when I climb Mount Fuji so that was my saving grace. I still felt it after the 8th station. Breathing gets noticeably harder, especially if you aren’t hydrated enough. Honestly, with all the skiing I’ve done in my life (Japan has some of the best skiing!), I was surprised how much hiking at that level impacted me.

4) Not booking early

This didn’t apply to me as I didn’t stay overnight. However, from talking with people, booking a hut early is a must. Especially if you want to not have to wake up so early. You see, it doesn’t really count as an “overnight” stay because you have to start early to make it by sunrise. The higher up you are, the less of a hassle in the “morning”, and this also helps you with point #3 and getting acclimated to the altitude.

The huts aren’t very big so they don’t hold a lot of people. And be ready to get cozy with your neighbors if you go this route.

5) Have a fear of bees or an allergy

This, by all means, should not be a show stopper. However! If you have an allergy to bees, bring your EpiPen. There is literally next to no life past the tree line but for some reason there are bees. And they are annoying. I, for one, was completely not expecting that so I wanted to give you a heads up.

6) Not remembering which trail you started on

There are four trails to climb Mount Fuji. The Yoshida trail is the most used. Of the nearly 300K people that climbed Mount Fuji in 2017, over 170K of them used the Yoshida trail. Please note: The way up is not the same as the way back down.

If you hike the loop trek of the crater, keep track of where you started it. I’ve known many people that have gone back down the other side and were super lucky that they caught a bus back to their car/tour. Circumnavigating the mountain is something like 30 MILES/ 50 KM!

Just to make it more confusing, between the 8th station and the top, the Yoshida Trail shares the path with the Subashiri Trail. Don’t worry, they are color-coded. Just be sure to make note of which one you started on and make sure that’s the one you end up on!

Now, What TO Do When You Climb Mount Fuji

Assuming I haven’t scared you off, har har, here are some things I suggest to make climbing Mount Fuji more enjoyable.

1) Buy a Fuji Stick

100% spend the extra money and get a climbing stick! it’s my most proud souvenir, EVER. That being said, make sure you also have enough yen (around 6,000 yen or $40-80 USD depending on how good or bad the exchange rate is) to get your “stamps” at each of the huts going up.

This also brings on getting cozy with some dual-purpose fires that are used for the brands that make the stamps. One, you can warm up. Two, they use pokers to brand your stick.

One other tip: There are two versions of “fuji sticks”. One is more of a half staff, the other is a full staff. The full staff ones can be used as an actual walking stick which is super helpful. There are definitely some boulder areas that having a third pick point made it easier going. I suggest that over the little half sticks you just get stuck carrying around and wearing out your arm muscles.

2) Have a beer at the top

There are several huts at the top of the mountain with various food and beverages. You just climbed to the highest point in Japan! Celebrate! Remember what I said about hydration? Well, have a beer, then drink some more water! While I waited for the rest of my group to make it to the top, having a beer (ok, it was two) was pretty spectacular with the views.

3) Know your food options

Personally, for me, I brought a few onigiri to climb Mount Fuji with. They are my absolute favorite hiking food as they are quick to digest and easy to carry. Most of the huts have some form of food though. There is also soba or ramen at the top. Again, remember CASH to be able to pay for this. Japan while very advanced in some areas, still is behind on credit cards in a lot of ways. However, with this climb, it’s more of an infrastructure nightmare.

4) Bring coins for bathrooms on the trail

A last note, your body is going to be sucking up all that water you’re drinking but you’ll probably need to use the facilities at some point. This will literally be the only time you need to pay to use a bathroom in Japan. Have some coinage for this.

What to expect from the trail

The Yoshida trail is switchbacks, the entire way up. It fairly gently slopes up until about the 7th station. Then it gets a little rocky and you’ll have to do some slight “climbs” up boulders – your fuji walking stick is your friend! The terrain itself is volcanic…gravel? Little annoying rocks that you will slide on. Especially near the top, forward progression can be slightly frustrating but YOU. CAN. DO. IT. 🙂

Oh, and admire the fact that it looks like it could be Mars.

Have questions? Let me know in the comments or feel free to shoot me an email or chat with me on social media. And make sure to pin this for later.

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