Mount Fuji climbing season

Mount Fuji is recognised as a World Cultural Heritage site, and its value is meant to be passed on to future generations.

The season is expected to run from 1 July to 30 September 2027. These dates follow the usual pattern and are not confirmed yet, so check the official climbing website run by the Yamanashi and Shizuoka prefectures before planning.

Entry arrangements are also expected rather than final. A hiking fee is usually required on all trails, together with mountain entry registration. Both are expected to be handled through a web system. For the Shizuoka trails, pre-registration is expected through the prefecture's official app, with registration also possible on site.

The Subashiri Trail approaches the summit from the east, on the Shizuoka side of the mountain, and involves a climb of about 1,700 m in elevation.

Near the summit, above 3,000 m, every route has steep, rocky slopes and weather that is hard to predict.

Climbing outside the official season is described as extremely dangerous. Huts and first-aid centres are closed, phone signal is lost and the weather is severe. When mountain toilets cannot be used outside the summer season, climbers must carry a portable toilet and take their waste home.

Climbers are advised to plan a relaxed itinerary, gather the necessary equipment, check the weather at the trailhead and train regularly beforehand. Climbing through the night without an overnight stop, purely to see the sunrise, can lead to altitude sickness and hypothermia.

The Yoshida Trail is regarded as easier because of its many huts, while the Fujinomiya Trail has the shortest walking distance to the summit. Fragile landforms such as lava tree molds can never be restored once damaged, and when filming, respect other hikers' privacy and passage.