How many of you have climbed Mt. Fuji? [Archive]

DoctorP

Sep 28, 2004, 18:44

Just wondering how many of the JREF members have climbed to the top of Mt. Fuji? I had the opportunity to go 2 years ago and I am so glad that I did! As a climb, I wouldn't rate it very high. It is actually a very easy climb. And very commercialized. One thing that I will say is once you reach the top you see some of the most beautiful views you will ever see in your life. I did the climb at night and sat at the top watching the sun rise...truly one of the best sights in the world.

BlaqJap

Sep 29, 2004, 03:54

That's so wonderful. Life's huge pleasures are so rewarding. I'm not sure that would suite me though. ^^; Maybe I'll change my mind someday.

blade_bltz

Sep 29, 2004, 07:35

I'm planning to hike it next summer

nuchan

Sep 29, 2004, 16:12

Last month I went to climb Mt. Fuji, my friends and I totally about 35 people reached there 7PM and started climbing from the 5th Station at 9PM on the way up was so tough cold , heavy rain and windy then we reached 8th Station around 1AM next day but the weather so unfaithful so some of us gave up and stayed at the dorm. till next morning around 6 AM the weather remained worse and so terribly cold then we got down and back home! it was an exciting and terrible experience of climbing Mt. Fuji! If I have a chance I'd love to go there again!! :relief: :p
:souka: :cool:

Terry

Sep 29, 2004, 17:30

I climb Mt Fuji on my first trip to Japan in Aug. 2001. I went with my two friends who were a little out of shape. I made it up about an hour before them. Hell, an 80 year old lady made it up before them! :) The hike up is great fun. We left in the early morning. It was just one big stream of people climbing up with us. Almost like a walking party at first. Then the farther we went the less people there were and most were very tired. When we got to the summit I was quite surprise to see all the little huts made out of stone where we got some great udon. My problem came on the hike down. I have a bad knee and the shock of my feet pounding down the hill was killing me! I would say that this was the highlight of my trip. One thing you want to be prepared for if you do the climb is the so called toilets. You better be able to hold your breath long enough to do your business. They were the most foulest smelling thing I ever had to use. I prefer the toilets at the rest stop down the Baja peninsula then these! The funny thing is that I have yet to see Mt Fuji. When I was in Japan the weather was to hazy to see it and the day we climbed it there were clouds covering the mountain.

Sgt. Wang

Sep 30, 2004, 02:59

In my experience, I climbed it in the autumn. I think just looking at it in the autumnal foliage is probably the best way to climb. When I was in the Yamanashi prefecture, I went and took a climbing class seeing as though I hadn't been hiking since college. It was great to get at it again, but when I was on the slopes it was quite easy, and the view of the sun setting was immensely breathtaking! I'm not sure if I'll ever have an experience quite like that ever again.

RoninH

Sep 30, 2004, 04:10

I made it up to the top in about 7 hours. I didn't really feel like rushing it. Such an awesome experience though. I got a walking stick with all the stamps on it right by my bed. 200 yen per stamp but hell, it was worth it.

Though, I wish I had gotten a Bokken instead... -_-

If you haven't had the opportunity, I'd start looking for one. It's an absolutely breathtaking experience.

~Ronin~

King of Tokyo

Sep 30, 2004, 04:33

I haven't.. I don't want to.. I'm sure it'd be nice.. But.. Naw.. Heh.. It's not for me..

budd

Sep 30, 2004, 09:28

all the former servicemen i work with went, one even showed me his stick (please no laughing, people who have been know what i am talking about)

RoninH

Sep 30, 2004, 10:08

all the former servicemen i work with went, one even showed me his stick (please no laughing, people who have been know what i am talking about)

Hell, it's not really embarrasing. For all I know the writing on the stick says "Only a stupid foreigner would buy something like this". I know I'm a stupid foreigner, but I really could care less. :p

Brooker

Oct 5, 2004, 14:55

Even though I lived at the base of Mt. Fuji, I never had any desire to climb it. Some of my friends went and invited me, but I said no. Years ago I did a little climbing on Mt. Rainier (taller than Mt. Fuji) and it was just about the least fun I'd ever had. So I decided that mountain climbing is not my thing. I like hiking though.

Lina Inverse

Oct 6, 2004, 08:03

Mountain climbing is not my thing, but if they have a lift or something that goes all the way to the top, I'd use it. Does that count? :D
You should add an option like "I'd only go if there is a lift to the top" :haihai:

DoctorP

Oct 6, 2004, 08:19

Lina, the climb up Mt. Fuji is not all that hard, if you take it at a slow pace. I was in good shape at the time and practically ran up the mountain. There is actually a relay race held each year that goes up Fuji and back down again. Pretty interesting to watch, it is usually covered on Japanese TV.

Anyway, the climb down is tougher! A lot of people get creative and try to bring items in which they can slide down the mountain on! :D I had the "Fuji stick" so I treated my feet like skiis and used the stick to keep balance and basically skiied down the side of the mountain. Some people try to ride cardboard down etc...

Brooker

Oct 6, 2004, 14:21

openup

Oct 6, 2004, 16:22

I've never tried 'till the top. It was always around 5 gome where you can reach by a car (or bus whatever it is). In fact, I can see Mt. Fuji from my room anytime, and it is more beautiful if you just see from from far away...

Just try and see which you'd like more. :wave:

DoctorP

Oct 6, 2004, 20:58

One thing that sounded particularly "not-fun" about my friends' trip was that they were leaving at midnight and climbing all night so that they could be at the summit at sun rise. Also, they said they were freezing their @$$es off the whole time.

Not trying to discourage people from going - just not my thing.

I did the night climb too...it's not cold while you are moving, but when you reach the top it is very cold! That is why I had an extra shirt and a jacket in my backpack! The sunrise from the top is very beautiful though...I guess you could see the same thing from an airplane though! :D

Kara_Nari

Apr 19, 2006, 18:28

Sounds interesting, not something I did in Japan, but we did drive over the mountains near it, and had a stop and ate REALLY delicious biscotti whilst looking at Mt Fuji.

ArmandV

Jun 17, 2006, 00:32

Our drive to the 5th Station was sufficient enough for me. I don't like mountain climbing.

iyah_lujille

Jul 6, 2006, 15:29

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g75/iyah_lujille/Japan/Mt.jpg
Pics of Mount FIJI.....

Ermac

Jul 6, 2006, 18:09

Ill be climbing it by the year 2008.

I hear its quiet easy to climb though. like old people do it.
Still, Im going to do it on my way through japan. then when im a old man, I can look back and tell my grankids I did that :D

nice gaijin

Jul 7, 2006, 18:16

PsychoticNess

Jul 12, 2006, 20:03

It is my dream to climb it. I've wanted to since I was 12 or 13 or so. I will next year when I study abroad though, so I can't wait. We should have a JREF climb, and all of us meet up to climb the mountain or something. That'd be fun meeting all of you.

Color red

Oct 21, 2006, 17:07

I've done it this summer. Be sure that you don't go on winter though, it will be only for experts.

Faustianideals

Oct 30, 2006, 11:53

I'm gonna climb it when I go to Japan.

Mikawa Ossan

Oct 31, 2006, 13:56

My understanding is that it's less of a climb and more of a hike. For the several weeks I was in in the area last year, I never even saw Fuji (poor visibility). I'd like to give it a shot sometime, but I hear that it's a garbage pile these days, with lots of trash and empty air canisters. I'd rather climb a lesser known pristine mountain that a big famous dirty one...
As someone who has climbed Mt. Fuji, I would like to vouch for the statement that climbing Mt. Fuji consists of a long inclined hike, and not much more.

As for the cleanliness of the mountain, I don't remember Mt. Fuji being either spectacularly clean OR dirty. I just remember that there were a lot more people than I was expecting.

Watching the sun rise from the top of Mt. Fuji is an almost spiritual experience, though, and it's what I personally took back from the experience.

Dutch Baka

Oct 31, 2006, 18:49

I want to hike Fuji sama, especially after I hiked to the top of Mt. Maya from Shin-kobe station last week (that was a great route)

btw, is there a MacDonald's on top of Fujisama?

craftsman

Oct 31, 2006, 19:02

"One who never climbs Mount Fuji is a fool, and one who climbs it twice is twice the fool" (Japanese saying)

I am by definition a fool x2 because I did it twice.

One - a spectacular night-time walk under the stars and above a thunderstorm followed by a perfect if somewhat cold sunrise.

The other - a miserable plod in the clouds, a touch of altitude sickness and so many people dawn came half an hour from the top. It didn't matter anyway because you couldn't see it through the clouds.

shadow_lady

Oct 31, 2006, 19:11

:-) I have climbed Mt. Fuji, and have also gone hiking in 北アルプスand南アルプス:wave:

Goldiegirl

Dec 7, 2006, 10:51

I don't think I want to climb Mt. Fuji. I would like to be very near though. Is there a nice hotel around there that you can get a "room with a view"? :)

kumakato

Dec 8, 2006, 09:32

I climbed her 18 times, mainly taking youth groups to the top.

justin

Dec 8, 2006, 11:40

When I visit Japan I would like to climb Mt. Fuji, but knowing my luck I would be two steps away from the top and slip. End up rolling all the way back down. :P

taeter_tot

Jan 2, 2007, 12:12

Not yet,I like to challenge it someday haha

kellbel

Feb 27, 2007, 09:11

made of stone

Feb 27, 2007, 20:17

Hi,
i'm keen to climb Mt Fuji - just wondering if you actually need any climbing experience? Planning to go in August - i'm fairly fit and enjoy hiking but have never actually climbed a mountain.
Thanks!

Welcome to the forum, kellbel!

As long as you're fairly fit and wear sensible clothes you'll be fine. As others have said, there's not much climbing involved, it's more of a hike.

When I went it was raining and the footwear I wore didn't have enough grip, which made it quite tough for me. I would say hiking boots are a must.

While the sunrise was nice, and it was an achievement and a memorable event, I didn't really enjoy it at all at the time.

Imo, this poll is missing an option 'Yes and never would again'!

tampopo

Mar 8, 2007, 22:00

I haven't though I drove by it, stopping for refreshments at one of the five lakes.
The first time I was in Japan it was rainy season and didn't get a good look at it. The second time, it was cloudy too, but we were in a Keikyu highrise shopping mall in Yokohama and while waiting for the lift/elevator I glanced out the window and said "wow, check at that big mountain looking in at us!"
It's REALLY big and much closer than I'd realised.

storeyinallinanyways

Apr 27, 2007, 23:57

I intend to do it before I leave - a friend is visiting in July, we will climb Fuji-san together and then fly to Miyako-jima to lie on a beach and recover!!!

Tanoshimi desu ne?!

:cool:

tampopo

Apr 28, 2007, 02:56

storeyinallinanyways,
are you on the JET programme? How has it been? I suppose there is another thread to discuss JET progs, but was just interested, I noticed your gaeilge the other day,is all...
I don't speak any Japanese, a few worn phrases.

Zaff

Apr 29, 2007, 18:43

I did intend to do the climb a couple of weeks ago but the days we had set aside for the climb it decided to absolutely throw it down and I didn't fancy getting soaked to the bone. Also the visibility would have been pretty shoddy what with the rain so we couldn't do it.

Instead we hung out in my favorite area (Shinjuku) had some beers played some arcades and met some of the nicest people I ever have in Pub Hub. So not a wasted day at all :-)

bakaKanadajin

May 5, 2007, 23:08

I climbed it with my buddies last summer, we started at 10:30pm and summited at 4:30am, it was quite the experience. I'm in good shape but I still found it slightly challenging, some parts are not just 'hiking', although alot of it is. Some parts you have to really be careful, the more rockier parts.
The descent is hard on the knees too and seems like it will never end :P

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v229/evil_VR6/untitled1.jpg

But the view is worth it :)

William Spencer

May 8, 2007, 14:46

i climbed my fuji in july 1986, gosh more than 20 years ago ! i went with an american friend and we started at the 5th station. the walk up wasn't that bad actually. during that time some crazy aussie women decided to begin the craze of carry her bicycle up the bloody mountain too and then it was popular with many others to do the same! once on the top it was well breathtaking. it was during the day and the weather was fantastic. on the top of mt fuji i had to go to the bathroom (not just no. 1)...um yeah not that pleasant i can assure you! but it was the climb down that was gruelling. it took a long time and it was kinda dangerous since the surface was so loose. at the YH we realised that we had gotten really sunburnt. i'm 49yrs old now but i'd do it again though there are other places i'd like to climb too.

cheers