Mount Fuji

Contexto cultural

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.

Costumbres locales

• 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').

Religión y creencias

• 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.

Consejos de viaje

• 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.