Hey everyone, im visiting Japan late june and early july and one thing I was looking into was climbing mount fuji. Although it looks really cool, I am an overthinker and am a little nervous lol. I have a few questions – How hard is it? im 20 in pretty good shape and ive done a few easy hikes before. Also, how bad is the altitude sickness really? we were also looking into doing it in one day, not sleeping overnight. Does anyone have any tips?
by Neat-Yellow6311
8 comments
https://www.japan.travel/en/fuji-guide/mt-fuji-yoshida-trail/
Altitude sickness is a crapshoot. You can be a fit marathon runner and keel over, or an overweight fatty and make it to the top. Just listen to your body and don’t think about pushing yourself if you start feeling symptoms. Turn back.
It’s very cold at the top so bring warm clothes, regardless of how hot you feel when you’re starting.
Feel like this is one of those climbs where the overthinking makes it feel worse than it is… but altitude is the wildcard tbh one day sounds doable but kinda rushed. id prob worry more abt how my body reacts than the hike itself care u more stressed abt the climb or the “what if” stuff?..
1. Don’t underestimate it. Don’t forget you gonna go up an almost 3.800 Meter / 12.400 feet high mountain. Take your time and don’t rush it, then altitude sickness shouldn’t be that much of an issue either.
2. Pack / wear proper hiking boots and warm clothes + rain protection.
3. Have enough Water with you, at least 1,5 better 2+ liters. And some lightweigt snacks. Onigiri ftw imho.
4. Remember you also need to keep your trash with you and bring it back down with you for disposal.
We also want to climb at the end of june/start of july. Keeping an eye on the website with the opening days.
Altitude sickness:
It can happen to anyone above 2500m. There is really no way to know if you will get it or not – when I climbed Fuji in 2005 my group was overtaken by the ambitious (and very fit, think college track and field semi-pros) members of a German youth sports club who had done alpine training before. And guess who was puking their brains out at night in the summit hut?
There are ways to mitigate risk:
1. Sleep well the nights before (I was stupid and could not fall asleep in 2024 the night before the climb).
2. Drink and bring enough water plus electrolytes (when I started to feel lightheaded from my lack of rest I decided to buy a Pocari sweat/Aquarius at each station and sit down to slowly drink it plus I had enbun tablets).
3. Acclimatize: Hang around the 5th station for at least 45min to an hour (visit the shrines, repack, put on sunscreen, use the free toilets etc.) And force yourself to walk really slowly first, like unnaturally so. Take breaks at the huts.
4. Take ibuprofen as a precaution. Won’t work for everyone, but does not hurt to take it.
5. Oxygen cannisters: I have NO idea, if they are effective in any way but I bought one – never used it, gifted it to another climber from Switzerland when I got back down to the fifth station.
How hard is it?
Have you done any cardio like running? If you are not an experienced mountain-climber, it will feel like walking up really long, steep stairs for hours and you will be short of breath. My husband was not in good shape (he could walk 10km and was weightlifting, but did not do cardio) when he did a day climb in 2017. He made it up and down but said that he thought about giving up multiple times and that he would never do it again.
More tips:
1. Bring 100Yen coins for snacks and toilets.
2. Layers of clothes! When I climbed in late July 2024, I had all kinds of weather conditions: bright and sunny with 34°C in Kawaguchiko, windy and sunny from 5th to 7th station at 20°, temperatures going down to 7°C with wind blasts towards the summit, to 2°C with rain and fog at night and sunrise. So I went from shorts and T-shirt to wool base layer plus fleece plus rain gear – and wore every possible combination in between. In 2005 it was raining hard at the summit – so you have to be prepared or it can get dangerous (hypothermia).
3. Hats and scarf: You will want to have sth to protect you from the blaring sun and the chilly wind. Fuji is a ‘stand-alone’-mountain so it gets hit by storm/wind/clouds and above the treeline there is not a lot of shelter (it is a volcano so no real rock formations or crevices to hide from the elements).
3. Make sure you take it easy the day after. If you’re young, you might just feel a little sore, but I know people who could not even walk afterwards because their legs cramped up so bad. Plan to visit an onsen after the climb or at least take a nice hot bath. In 2024 I could still walk but going down any stairs I felt like a wobbly cartoon character.
4. The descent (mostly) sucks. For Yoshida it is just endlessly zigzagging switchback. The ground is hard with a thin layer of loose gravel on top – meaning you are constantly slipping and sliding when you carefully set down your foot. That is hard on your knees and legs so you really benefit from bringing poles. I have seen people running/sprinting down the trail which seemed easier in terms of movement, but also hella risky (fall and faceplant on lava gravel?). It is also worth having gaiters for the descent because the gravel and dust will get into your shoes (make sure you can wash them at your post-Fuji accommodation).
I climbed fuji and got altitude sickness. It wasn’t fun. Still made it to the top and back down on my own. Bring a coat and plenty of water
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