Mt.Fuji -Yoshida Track- Guide

View of the northwest area from observation deck next to the 5th General Administration Center. Mountains of Southern Alps, Yatsugatake, and Okuchichibu are seen, over cloud sea.

Parking 5th sta. Fuji Subaru Line, one of the two places there. At 4am on weekday July 9. Parking was buried about 70%. It becomes FULL, you can park roadside parking lot to 5th station.

Roadside parking. The distance is about 2km.

There are only 2 sinks at men's toiret, long time use, such as washing clothes is annoying. There is a note, "It's not a drinking water".

Rainwater tank of in front of toilet. It is not possible to drink too. For washing hands or shoes.

At 4:30am, crowded during the day, but no one now. Only one resthause were opened.

Entrance of the Yoshida route. Landmark is a large sign called "Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park" ,at upper left on this photo.(It's another days photo)

If you go to the entrance of the Yoshida route, walking with a nice vies of the east direction for a while. Sunrise seen from the 5th sta. are beautiful too, not only from the top. There were tourists "Tour seeing sunrise from 5th sta. of Mt.Fuji".

Road is wide and nice view for a while. you can enjoy view of Yatsugatake and Okuchichibu mountains.

At fork of SENGATAKE(泉ヶ滝), go right.bIt's leads to Yoshida 6th sta. Left leads to Yoshida 5th sta. Both trail leads to summit too, but right trail is a shortcut. Be careful at night.

From fork of SENGATAKE, start forest zone and gradually rising road. I think key of success is pacedown from this point.

Walk on sand slope is hard, but please with small strides. Soft sand makes your slide longer and muscle of the foot become overwork soon.

After soft sand slope then rock slope for a while. It's easy than on sand but to consciously keep slow and small stride walk too. Many people will overtake you, but never mind.

After forest zone, you come in to a rockfoll shelter . Loudspeaker is attached to the outside of the shelter, information of Mt.Fuji climbing is flowing in English and Japanese from there

When you exit the shelter, you'll reach at "Fuji safety guidance center" an 6th station. It provid, information about weather and climbing

Temporary toilet at 6th station. I do not recommend the use of this temporary toilets cause of so many bees and fly. You should done at 5th. And there are supacious, so good for break. You can retie a shoelace and take off clothes if you hot. Get ready for a full-fledged climbing from here.

Look of the 6th station from above. 6th from 5th takes about 1 hour. A lot of people have a first break here.

Soon, you'll pass mountain lodge "Unkaisou bekan anagoya 雲海荘別館穴小屋", not in business.

Start big steps way for prevent sand flowing. Don't forget to take small stride!

Look back the way you've been climbing. People are walking on a concrete way avoide gravel way.

Slippy way by sand and pebble. Since slippery when kicking the ground, and climb as weight-shifting slowly.

You'll be looking at the mountain of Okuchichibu and Yatsugatake always on Yoshida route.

Mountain trails turn into rocky 7th nears. Even easier way to climb and closer to the lodges, please go up slowly.

HANAGOYA lodge at 7th sta. 2700m. You must also climb 1000 meters to the summit. Let all the energy and water with a break.

Rocky followed again After a while the HANAGOYA lodge. many people seem to fatigue by rocks 7th around. It good to climb using small step. Climb a big step burdening the heart and muscle.

HINODEKAN lodge at 7th, 2720m.

TOMOE-KAN lodge at 7th, 2740m.

Rock goes on. This section is likely to be exhausting and difficult to walk most, I thought. Put it away trekking pole into back pack if not helpful.

KAMAIWAKAN lodge at 7th, 2790m. It's possible to buy a drink and food in any lodge.Let's break before you become exhausted.

FUJIICHI-KAN lodge at 7th, 2800. In my case, I felt body is heavy in this altitude.

Trekking shoes thick soles useful when the rocks like this.

In the situation that there are stairs in front of the lodge, we tends to be tired to climb in a hurryt, but let's walk carefully so as not to fatigue.

HON-NANAGOUME-TORIISOU lodge, 2900m.

Toilet at TORIISOU. Toilets on Yoshida route are all cleaned up. You'd keep small cash for tip.

TOYO-KAN lodge at 7th, 3000m. It's nicer than the others cause of renovated.

Rock does not end even beyond the 3000 meters. It becomes difficult to breathe oxygen becomes thinner, the foot becomes heavier. It's good to take long rest around here.

Cloud over town disappears , training grounds of the Ground Self-Defense Force and Lake Yamanaka is show up. Tanzawa mountains can be seen in the back.

TAISHI-KAN lodge at 8yh, 3100m.

Aid station at 8th. They do first aid to the injured climbers (Free).

HACHI-GOUME HOURAI KAN at 8th, 3150m.

Rock is over,From 8th it is easy to walk gravel way again. But way up to the top is hard long from here. Please pace down.

HAKUUN-SOU lodge at 8th, 3200m.

Look of trail from HAKUUNSOU lodge to top. Top looks close, but it takes more than 2 hours.

FUJISAN-TENPAI-GUU (Shinto shrine) and GANSO-MURO lodge.

A sign. Forks to climbing down purpose way(bulldozer way) or Subashiri route appear over 8th.

8th Section is very very long. So you'll see many "8th" sign. Not mind such signs, keep slow pace.

Stone steps to Hon (some say "real", some say "original") 8th sta. On Yoshida tack, type of sand and gravel way, rocks way and steps way are appeared in order. Take care don't disturb your good pace.

HON-HACHIGOUME FUJISAN HOTEL lodge, 3400m.

HON-HACHIGOUME TOMOE-KAN, 3400m.

Sign of fork, descent only way to Yoshida or Subashiri. Hon(real)8th sta. is the intersection of Route Yoshida and Subashiri. Note Hon 8th is a place that is easy to mistake when you go down.

You see descent way bulldozer made.

HACHIGO-GOSYAKU GORAIKOU-KAN lodge at 8.5th, 3450m.

Around HON 8th sta. Ascent way and descent way are crossing at HON 8th sta.

Shrine gate at 9th sta.

MUKAE KUSUSI JINJA (迎久須志神社)shrine at 9th, 3600m. It takes 30 min. to the top.

Trail around 9tn. Rock comes increased gradient becomes tight.

Final cmimb to the top.

Shrine gate of KUSUSI JINJA (久須志神社)shrine, It's like a goa gate.

Arrive Yoshida route summit.

KUSUSI JINJA (久須志神社)shrine

Yamaguchi-ya branch lodge. Music is noisy, I thought.

Climbers are taking rest on a bench.

Ougi-ya lodge.

Tokyo-ya lodge and Yamagushi-ya lodge. There are many bench.

You can see the creater back of Yamaguchi-ya lodge. Futons are dried in the sunshine.

This is entrance of descent trail of Yoshida and Subashiri. This pole is mark.

Lodgeons in sunshine

Descent trail. Good angle to down, But keep slow cause descent trail is very long.

If the toe is hitting the inside of the shoes, re-tie the laces in less damage.

At the second corner. Fork of the narrow trail that leads to 9th sta.

People coming down the descent trail.Clouds come out the afternoon.

People coming down the descent trail.

Yoshida ascent trail.

Trail fork to Goraiko-kan lodge. Prevent sand cloud, it is good to cover your mouth and nose with towels and mask. Sunglasses is recommended, too.

Pass through the side of MUNATSUKI-EDOYA lodge at HON 8th.

Pass through the FUJIJISAN HOTEL lodge next. Since there is no lodge on the trail ahead, buy food and drink if not enough.

It's important signpost, fork fo "Yoshida descent trail" and "Subashiri descent trail". Many people mistake the trail here. Yoshida trail go the left.

Zoom-up of a signpost, go left to "Fuji subaru Line 5th station"

Another sign. When you walk at night, be careful not to follow who walking in front without realizing.

After take left trail then through EDO-YA lodge at 8th.(photo was taken looking back)

After past the EDO-YA, a small green signpost comes out to the right. It's point easy to lost. Go straight to Yoshida trail, trail to right is to "Subashiri trail".

After past the green signpost, there are fork at a corner, the narrou trail leads to HAKUUN-SOU lodge at 8th on ascent trail. Turn right this descent trail at corner, then there is no place easy to loss way from here.

The middle of the descent, short zigzag trails are repeated.

On soft and fluffy ground, landing from a heel and down like slide is good.

HOURAI-KAN lodge and TAISHI-KAN lodge at 8th

On the hard ground like this, it's hard sliding and slippy down. If you land strongly from a heel it damages the knees. So land softly like cushion with the thigh muscles.

Emergency shelter

Scoria covering the surface of Mt.Fuji. Which was solidified in the air magma erupted. The color black or red, due to the oxidation. Red scoria stands out in the Yoshida route.

Toilet at 7th. \200. It's cleaned up.

Zigzag path to the end, a straight road with little gradient extends to 6th sta. after a while past the toilet. It's a rockfall shelter. Pass through the in this because it is where falling rocks occurs many.

Bulldozer mekes ground soft and fluffy, so kind to walk.

Ascent Yoshida route appears at last. It's mean 6th statuon is close.

Joined the trail of Yoshida ascent route at 6th sta.

Climber adviced at safety guidance center.

The way I felt short when I climbed, now feel long.

There are riding horse service, it costed \7,000 from 6th to Fuji Subaru LIne 5th station.

A lot of tourists in this area.

Horse Riding service is popular but expensive.

Goal!! Fuji Subaru Line 5th station. 5th is full of tourists in the afternoon. Almost visitors are from overseas.

Look of the parking lot of 5th station at 14:30pm. 80-90% seems to have filled.

Climbing shoes became "Fuji-san color" splendidly.