Adventures in PEI and Beyond!: Not Quite Ready to Climb Mt. Fuji Yet!

Nice Farming Scenery En-route to Mt. Fuji via Japan Rail

The decision to come to Japan was a quick one for us. We had not planned on visiting Japan this summer at all. Our older son got a new job and he was sent to Tokyo for a month of training.

Immediately, he invited us to Japan and from deciding to go until we arrived we had about two weeks to get ready for this trip. We did not really think about what we wanted to see or do in this unique Asian country.

Mt. Fuji seen from the Kawaguchiko Station

One of the tourist places we wanted to visit was Mt. Fuji. We were in Japan four years ago but we were only here for four days so there was hardly enough time to visit the many great places in Tokyo. This time we have eight days and we could do a little more.

We woke up early in the morning at 6:am trying to catch the train to Mt. Fuji. Because of our lack of Japanese language and being not familiar with the train routes, we were up extra early just to make sure that we did not miss the train.

One of the Restaurants on 5th Station at Mt. Fuji

We took a number of different trains before we got to Mt. Fuji.
Looking back if we had taken the highway express bus from the Shinjuku Station in Tokyto, we would have got here much faster, and more direct.

After taking the final train to Fujisan Station, we caught a bus which took another hour and straight to Mt. Fuji.

Climbers Doing Their Warm Up Exercises to Get Ready

By the time we got to the Mt Fuji's 5th Station - where most people started their climb, it was around 10a.m. and there were a lot of people.

5th Station, Mt. Fuji

5Th Station - a busy place full of hikers, tourists, young and old.

Climbers Dressed in Full Gear for Their Climb

While many hikers had come to Mt Fuji ready for the climb to the summit many tourists like us were contented to stroll around and take a few pictures.

The Trail not too Difficult at the Beginning

Looking at all the climbers getting ready for the climb, we followed them and started the hike from the 5th station.

Japanese Children Climbing Mt. Fuji

At the beginning of the trail, the hike was not too bad; it was like any other ordinary hiking trail.

The trail to the summit of Mt. Fuji was very well marked and easy to follow at the lower level.

Dressed Properly and Ready for the Climb

We saw all kinds of people hiking up. Kids, parents and kids older folks and people who came well prepared and were dressed in their full climbing gear.

Tourists like us not dressed for climbing

However, there were people, just like us, who were not dressed for it but simply starting hiking because they were at Mt. Fuji.

Sandals not Recommended for Mt. Fuji

Spectacular View from Mt. Fuji!

As we reached higher up on Mount Fuji, the view below us opened before us. It was spectacular! We were fortunate as we hiked up the mountain on a reasonable clear day and we could see the scenery far below.

My husband and I attempted the trail to the summit

However, the higher up we went, the colder the temperature it became.

As we did not plan to climb Mt Fuji at all on this trip, we were not dressed properly for the climb to the summit.

Looking down from Mt. Fuji from around the Sixth Station

The only clothes we had on were just a summer T shirt; my husband in a pair of shorts and I in a pair of Capri and sandals.
There was no way we could make it to the summit in outfits like that.