Mt Fuji opens to climbers for summer after being closed last year due to virus

Mt Fuji opens to climbers for summer after being closed last year due to virus

It was anyway a stupid decision to close it, driven by irrational fear rather than science.

and they purposely used a photo of foreigners for this story, knowing full well what the reaction would be from the public

Encouraging a healthy and active lifestyle such as outdoor hiking will go a long ways to help combat diseases such as Corona. Get some Vitamin D on a sunny day and work out your heart. Better than most medicines!

A group of clients and I did the climb a couple of times. I think I've had enough though.

Next time, I'll have someone else go for me.

Always love how they check temperatures. As if that is going to make any difference at all in stopping the spread. It has been demonstrated again and again that those "point and shoot" machines are next to useless. Instead of that, how about some proper social distancing measures, which would mean only allowing lone climbers on the mountain and at specific intervals. The rest is just for show.

I’ve often heard it said that Fuji looks better the further away you are from it.

Before teleworking was a thing, I could see it from my workplace on clear mornings and it was a spectacular sight. But I have a friend who climbed it and said that a) it smelt terrible because of all the portable toilets, and b) up close, there’s nothing special about its appearance.

I don't think climbing Mt. Fuji is special. There's nothing to see except clouds and black rocks.

Change my mind.

That looks awful. There are so many places much more beautiful to climb than Mt. Fuji.

Dreadful photo.

And how about the small huts which get crammed full of people for several hours before a short climb to the top to see the sunrise?

What social distancing is in place there?

I too am wondering about the huts which are stuffy and hardly any widows in the loft spaces under the roof. I have climbed Mt. Fuji twice. I took a trash bag and found a grand total of one piece of trash and the toilets were not smelly except inside of course.

I found the experience amazing. True, the mountain itself isn't very beautiful, but watching the sunrise with the air filled with anticipation was absolutely magical. Then peering into the crater and seeing a circular rainbow followed by a hike around the crater in warm T-shirt weather was a pleasant surprise. The view was stellar with the shadow of the mountain extending like a pyramid towards the southern alps, which were puny in comparison.

I recommend the climb. Expect 4 seasons of weather on the hike. August the weather is best, but more people.

The shops at the top open only by mid June, so the climb is fine but you miss eating the Ramen at top.

Generally I haven't seen people throwing around garbage but there are always some exceptions.

The worry is about erosion as more people climb every year.

I am planning a climb this year but worried about sleeping in the hut. Might plan a bullet climb, straight to the top.

"Local governments now want to educate climbers to take garbage home, especially foreigners, who are sometimes unaware that this is normal etiquette in Japan."

Bringing garbage home or at least down the mountain is normal etiquette for climbers, unfortunately many people have poor etiquette, even if they aware

I hope those waterproofs are fully waterproof. If you get wet, you can start shivering at quite high temperatures, even over 15C if the wind is blowing.

With the crowds and the immediate scenery, i.e., large sections of engineered trail, Fuji doesn't really appeal to me, but add rain into the equation and there is no appeal at all.

The shops at the top open only by mid June, so the climb is fine but you miss eating the Ramen at top.

You mean in the regular climbing seasons shops are closed by July 10?

In any case they're probably open this time around as climbing will just start/open July.

If I ever climb I would hate to miss it

Cant wait until they build a starbucks at the top. Such a dreary slog.

Is Mt. Fuji still littered with trash? It’s been a problem for many, many years.

As someone who climbs it several times a season and spends most of life life working around it, I can answer that with 'yes, and no'.

There is trash on the mountain no doubt, but considering around 300,000 people a year climb it is cleaner that most people think. Lots of effort goes into keeping it as clean as possible, I myself spend half a dozen days a year on cleanup with various local authorities and NPOs.

It annoys me a bit when people claim that it is a filthy mountain considering the effort that is made by hundreds of people, but it could be cleaner I suppose. Some scumbags will always look to lighten their packs if there isn't an easy system of disposal, which there isn't.

A lot of the trash just comes from carelessness; toffee wrappers, hats, climbing maps that get blown out of peoples hands. Not much can be done about that and trash will always be an issue for Fuji.

I've found some pretty weird stuff that people have dumped up there. Last year I found a box of VHS tapes behind a rock at about 2800m. I've found blow up dolls (plural!), a car steering wheel, a couple of oven toasters, a snorkelling mask. Bewildering the lengths some people go to get rid of their gomi.

I'm really happy that it's open again this summer and can't wait to get up it again soon.

visitors are asked to fill out health forms and check their temperatures before climbing the mountain,

Someone with common sense will not try to climb if he feels feverish , and therefore will not even go through this check.

Fuji is an easy mountain, but many climbing it are not trained at all and get exhausted. and some do feel the effect of altitude. More than the mountain itself, the lack of training and endurance is the danger.

The trail opened, the FujiYoshida trail is easy and quick, but climbing from other sides like Gotemba starting at 1500m, or even lower from the bottom, will make the climb really long.

Climbed it a while ago.

I hope the ones who climbed it today were above the clouds and therefore didn't get drenched in this morning's strong downpour.

Is Mt. Fuji still littered with trash? It’s been a problem for many, many years.

Er... This really hasn't been a problem for quite a few years by now. I've been up there a few dozen times these last five years and I have seen very little trash across the 4 trail paths. I've come along cans and bottles from the 70's or before but not many.

i am actually scheduling to do this climb next month! i am very heartful and will use olympic motivation to achieve my goals!

You mean in the regular climbing seasons shops are closed by July 10?

Sorry, I meant they open after July 10, my last climb was in July 1st week and none of the shops at the top were open.

I refuse to climb any mountain where I must pay to climb. Absolutely ridiculous. "But it's used for cleaning up people's traaaaaash!" comes the whinging supporters. I don't leave trash when I hike. I take it out with me.

And the "You mustn't pee anywhere but in the designated toilet areas!!!" As if animal pee was somehow cleaner than human pee.

I refuse to climb any mountain where I must pay to climb

You don't have to pay to climb Fuji.

I've climbed a lot of big mountains in Japan, but never Fuji.

The photo sums it up; I climb mountains to GET AWAY from scenes like that.

The timing of this isn't right. Climbers are in close quarters just before the summit, will be tired etc. With the immune system at its weakest this is one place you don't want to be during a pandemic.

During my eight years stationed at Yokota AB I admired the beauty of Fuji-san on clear days but had no desire to climb it. The cablecar ride to the top of Mitake-san was quite enough of an adventure for me.

Encouraging a healthy and active lifestyle such as outdoor hiking will go a long ways to help combat diseases such as Corona. 

You haven’t climbed Fuji, have you?

The ascent is a queue worse like the local supermarket, for hours.

And the "You mustn't pee anywhere but in the designated toilet areas!!!" As if animal pee was somehow cleaner than human pee.

They live there, you don’t.

Their pee is also far less voluminous and damaging than your foetid micturation.

Not a big fan to climb the mountain to see there more people than on Shibuya crossing.

ChabbawangaJuly 1  06:19 pm JST

Cant wait until they build a starbucks at the top. Such a dreary slog.

This made me laugh!

But then I thought, it's just a matter of time.........

refuse to climb any mountain where I must pay to climb. Absolutely ridiculous.

Payment is voluntary and I’ve paid each time!!!

The ascent is a queue worse like the local supermarket, for hours.

The queue is near the peak when everyone is trying to get there before dawn. You can reach a bit early, find a good spot and wait.

It’s a hard climb and I always drop a few pounds after each one. If that’s unhealthy I don’t what is healthy.

As of today, Operation Mount Fuji 2022 begins. Ureshidesu!

You don't have to pay to climb Fuji.

Wasn't aware it was voluntary. Still won't climb it. It's beautiful to look at, not climb.