#93 Climbing Mt. Fuji
Government regulations could significantly change the planning of climbing Mt Fuji in the 2024 season.
In recent years, climbing Mt. Fuji has become one of the must-do destinations among foreign tourists. Mt. Fuji. Its popularity knows no bounds; even climbers with ultra-light clothing and poor manners have appeared. Mt.Fuji has been a sacred mountain for religious climbers since ancient times, while the lone peak of the dormant volcano is the highest in Japan at 3,776 meters above sea level. The climbing season is extremely short, lasting only two and a half months from July to September, and with the recent boom in climbing Mt. Fuji; as a result, it will not be possible to climb Mt. Fuji this season with the same preparation as last year. In particular, travelers from overseas will need to spend more time and effort in preparation. If preparations do not start from April 1 of the new fiscal year, climbing Mt. Fuji during your stay in Japan will not be feasible. I would appreciate it if this post is helpful to you.
Climbing season and the number of climbers
Mt. Fuji has a strict climbing season, and you can only climb some year-round. In the severe winter, Mt. Fuji is an entirely different world with solid winds. The Yoshida-guchi route usually opens on July 1, and the other three open on July 10. All routes close on September 10. Outside of this period, mountain lodges are closed, and toilets are out of service, so regular climbers can only climb during the climbing season. During the harsh winter season, low temperatures and extreme winds cause constant reports of distress and rescue of climbers who push themselves too hard to climb.
Over the past ten years, climbers have always exceeded 200,000, peaking at 284,000 in 2017 until 2020, when the mountain was closed due to Corona. (Please refer to the following site and translate). The number steadily recovered when climbing resumed in 2021 after the Corona, reaching 221,000 in 2023. Along with the recovery in the number of climbers, the number of foreign tourists visiting Japan has also increased rapidly, with some reports indicating that more than half of the climbers are foreigners.
Bullet Climbing
The most thrilling part of climbing Mt. Fuji is to reach the summit before sunrise from a lodge at the 8th station or elsewhere along the way and watch the sunrise at the summit. However, with the increase in climbers, so-called "bullet climbing," in which climbers aim directly for the summit without staying overnight at a lodge along the way, has become common. Bullet climbing is a way to gain altitude during the night, which increases the risk of altitude sickness and hypothermia due to accumulated fatigue and thus increases the risk of disaster. Mt. Fuji is an unobstructed, nearly 4,000-meter-high mountain beyond the forest limit, so only experienced and well-prepared climbers can climb it. The government, which manages the mountain, had no choice but to act in response to this reality.
Local government response
The Yamanashi Prefectural Assembly, which has jurisdiction over the Yoshida-guchi trail, unanimously passed a draft ordinance at its March 4 meeting that includes a new toll from the Yoshida-guchi trail and a limit on the number of climbers, citing the need for proper management of climbers. Its primary contents are as follows.
A new gate at the fifth station will limit the number of climbers to 4,000 per day.
Close the gate from 4:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m.
Mandatory toll of 2,000 yen per person
Authorization to guide staff in instructing climbers on bad manners.
These measures are intended to deal with bullet mountaineering and etiquette violations and are expected to be introduced on the Yamanashi Prefecture side starting with the 2024 season. The Yoshida-guchi trailhead said to be used by half of the climbers, is the subject of this measure. Although Shizuoka Prefecture has reportedly begun considering restrictions after 4 p.m., we have yet to determine whether this move will soon become as strict as the restrictions on the Yamanashi Prefecture side. We will have to monitor the situation closely regarding restrictions on the Shizuoka side.
What you should do
To promote the safe ascent of Mt. Fuji, the Ministry of the Environment, Yamanashi Prefecture, and Shizuoka Prefecture have established the "Official Site for Ascent of Mt. Fuji" with real-time information on the trail conditions, essential equipment, safety, risks, regulations, manners, and weather and are calling for safe climbing for the 2024 season.
In particular, they call for five measures to ensure safe and comfortable mountain climbing.
Strengthen your physical strength.
Avoid climbing on crowded weekends and move to weekdays.
Change the lodge you use
Change the route
Use tours
Of the four climbing routes, the Yoshida Route takes half of the climbers who use the Yoshida Route on the Yamanashi side. The Fujinomiya route on the Shizuoka side is also popular because of its higher elevation and shorter distance to start the walk, and climbers tend to concentrate on this route. According to the statistics, Mt. Fuji's number of climbers is also closely related to the timing of the end of Japan's rainy season. If the end of the rainy season falls far into the Mt. Fuji climbing season, as last year, the climbing season will effectively shorten, leading to a concentration of climbers.
Book mountain lodges first!!
I am concerned that the gate on the Yoshida route will make it necessary to use mountain lodges to see the sunrise at the summit, causing competition for lodge reservations. Many lodges will start accepting reservations after the consecutive holidays in May, but some will begin accepting reservations on April 1. The higher the altitude of the lodge, the more popular it is, and some lodges only take reservations by phone, or even if they have a web page, it is challenging to assist in English, as they only help in Japanese. For these reasons, making a reservation at a lodge from overseas before visiting Japan is expected to take a lot of work. If this is a problem, a shortcut is to look for a hiking tour that includes the reservation of mountain lodges in the price.
Although the specifics of the restrictions on the Shizuoka Prefecture side of the mountain have yet to be found, I strongly recommend that those considering climbing Mt. Fuji this summer plan the itinerary and make lodge reservations as soon as possible. At least on the Yamanashi side, it will be virtually impossible to climb the mountain in a bullet, and the same is expected to happen on the Shizuoka side, depending on the situation.
Finally
Mt. Fuji is a mountain of faith, not a mountain for sunrise viewing. Although it is unique in that it is a single peak with no surrounding obstacles if you want to see the sunrise, there are other reasons not to stick to a mountain with as many restrictions as Mt. Fuji is a World Heritage site; there should be room for people to reconsider before climbing the mountain, whether from Japan or abroad. I only hope that the same situation does not continue and that the gods inhabiting the highest mountain in Japan do not get angry.