I would love to write this small guide to show how to climb mount Fuji and also, how I improved Google Maps whilst I did it. If you are in Tokyo, between the months of June to September and love hiking, you should definitively consider climbing Mount Fuji. You can take a direct bus from Shinjuku station to Mount Fuji 5th station.
The last bus for the day is at 19:25 getting you to Fuji 5th station at 22:00. The return is the day after at 10:00, leaving you in Shinjuku Tokyo around 12:35. Highly recommend you to book both buses in advance, as they sold out very quickly, specially in the days that good weather has been forecasted.
Although I would recommend you to stay in Kawaguchiko for t least few days to enjoy its peace and tranquility, when I was there I had some spare time to wonder around, so I used it to add some missing places to Google Maps and write some reviews from the most iconic restaurants in this city.
I find quite challenging the level systems in Google maps and I’m always trying to close the circles, the hardest one I think is the “Expert Trailblazer”, so I get very happy everytime I see a new place that hasn’t been added to Google Maps, so I can add it and get closer to close this circle and get this badge. This city was perfect for this.
If you still prefer to do it in one day from Tokyo, this is the bus schedule:
This bus only operates between 1st of June to 30th of September, which is the season to climb Mount Fuji, the rest of the year you are not allowed to climb Mount Fuji due to the bad weather in the area.
If you are planing to climb it at night, as it was my case, please do not forget to bring a torchlight (very important!), proper hiking shoes and warm clothes, since as you keep getting higher and higher it can get very cold!
The estimate time to climb, changes form person to person, but the tourist office says its aprox. 8 hours (in my case took me 6 hours, so if you are fit, surely can do better).
Sunrise is around 6am, so you should be in the top at that time to see the amazing spectacle nature bring us each day.
Don’t forget the japanese proverb: "Who climbs Mt. Fuji once is a wise man; who climbs it twice is a fool”
One of the best hikes of my life. Will I be fool enough to repeat? Will see…
