Hiking is one of the things you should definitely try while you’re in Japan. I was just in Nederland for 9 days and surprised to see the whole country is so flat. Japan is completely the opposite. You see mountains almost everywhere.
If living in a forest is a German’s dream, living on a mountain is probably a Japanese dream. You’d be surprised to see how many local people hiking on such high mountains every year. People love hiking in this country.
However, it’s not just about love that attracts people to mountains. Part of it is because it’s the spirituality that people seek for. Maybe it’s the similar reason for people go to shrine or temples on the first day of the year.
Even if you are not a hiker, Mt. Fuji is something that everyone dreams to hike at least once. There’s another reason that the highest mountain in Japan grabs people’s heart. The sunrise you see on the top of the mountain (御来光, Goraikou).
Me and my friends just took a trip to Mt. Fuji last week. It was a two-days trip including staying in a mountain hut. The mountain is not in Tokyo but pretty accessible by trains and long distance busses. Here is the itinerary. Since you just need two days, Mt. Fuji hike can be accomplished on a weekend.
——– Itinerary ——–
SATURDAY
07:30 – Meet at Shinjuku station
07:51 – Odakyu line from Shinjuku station
09:14 – Get off at Shin-Matsuda station, and walk to Matsuda station (6 min)
09:30 – JR Gotenba line to Gotenba
10:04 – Train arrives at Gotenba station
10:35 – Bus from Gotenba station to Subashiri 5th station
11:35 – Arrive at Subashiri 5th station
12:00 – Start hiking from Subashiri Trail 5th station
18:00 – Arrive at hotel (Miharashi-kan)
SUNDAY
2:00 – Start hiking to the top
4:29 – Sunrise at top
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Looks tough? Before you give up, take a look at the pictures below. They might change your mind 🙂
Hiking around 6th station.
Just playing with the clouds :p
Walking along the clouds.
“A shadow of Fuji” reflected on the sea of cloud.
Sunrise on the top of the mountain.
People just stand there and watch the sunrise. Absolutely breathtaking.