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Published: July 22nd 2012
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(July 9-10) Mt. Fuji is Japan’s highest mountain at 3776 meters, and I had the chance to hike up to the summit during my vacation in Japan. The hike was one of the most challenging and rewarding things I have done. It was tiring but worth it.
I left from the Shinjuku station in Tokyo at around 11 in the morning. From there, I made a quick transfer to the Fuji Line at Otsuki, a quaint town. From Otsuki, it took another hour before arriving at the Fuji-san station where, after lunch, I jumped on the local bus that heads to the Fifth Station on the mountain. After walking around some of the shops, I started on my hike toward the mountain hut where I would stay the night on Mt. Fuji. An hour and thirty minutes, I arrived at the Torii So (second to last on the Seventh Station) mountain hut. The huts fill the Fujiyoshida trail (the trail I decided to hike), and each one has the same prices for the night and meals (5500 yen per night, and 1000 yen per meal). After a meal of Japanese curry and rice, washed down with a cool refreshing beer,
I fell asleep at 7pm.
At 4:30 in the morning, a worker woke me up to catch the sunrise. The early morning sun was beautiful as it lit the whole mountain side. At this height, the lakes below and hills looked amazing. After a delicious breakfast of rice, fish, and sausage, I started up the hike up again at 6am. The hike is grueling, and, at points, I had to climb over rocks for several meters. The three hours to the lip of the volcano were hard, but in the end great.
At the top, the views are breathtaking. Looking down into the crater made me speechless. It is beautiful. After hiking up to the top, and feeling exhausted, the feeling of accomplishment and the sights were worth the tired feeling. I walked around the top to the summit. From the trail to the summit and back, it takes another hour. There was clear weather at the summit, and I took advantage by just sitting and relaxing while enjoying the mountain and crater.
The hike down was a bit difficult at times, as some of the rocks are loose. But it was quick, and I made it
back to the Fifth Station to catch the 1:30pm bus back to the train station to head to Kyoto.
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