#102 Preparation of climbing Mt Fuji
New rules for the Yoshida Route and tips for the 2024 season
As I have just delivered an article dated March 17(#93) related to bullet climbing of Mt. Fuji, there will be significant operational changes for the 2024 season, especially on the Yamanashi Prefecture side of the mountain. Tomorrow, May 20（JST), when climbing reservations begin, is a critical date for those considering climbing Mt. I would like to briefly summarize some important points for those planning to climb Mt Fuji. In the unique environment of mountain climbing and at a high altitude of over 3,500 meters, the weather is an essential factor that can be said to determine everything. I will consider the appropriate time of year to plan a climb, such as at the end of the rainy season.
Yoshida Route New Rules
Close the trail from 16:00 to 03:00 the next day.
Limit the number of climbers daily to 4,000, and close the trail when the number reaches 4,000.
Charge a per-person toll of 2,000 yen and ask for an optional cooperation fee of 1,000 yen. The fee is used for safety measures for climbers, and the cooperation fee is used for the preservation of Mt Fuji.
You’ll need to register through the official page and pay in advance. The payment is non-refundable after it.
The deadline is 23:59 on the previous day.
Even if you do not have a reservation, you can climb the mountain if you are one of the 1,000 climbers and pay 2,000 yen at the site, but you will not be able to climb Mt. Fuji if the total number exceeds the 4,000 climbers quota on the day of the climb.
There were five days last year when the number of climbers exceeded 4,000 and 17 days in the past, so it is better to make reservations in advance. If you make a reservation in advance, you can quickly enter the mountain by scanning the QR code.
Reservations begin at 10:00 a.m. Japan time on the 20th. As this is the first time, the servers will have difficulty connecting during this time.
The above video explains in a 3-minute video how to have a safer and more comfortable climb of Mt. Please take a look (Quoted from Mt Fuji Climbing HP).
Response on the Shizuoka Prefecture side
Since there are three climbing routes on the Shizuoka Prefecture side, the number of climbers will be unlimited, and you will not be charged the entrance fee. However, in anticipation of the future, they will ask climbers to provide their climbing schedule through smartphone apps to monitor the number of climbers, thereby reducing congestion.
Best Time to Climb Mt. Fuji from Statistics
Mt. Fuji opens from July 1 to September 10, and toilets are unavailable in the off-season. Mt Fuji is a different world during the harsh winter, with wind speeds averaging 15 meters and reaching 40 meters when the wind is strong. Slipping and falling due to losing balance in the wind can be fatal. With this in mind, you should only climb Mt Fuji during the season.
Mt Fuji belongs to the Koshinetsu region, and although there is a variation of tsuyu=rainy season about one week each year, in mid-July. In September, the probability of clear skies decreases due to the movement of the autumn rain front and typhoons.
The end of the rainy season is quite variable, as you can see from past rainy season dates. If you want to climb comfortably, avoid the Obon season in Japan, which is the second week of August. And it would be best if you climb on a weekday in August. Many Japanese climbers come to the area on weekends, and crowds are inevitably high.
Finally
Make reservations at the same time as the lodge, and check the long-term weather forecast two weeks in advance. Then, one week before the planned date, you should recheck the weather forecast and be flexible enough to change your plans if the weather is unfavorable. The situation of the Yoshida Route needs to be clarified since this year will be the first time such measures have been taken.
In my personal opinion, if you do not believe in mountain worship, Mt. Fuji is a mountain to see rather than climb. Conquering Japan's highest mountain while traveling may be an outstanding achievement. However, if you are so fixated on reaching the summit that you take risks by climbing too hard, it will save your trip and protect the environment. One way to avoid the crowds is to take it easy and enjoy the view of Mount Fuji from the surrounding mountains. I’d like to present the details of such mountains soon.
If you dare to climb Mt Fuji this season, please be aware of new climbing restrictions and climb safely.
The following should be helpful links for your planning.