When I think about it, I don’t have a bucket list. I’m just not the type to make one. So to hear people tell me that I’ve “already checked ‘climbing Mt. Fuji’ off my bucket list” is a bit strange, as I don’t have a list to speak of. Aaaand I suppose that’s my cue to say that, if given the opportunity to visit Mt. Fuji again, I’d definitely go “HECK YES, WHEN?!”
I realized that I still have quite a few photos I’ve taken during my Mt. Fuji climb that I have not yet shared. Yay! Another excuse to come up with another post. Call it the part 2 to part 4 of my Mt. Fuji blog post series, haha! )
While you’re here, do check out my previous posts.
[JP18] That Time I Went to Japan to Climb Mt. Fuji
[JP18] Climbing Mt. Fuji via Yoshida Trail
[JP18] Staying the Night at the 8th Station Tomoekan in Mt. Fuji
[JP18] Watching the Sun Rise from the Top of Mt. Fuji
The mountain itself is shrouded in mystery, like how the sun is usually shrouded in clouds as it rises
If I am to think back on my Mt. Fuji experience, I’d have to say it started when I saw an episode where SMAP member Masahiro Nakai climbed the mountain, and the show documented his difficult time going about it. That was a long time ago, too long because I don’t even remember what show it was, or what year it was. SMAP was still together, and I still wasn’t into hiking or trekking mountains then.
The idea of climbing Mt. Fuji came to my consciousness, although not “climbing for myself”. I just knew that yes, people do like to climb it (although, from what I remember, Nakai did not.)
Fast forward several years later, in 2014, I visited Kawaguchiko for a day (check out my post on that here). It was raining that day, and visibility was at its poorest, so ironically, I could not catch even a glimpse of the mountain, even as I was standing, rain-drenched on the deck of a boat cruising Lake Kawaguchi.
That was the closest I got to Mt. Fuji thus far, and I was not able to see even a shadow of it. At the back of my mind, however, there was that niggling thought that I have to come back, on a sunnier day, to properly view her.
Days later, of course, I saw a clear view of Mt. Fuji, albeit from verrrrry far away, from the observatory of the Tokyo Tower (again, read about that in this entry).
Somewhere along the way, my passion for the great outdoors and going around in mountains grew and surged. But Mt. Fuji was never really in my radar. Until 2018, that is.
Sometimes, spontaneity beats having the best-laid plans.
I can remember lots of well-made travel plans that fell through. To this day, there are still a number of them, and the most common reason why they are not yet “fulfilled”? RL got in the way.
Which is why, despite how I advocate planning, sometimes it is better to be more spontaneous from time to time.
And I consider my Mt. Fuji experience to be in that category.
It was just, like, one day, I woke up, and felt the urge to go climb Mt. Fuji. Told my friend about it, and did not take a lot of convincing, she said, “WHY NOT.”
And everything just went smoothly from there.
So, why should you consider climbing Mt. Fuji?
Now I’m not gonna give you that “you’ll miss half of your life” shite or that “you dunno what you’re missing” talk, because… well, I just won’t. I’m just gonna tell you why, for me, personally, it was a worthwhile experience, and one that is worth sharing and talking about.
I suggest you climb Mt. Fuji if:
1. YOU WANT – AND LOVE – BEING IN NATURE
It’s one thing to love and appreciate nature, it is another to actually go out and savor it. And nothing could be more au naturel than exposing yourself to her elements, no matter how harsh they may get.
During our climb, we experienced the heat of the sun, some drizzle along the way, and mild to harsh wind, coupled with freezing temperatures. It was a blessing that it did not pour that day, although I doubt a downpour would have stopped us from going all the way up.
The thing about nature, she humbles you. She makes you feel small; insignificant, even. But then, at the same time, she makes you feel special because she is allowing you to experience her beauty and glory. It’s like she chose you, the moment you also chose to open up to her.
And yes, when I was there, I felt very special.
2. YOU WANT TO CHALLENGE YOURSELF.
Or, in the words of a couple of my friends, “you want to give yourself a hard time”.
I beg to disagree, however, because I wouldn’t call it a hard or difficult time, especially when we were at the summit, or when I was watching the sun go up, soaring above the sea of clouds.
You never know what you can do, unless you tried to take the first, the second, step. I admit, in the beginning I did wonder if I can do it. But as the day grew nearer, my excitement and determination overshadowed that doubt and apprehension, so I just found myself looking forward to it.
I wasn’t in the best of conditions, physically, before this. But I did try what I could to get some physical activity prior to the trip, as much as I can pack into my tight work schedule. And I’m glad I did.
And yes, yoga helps a whoooooole lot. Best preparation, methinks.
3. YOU ARE PREPARED…KINDA.
But then again, when it comes to these things, one can never be fully prepared.
Before coming here, there is the assumption that you’ve taken care of the logistics part of the adventure (transportation, accommodation, your gear… you get the idea). The preparation I am talking about is more on your mind and body.
Climb Mt. Fuji when you are mentally ready to experience it, and when you’re body is physically able to take on the challenge. Because it’s one thing for the mind to go, “HUZZAH LEZ DO ITTT” but then the body should also agree.
4. YOU WANT A SHARED EXPERIENCE
Solitude is all well and good. I’ve been there. I’ve gone to the mountains for the sole purpose of finding time to be with myself, despite being with a group of people, strangers or otherwise.
But that’s the beauty of this type of experience: you get to be with yourself, even while surrounded by a crowd of people. And you will definitely be with a crowd when going up Mt. Fuji. That’s a given. There’d be congestion along the trail. At some points you’d be rubbing elbows (literally!) with complete strangers from heaven knows where.
And you know what? It’ll be fine. Because you are all there to experience the same thing, and there is a sense of kinship in that.
You’ll come across all types of people in this climb. Varied nationalities, speaking dozens of different languages. It was an earfest, to say the least, if you just stand still and let all the sounds of conversation drift around you.
There are groups of climbers, but there are also solo climbers (which got me to thinking how it’d feel to go solo). From young children to very old men and women, you’ll find them here. Like this ojiisan we met when we were descending.
Some Tips Before You Undertake Your Own Mt. Fuji Experience
At this point, allow me to share some tips – most of which you’ve probably read or heard already from somewhere or someone else. But it doesn’t hurt to repeat.
1.) Bring only what you need. Packing light is a must, so bring the bare minimum. If you don’t need it, don’t take it. We only brought one backpack each, and inside are a set of a change of clothes, a couple of packs of crackers, some sweet trail mix for sugar, water, a headlamp. Just the bare essentials.
2.) Dress for the occasion. Specifically, dress in something that can take you from hot to cold. Bringing your closet is out of the question, so you have to be more practical about it. Practical clothes, practical layers, that’s the way to go.
And footwear. Probably just as important is that thing you wear on your feet because I tell ya, the terrain you’d be trudging on is anything but friendly. At several points, we came across soles that came off, so… yeah, check that you have sturdy footwear.
Oh, and bring a mask, one that can protect your face from the chilly wind in the evening and dawn, and can also protect you from dust and dirt as you go up.
3.) Make the minimum of preparations. No, this does not contradict the spontaneous factor of your trip. At the very least, the most important thing would be to make reservations for the mountain hut where you’ll spend the night. That’ll be one less thing to worry about.
I’m all for winging it, but the least winging it you can do, the better.
4.) Listen to your body. As I said, it’s not an easy climb. If it were, everyone would have done it already. Maintain a regular pace. You’re allowed to stop and rest once in a while; that’s the reason why there are many pit stops along the way.
Do not fall into the urge of keeping up with the others; you’ll only be putting unnecessary pressure on yourself. After all, there is no race to the top.
And if you find yourself slipping and falling to your behind… well, that’s also part of the experience. (If you paid for a guided tour, it’s part of the “package”.)
And the most important tip:
5.) HAVE FUN. Do not forget that this is an experience meant to be enjoyed, every moment of it savored. Appreciate the view. Take pictures. Breathe in the crisp, clean air. Be thankful you’re in the here and now.
More than having bragging rights that “yes, I climbed Mt. Fuji”, the best takeaway I got from this experience was that I had a greater appreciation for things: for nature, for the Earth, for the Creator, and for myself.
If you’re up for that, then I suggest you try it as well. No harm in doing so. *wink wink*
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