Mt. Fuji

Mt. Fuji (Fujisan) is Japan's highest mountain at 3,776 m, a near-perfectly symmetrical stratovolcano 100 km southwest of Tokyo that has been climbed as a religious pilgrimage since at least the 12th century. UNESCO inscribed it as a Cultural World Heritage Site in 2013 specifically for its centuries-long inspiration of artists, poets, and pilgrims — Hokusai's woodblock-print views were the first global tourism advert for the mountain.

The most popular ascent is the Yoshida Trail from the Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station at 2,300 m on the mountain's north side — the only route reachable directly by bus from Tokyo. Most climbers spend two days: an afternoon ascent from the 5th Station up volcanic scree and lava-rock switchbacks to a mountain hut at the 7th or 8th Station around 3,100–3,400 m, then a 1 AM start to reach the summit crater rim for goraikō, the much-celebrated sunrise view above Japan. The summit itself is a wide volcanic crater; the highest point, Kengamine, is a short walk around the rim from the trail's top. Descent follows a parallel zigzag path of compacted volcanic gravel — fast, dusty, and hard on the knees.

The official climbing season is short: July 1 to early September, when the huts are open and the snowline is above the trailhead. Outside the season the trails are technically closed, the huts shuttered, and rescues are not guaranteed — climbing is possible but treated as a serious alpine objective with crampons and ice axe in winter. As of 2024, Yamanashi Prefecture introduced a 2,000-yen toll plus a 4,000-hiker daily cap on the Yoshida Trail to combat overcrowding. Hut reservations are mandatory and book out weeks ahead. The climb is non-technical but altitude (especially the headache-inducing summit) and weather (regular thunderstorms and high winds above the treeline) are real concerns.