Complete and Creative

How to Climb Mt. Fuji (1/2)

I am not a professional mountain climber, and I haven’t climbed that many mountains in my young life, but I have climbed Mt. Fuji, I’m still alive and well, and I think this isn’t a bad way to do it.

First off, make sure you’re healthy. You don’t have to be a competitive athlete, you don’t even have to someone who works out regularly, but you do have to be healthy. A strong cardiovascular system is a must. A good pair of legs and mental strength also help. You’ll find out about the mental strength part later.

Some tired mountain climbers after a long, long night. I’m somewhere in there. Taken in August 2005.

If you’re going to climb Mt. Fuji, you’re going to climb it at night so you’ll reach the summit in time to watch the sunrise. Believe me, climbing Mt. Fuji is probably the physically most demanding feat I have ever performed, but the view was worth every second of the hike: the majesty of the mountains, the divinity of the clouds floating across (yes, we were above the clouds), and the golden rays of the sun bathing us with much welcomed warmth. Climbing at night, you avoid the heat of the day, but if you ask me, the pre-dawn chill is harder to bear. By the way, the climbing season for Mt. Fuji is July and August. It is too cold to climb at night any other time of the year. I think it’s also illegal. I climbed in August, so this guide is for around that time.

So, make sure you dress in layers. The way up is cold, but the way down is warm. A beanie (or a massive hood attached to your windbreaker), gloves, earmuffs, and goggles are helpful.

What else to bring: two or three of those big, tall bottles of tea that are sold in convenience stores and grocery markets all over Japan (bring any more and not only would you be weighed down but also compelled to visit those god-forsaken foul pits that are the bathrooms on Mt. Fuji; you might consider sports drinks over tea, but I don’t think the sugar would last long enough); maybe a headlamp (I didn’t bother with one, but someone in the group wore one and lit the way); and, of course, food.

You’re going to be so fatigued that you won’t feel like eating, but you have to. No full meals, just convenient nonperishables. I recommend onigiri (“rice balls” in Japanese), lots of them. Just make sure you buy them the day of so they’ll be as fresh as possible. Bring some bread, not the sweet kind, just good ol’ white and wheat. Eat the bread before you get to the onigiri. Do it the other way around and the bread will taste stale after the flavor of the onigiri. Apples and bananas are a good, healthy source of sugar, but they’re a hassle to deal with after you finish them.

Do not litter on Mt. Fuji! I think it’s actually a serious crime (you’ll see what I mean when you see the five to eight, depending on which prefecture you’re in, different kinds of recycling bins the Japanese have on their streets). Besides, you don’t want to be haunted by the spirits of the samurai who used to train there.

Okay, seriously now (not that I wasn’t serious about the samurai), when you finish eating the apples or bananas, just have someone who is gracious enough to have a trash bag for the entire group (oh, the joys of traveling in a group—I was the trash person). If you’re going up alone, you can still have a trash bag just for yourself. However, apples and bananas are heavy on the stomach. When you’re tired, you should eat light foods. And, lastly, bring some energy bars. The tasty, expensive kind. You’re climbing Mt. Fuji. Treat yourself a little.

to be continued…