Mount Fuji - Wikitravel

An almost perfectly symmetrical volcanic cone, the mountain is a near-mythical national symbol immortalized in countless works of art, including Hokusai's 36 Views of Mt. Fuji.

The Japanese always refer to Mt. Fuji as Fuji-san, but the -san (山) here simply means "mountain", and has nothing to do with the honorific san (さん) for people's names. "Fujiyama" is a misreading of the name, and is never used by the Japanese themselves — except in the set phrase Fujiyama geisha.

When to go edit

Before the tourists go to the 5th level of Mt Fuji, they must visit the Murayama Sengen Jinja temple because Japanese people believe that Mt Fuji is a sacred mountain firmly connected to God. They believe that the people in the past came to worship at Murayama Sengen Jinja to have good things in life. This temple is very old. It was built 1000 years ago. Some people like to see Cherry blossoms on the temple garden. The Fuji Gen temple is located at the foothill of Mt Fuji and people most visit it feel safe. Tourists usually take a trip to all five lakes that are near the temple.

The official climbing season lasts for only two months, from July to August. Even during these months, when Tokyo often swelters in 40°C heat, temperatures at the top can be below freezing at night and climbers must dress adequately.

Climbing outside the official season is extremely dangerous without alpine climbing experience and equipment. Nearly all facilities are closed in the off-season. The weather, unpredictable any time of year, is downright vicious in the winter (temperatures below -40°C have been reported up top) and there are cases of people being blown off the mountain by high winds. All roads to the 5th station are shut out of season so you will have a long walk up. But if you insist, you're strongly encouraged to at least file a climbing plan with the Yoshida police.

Fortunately, there are a few options for those who are not fit enough to climb or who would like to get "up close" to the mountain in the off-season. The trails at the bottom of the mountain are less steep and suited more for an afternoon hike at any time of the year. The nearby Fuji Five Lakes (Fuji-goko) has many attractions close to the mountain, and Hakone also provides spectacular views. In a less nature-focused branch of things to do, the city of Fujiyoshida, which contains much of the mountain, is also home to Fuji-Q Highland, a leading amusement park.