Climbing Mount Fuji

Hello! This year I climbed Mount Fuji with my friends this was one of my bucket lists. We talked about it a year before we should go to Mt.Fuji next year this big plan started with this small casual talk. I hope this article will help people who want to climb Mt.Fuji I will write everything here. 

View from the Mount Fuji

BEFORE CLIMBING
 1. Reservation
Trail reservation: Every climber has to reserve in advance on their ascending date who is using the Yoshida Trail. 2000 yen per person and there are 4000 persons limit in one day. This is their official website all of the information is there. This 2000 yen is not refundable or not changeable for the dates.
Reservation site: https://e.japanticket.com/shops/5168
Also, hikers are not allowed to enter the 5th station gate between 4 pm - 3 am. But if you reserved Mountain Hut in advance it is okay to enter after 4 pm. Trail reservation has to be made in advance even if you made a reservation for the Mountain Hut. 
Mountain Hut reservation: There are a lot of options in each station but most of them especially the higher ones are already full before the climbing season starts. The prices start around 8500JPY and up, it depends on the dates and whether you get food or not. 
You can get Mountain Hut information from here ↓

富士山 吉田口 山小屋 空室状況一覧

Bus reservation: Since Mount Fuji is far from Tokyo and the city it is better to reserve the bus in advance. There are a lot of options going to the Fuji Subaru Line 5th station please check the options in advance many of them sold out quickly. I used a bus from Kawaguchiko Station. There are also buses from Shinjuku Station and other Stations directly to the Fuji 5th station.
Bus reservation from Kawaguchiko Station and Fuji Parking Lot:  https://ticket.jorudan.co.jp/fujikyubus/subaruline/en/   It is convenient, you don't have to go anywhere just show the QR code to the staff when boarding. 
Bus timetable: https://www.fujikyubus.co.jp/mycar/timetablefares-en/
 2. Clothes
It is better to prepare for any situation, especially rain. In my experience, hikers' boots and wind jackets are must-have items for climbing. If you don't have any clothes and buying is too much there is another option. Yamarent is a rental site that offers a whole package, and the stores are located in Shinjuku, Kawaguchiko, and Fuji 5th station. But you have to reserve at least 4, or 5 days before climbing. To prevent sunburnt if the weather is sunny need to bring with you gloves and a bucket hat. 
Even if you forgot something to bring no need to worry you can buy almost everything at the 5th station the prices may expensive than the other shops. 
3. Food
We prepared snacks, cup noodles, and some candies. These snacks were really helpful we ate them when we were resting. We bought a pocari sweat drink and 1.5L water per person it was enough to reach the summit and bought more water on the summit for descending. While descending there aren't any shops that can buy food or drinks there are only toilets. So if you need to buy anything more buy at the summit I got only 1 bottle of water(drank 1 bottle when I was at the summit) It was not enough at all and descending is also hard and makes you thirsty. 
4. Money
In the mountain card or cashless payments are unavailable to use only cash is required. I spent 9000JPY on the mountain. Even the toilets need to be paid for it starts at 100JPY at the 5th station and the price increases going higher. If you are planning to get the stamps you will need more. 
5. Equipment
If you are a beginner hiker or not used to steep hiking it is better to get trekking poles. It was really helpful for me. You can rent one at the Yamarent. The long wooden hiking sticks are also helpful but between the 7th station and the 8th stations, they may be difficult to use. There are steep rock climbing roads which makes it hard to use trekking poles, I folded mine. 
I also used oxygen during the climbing I think it is better to have one with you. You can buy at every station the prices will rise when go higher. Of course, for the experts, it may be no need but for the beginners, it is good to have one. 
6. Weather
It is important to check the weather few sites can check the weather in Mt.Fuji.
mountain forecast
weather news
tenki.jp
DURING CLIMBING
It is really important to go slowly, listen to your body, and rest as often as possible. Climbing Mount Fuji is not that easy at all maybe it will be easier for those who are experts but for beginners, it is a different story. Many people die in Mount Fuji so always be careful and not rush. You can not relax until you come back to the 5th station. Every station and Mountain Hut has benches that can sit and rest and you can also rest while going up and down.

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in Mount Fuji

AFTER CLIMBING
It is an exhausting and hard process after descending there is no strength left in the legs, going home or hotel is also a hard part. The next day was awful could not move well, and body aches were not a joke.  I got well after 3 days and fully recovered after 4 days.
 
In the end, it was a spontaneous experience in a lifetime. So worth it! Goodluck with your journey to Mount Fuji. 

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