If you are stationed here in Japan it's a matter of WHEN you're climbing Mt. Fuji, not IF. So not knowing really anything about it, we made plans this past spring to climb over the 4-day Fourth of July holiday. And of course I roped Sara into coming all away around the world to join us!
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| {happy campers} |
We spent the Friday night before at a little town at the base of the mountain. It was awesome. All the hotels overlooked the water. We had dinner and were able to relax at the onsen before our 2-day excursion.
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| {view from our room in kawaguchiko} |
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| {dinner} |
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| {we take great selfies} |
Saturday morning we got up and had a traditional Japanese breakfast before heading to the bus station. No waffles or french toast here!
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| {we'll need all of this protein} |
From Kawaguchiko, the bus ride is about 45 min to the 5th station where we began hiking. There are souviner shops and a few places to get food or snacks before you go up or at the conclusion of your hike. There were many people there just to visit the 5th Station and have a bite to eat with no intention of heading up the volcano!
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| {we're really doing this} |
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| {5th Station} |
Most of Saturday was rainy, but not as cold as we had anticipated. The climb was also a lot more difficult than I think we expected, but it was definitely doable. Thank goodness for those walking sticks! You purchase them at the base and then collect stamps at huts along the way.
{close up of stamps}
The entire hike is around 12K feet...we're almost there!!
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| {only 3 more hours} |
As we hiked, we were passed by runners....(people were actually running, not just in running gear).....who were making their way down....crazy!
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| {yes, he's running. in shorts.} |
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| {straight. up.} |
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| {seriously!?} |
And no one told us there would be actual rock climbing....
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| {this was no joke} |
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| {snow!} |
The weather did let up for us for the last part of our climb the first day. We're above the clouds!
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| {station 8} |
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| {up there! that's our hut!} |
We arrived at our hut around 3:30pm...about 4 hours from when we started. These huts are not individual to your party...we slept with about 150 other people. Cozy! All 5 of us slept on a part of the bunk that was probably the size of a king size mattress...maybe. People come in and get up at all hours so there's not much sleeping going on!
First thing we do is set up our bunk. You hang all of our stuff from hooks right above you.
After we had settled in and changed, we went out to the common area of the hut to sit around the small fire, relax and do some much needed yoga.
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| {i'm so not flexible} |
Then, it was time for dinner...what would it be!?
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| {such anticipation} |
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| {surprise!} |
Just what you crave after a 4 hour hike...rice, fish and potato salad. Although not desired, it was good!
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| {fish!} |
We tried to go to bed really early because our plan was to start our accent to the top at 3am to catch the sunrise around 4am. It wasn't easy to sleep because others were coming in late and some got up as early as 1am! What were they doing!?
As we started to gather our things and get ready to go we saw why people started climbing so early.....
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| {headlamps} |
There were thousands of people climbing to the top for sunrise! Some even climb all night! After eating pop tarts for breakfast (I couldn't do the salmon they gave us) we put on our own headlamps and were on our way!!
We didn't need them very long because the sun started to come up shortly after we started.
It's.
Amazing.
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| {paparazzi} |
These pictures DO NOT do it justice. I can see why people make this climb.
Thirty minutes after sunrise we finally made it to the top!
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| {brent's a little too close to the edge for me} |
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| {the mentos made it!} |
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| {overlooking the last hut} |
Whew!! We did it!!!!!!! It pushed us for sure, but would recommend it to anyone.
Checked off the bucket list.
Never again. :)
