5.Mt. Fuji(Shizuoka,Yamanashi)

Climbing Mt. Fuji

Climbing Mt. Fuji (3776 meters), Japan's highest and most prominent mountain, can make for lifelong memories. The mountain itself may look more attractive from afar than from close up, but the views on clear days and the experience of climbing through the early morning hours among hundreds of equally minded hikers from across the world are very rewarding.

Subashiri 5th Station

Among the four 5th Stations on Mt. Fuji, the Subashiri 5th Station (Subashiri Gogome) on the eastern side of the mountain is the second easiest to access by public transportation from Tokyo after the Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station. Buses serve the station daily during the climbing season from mid July until mid September, and run on weekends and national holidays from May through October.

The Fujinomiya 5th Station

The Fujinomiya 5th Station ( Fujinomiya Gogome) is the second most popular and second most developed of the four fifth stations on Mt. Fuji. It is the easiest to access by public transportation from western Japan, and is served by direct buses from Shin-Fuji and Mishima Stations along the JR Tokaido Shinkansen.

The Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station

The Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station (Fuji Subaru Line Gogōme, also known as Yoshidaguchi 5th Station or Kawaguchiko 5th Station) lies at approximately the halfway point of the Yoshida Trail, which leads from Fujiyoshida Sengen Shrine at the mountain's base to the summit of Mt. Fuji. It is the most popular of the four 5th stations on Mt. Fuji and the best developed and easiest to access by public transportation from Tokyo. The Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station is accessible almost year round, snow conditions permitting, and is a popular sightseeing spot even outside of the climbing season.

The Gotemba 5th Station

The Gotemba 5th Station (Gotemba Gogome) is the least developed of the four 5th stations on Mt. Fuji, and consists of little more than a small shop, a bus stop, toilets and parking lots.At only 1400 meters above sea level the Gotemba 5th Station is by far the lowest of the fifth stations, and as a consequence, the Gotemba Trail is the longest trail. The ascent to the summit of Mt. Fuji takes about seven to ten hours, and travels along an exposed trail through nearly featureless terrain made up of fields of lava rock with only a few mountain huts found around the 7th and 8th stations.