Mount Fuji
富士山 · Yamanashi and Shizuoka prefectures
Japan's sacred 3,776-m peak, the 'once in a lifetime' place to greet the sunrise
Know before you go
- Never do a 'bullet climb' (climbing through the night straight to the summit without staying in a hut — restricted by regulations since 2025)
- don't leave the trails
- don't litter or make noise and disturb others' rest.
Stories & people
Stories & people
History
A sacred mountain and the era when women could not climb it
The summit of Mount Fuji has been regarded as sacred since ancient times, so women were long banned from climbing it. Its last eruption was in 1707–1708. The first foreigner to climb Mount Fuji was the British minister Rutherford Alcock, who in September 1860 took 8 hours to reach the summit and 3 hours to come down. On 22 June 2013 Mount Fuji was inscribed as a World Cultural Heritage Site as 'Fujisan, sacred place and source of artistic inspiration', together with 25 related sites including Fujisan Hongū Sengen Taisha.
Source: Wikipedia: Mount Fuji
Culture
Culture & customs
Background
Revered since ancient times in mountain worship, with the 'tohai' pilgrimage climbs of Fuji-kō believers continuing for centuries; Katsushika Hokusai's 'Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji' made it famous worldwide, and in 2013 it was inscribed as a World Cultural Heritage Site. In the July–September climbing season the lights of the mountain huts look like a river of stars, and at 'goraikō' (sunrise) thousands on the summit put their palms together — the image of the Japanese spiritual homeland.
Local customs
- Praying at the shrine at the fifth station before climbing is traditional
- keep quiet in mountain huts and follow their schedules
- carry all your rubbish down the mountain (the iron rule of 'leave no trace').
Religion & beliefs
- A sacred mountain of Shinto
- the Okumiya of Sengen Taisha and Kusushi Shrine on the summit are centres of faith
- climbing is pilgrimage — come with reverence, and don't be loud or disrespectful.
Etiquette
Etiquette & taboos
Don’t DON'T
- Never do a 'bullet climb' (climbing through the night straight to the summit without staying in a hut — restricted by regulations since 2025)
- don't leave the trails
- don't litter or make noise and disturb others' rest.
Locals appreciate DO
- Japanese people appreciate climbers who prepare well and know their limits
- staying in a mountain hut, watching goraikō and collecting brand stamps on a walking stick are the 'insider's' summit rituals.
Plan your visit
Practical info
Travel tips
- 2026 climbing season: Yoshida and Subashiri trails from 1 July to 10 September, Gotemba and Fujinomiya trails from 10 July to 10 September. All four trails charge an entry fee of JPY 4,000 per person, with advance online registration (registration on site is also possible on the Shizuoka side)
- between 14:00 and 3:00 the next morning, climbers without a hut booking may not start
- the Yoshida trail is recommended for beginners — be sure to book a mountain hut in advance.
Eat nearby
What to eat nearby
Must-try
- Hōtō
- Yoshida udon
- Fujinomiya yakisoba
Hōtō (Yamanashi's wide noodles in pumpkin-miso hotpot), Yoshida udon (firm noodles with cabbage), Fujinomiya yakisoba (on the Shizuoka side), basashi / venison (in season at licensed restaurants — choose with care), simple curry / ramen at the fifth station
| Where to eat | Rest houses at the fifth station (seasonal, pricey), hōtō restaurants in Kawaguchiko / Fujiyoshida, mountain-hut meals (included when booking accommodation) |
|---|---|
| Dining etiquette | Mountain-hut meals are at set times; carry all rubbish down; in climbing season paying for toilets and water is normal, so carry change; no special dietary taboos |
| Typical price per person | Below the mountain JPY 1,500–2,500 ≈ CNY 68–113, at the fifth station JPY 2,000–3,500 ≈ CNY 90–158 |
| Tips | Outside the climbing season most huts are closed, so bring your own trail food; hōtō portions are large — good for sharing. |
Prices are typical rates as of October 2026, not exact quotes; CNY equivalents are approximate where exchange rates fluctuate.
Jungle · CC BY-SA 3.0
Photos
Photos
Sergiy Galyonkin · CC BY-SA 2.0
Midori · CC BY 3.0
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Guilhem Vellut from Annecy, France · CC BY 2.0
Sources & verification notes
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/富士登山
https://hiking.biji.co/index.php?q=news&act=info&id=25233
Official Mount Fuji climbing site: 2026 climbing rules
- ja.wikipedia, 'Climbing Mount Fuji' https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/富士登山
- Hiking Biji report on the 2026 season opening https://hiking.biji.co/index.php?q=news&act=info&id=25233
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