Mount fuji how tall is it

Though it has not erupted since , Mount Fuji is still an active volcano and a giant crater sits at the top. Originally built over 1, years ago, Fujisan Hongu Sengen Taisha is the region's most important shrine.

It is the head shrine of the Asama faith and serves as a traditional starting point for climbing Mount Fuji. It is home to hundreds of cherry trees, which bloom from late March to early April. The journey takes about 30 minutes, and Mount Fuji and Lake Ashinoko are visible along the route on a clear day. Higashiguchihongu fujisengen Shrine is one of many Sengen shrines throughout Japan.

It is a starting point of the Subashiri Trail up toward Mount Fuji. The Maple Corridor, or Momiji Kairou, is one of the most popular spots in Japan to see the spectacular red maple leaves every November. The corridor is along the north shore of Lake Kawaguchi with views of Mount Fuji across the lake. It is one of the factors of beauty and can be seen on the foreheads of many women depicted in ukiyo-e and Japanese paintings.

At the lakes Kawaguchiko, Saiko, Yamanakako, Shojiko, and Motosuko, formed when the cave-ins of the mountain 's eruptions were filled with water, various pictures of sceneries can be taken, from lake shores to Mount Fuji.

If you are especially lucky, you can encounter both the rare Red Fuji and Upside-down Fuji at once! Arakurayama Sengen Park. The seasonal cherry blossoms and autumn leaves make it that much more beautiful still; this is one of the landscapes that are truly representative of Japan.

The water that pours down the rock cliff as if it was fine white threads is, with the exception of a part of the main falls, mainly spring water from Mount Fuji.

Tender green in spring , the beauty of colorful foliage in autumn , the refreshing breeze of the water in summer , and even in winter , the waterfall stays at a temperature of 12 degrees and does not freeze. Fuji strides across Shizuoka Prefecture and Yamanashi Prefecture, so debates about who actually owns the place come up from time to time.

Many naturally assume as a Mount Fuji fact that such an iconic mountain would be owned by the state. But the truth is, from the 8th stage and upwards, Mt. Asama no Okami spread along with the Fuji belief throughout the country, now counting 1, affiliated shrines.

For a period of time in , the Meiji government did in fact nationalize Mt. After World War II, government-owned sites from around the country were returned to the temples and shrines they originally belonged to, but the mountaintop of Mt.

Fuji remained nationalized. Sengen Taisha took the country to court and won a judgment recognizing them as the rightful owner in In the year , the land was officially returned to Sengen Taisha. The vermilion-lacquered precincts are beautiful; cherry blossoms and wisteria bloom at the lush Asama shrine that is also a popular sightseeing destination.

The wedding ceremony itself is engulfed in traditional court music as the ancient ceremonial rites are performed; blessed words are not only cast upon friends and family but also on the many tourists that visit the Asama shrine. Should there be such a ceremony as you visit the shrine yourself, let yourself be engulfed by the warm atmosphere and share the happiness of the couple. There is constant discussion surrounding Mt. Fuji as to whether the view from the Yamanashi or the Shizuoka side is more beautiful and the two prefectures are eternal rivals!

Fuji, 2. If Mount Fuji , a hawk, or an eggplant appears in the first dream of the first night of the New Year, it is said to be an auspicious omen. There are only speculations about the origin of this, but one explanation states that these three words sound similar to other good things; Fuji sounds like buji be in good health , taka hawk sounds like takai to succeed , and nasu eggplant sounds like nasu the fulfillment of a wish.

And yet another theory suggests that the elixir for immortality mentioned in The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter was concocted at the peak of Mt. Japanese children know this ancient book as the Tale of Princess Kaguya , a story about a beautiful princess born inside bamboo.

She is courted by nobles and gives each of them an impossibly difficult task and, in the end, even refuses a proposal from the emperor before returning to the moon during the harvest moon in mid- autumn. While the general tale of Kaguya ends here, the original text of the Tale of the Bamboo Cutter sees her give both a letter and the elixir of life to the emperor. Both of those words portray the thought of worshiping Mount Fuji.

Of course, these are just hypotheses that can't be verified, but it's certainly interesting to know how Mt. Fuji can mean so many different things to different people!

Since ancient times, Mount Fuji has been a symbol of faith for Japanese people; a symbol of admiration. How to enjoy Mount Fuji , how to express Mount Fuji — Japanese people agonized over these questions, giving birth to legends and beliefs manifold. This is a phrase many Japanese say when making some effort to stand up from a seated or lowered position, and there is a theory going around that the phrase originated from Mt.

Rokkon refers to the six sense organs of humans - eyes, nose, ears, tongue, body, and mind. In the s, an unidentified mysterious animal UMA later named "Mossie" was sighted in Yamanashi Prefecture's Lake Motosu, and it caused a huge stir at the time. Mossie is said to be 30 meters about 98 feet in length, with a few humps on its back and a crocodile-like rugged body.

Like Nessie, however, the real identity of this UMA remains enshrouded in mystery down to this day. Nevertheless, there are many theories. One of the most well-accepted one is that it was probably an enormous sturgeon that was released into Lake Motosu during the time of its alleged sighting. Sturgeons don't usually grow to the size of the reported UMA, but the conjecture is that being released into Lake Motosu gave it a unique growth environment, allowing it to reach the size purported in the claims.

Skiing is a representative sport of the winter season , and many today still flock to ski resorts when winter rolls around to have a bit of fun in the snow.

Bet you didn't know that Mt. Fuji was actually the site of the very first bout of ski activity in Japan! Fuji, it marked the start of the sport in Japan.

There's still a plaque on the 5th stage of Mt. Fuji commemorating this event down to this day! Abundant signs along the trail warn the hikers of other minor problems such as sudden wind gusts and falling rocks. However, the main challenge of the climb is the fact that it is very strenuous and the air gets notably thinner as you gain altitude. Because the hike is not technically difficult, and there are many other hikers during the climbing season, the average person will not need a guide.

However, inexperienced hikers or people who prefer to leave all the planning to somebody else may want to consider hiring a guide. There are several companies offering group or private tours, such as Voyagin. Most people try to time their ascent in order to witness the sunrise from the summit.

Also, the chances of the mountain being free of clouds are highest during the early morning hours. The recommended way of doing this, is to climb to a mountain hut around the 7th or 8th station on the first day and spend some hours sleeping there before continuing to the summit early on the second day.

Note that the sunrise takes place as early as am to am in summer. Another popular way is to start climbing the mountain in the late evening from the 5th Station and hike through the night to reach the summit around sunrise. This is a more tiring way of climbing the mountain and is discouraged by the local authorities as it brings an increased risk of altitude sickness see below and injury.

Ascending and descending the mountain in a single day during daytime is also possible, but again it is not recommended for the same reasons as above. Furthermore, the mountain provides very little shelter, leaving climbers fully exposed to the sun. Visibility also tends to be worse during daytime when the mountain is frequently wrapped in clouds.

A walk around the crater of Mount Fuji takes about one hour. The mountain's and Japan's highest point is located immediately next to the weather station on the opposite side from where the Yoshida Trail reaches the peak. The Yoshida Trail is lined by more than a dozen mountain huts between the 7th and 8th stations.

Other trails have fewer mountain huts. An overnight stay typically costs around yen per person without meals and around yen per person with two meals. Expect the huts to be extremely crowded during the peak. The Fujiyoshida City website see below lists phone numbers for reservations. Some mountain huts also allow non-staying climbers to take a rest inside at a cost of typically yen per hour.

Most also offer paid toilets typically yen and sell food, water and other climbing provisions such as canned oxygen. In addition, most of the huts have special branding irons they use to brand the wooden hiking sticks for a small fee that many hikers purchase when climbing the mountain. In order to enjoy a safe hike to the summit of Mount Fuji, it is crucial to bring the proper equipment.

Some of the most important things to bring are listed below:. Proper Shoes The rocky, steep terrain in some sections and the potential of sudden, strong wind gusts are reasons to bring proper hiking shoes which protect your ankles. Proper Clothes Bring proper protection against low temperatures and strong winds. It can be below zero at the summit, and strong winds often make it even colder. Bring rain gear, as weather conditions can change very quickly on the mountain.

Gloves are recommended both against the coldness and for hiking the steep, rocky passages. Flashlight If you hike at night, a flash light is highly recommended in any season and essential outside of the peak season when the trail is not illuminated by other hikers.

Most people choose head lamps, as they leave both of your hands free. Food It is important to bring enough water and food, particularly on the trails where there are few mountain huts along the way. Mountain huts offer various meals and drinks; however, note that prices increase with the altitude. Also, be prepared to carry home all your garbage as there are no public garbage bins on the mountain.

Money Cash is necessary to buy provisions on the mountain like water or canned oxygen and to use the toilets along the way. It is also important to carry should you need to seek emergency shelter in one of the mountain huts.

Hiking Stick optional While not crucial, many hikers purchase wooden hiking sticks at the 5th Station to aid in their climb up the mountain. Hiking sticks cost about yen and are sold at the 5th stations.

In addition, for a few hundred yen you can get your hiking stick branded at the mountain huts along the way, turning it into a much cherished souvenir and chronicle of your journey. During the climbing season, climbers of Mount Fuji are asked to contribute yen per person at collection stations at each trailhead.

The money will be used to cover some of the expenditures arising from the huge number of climbers that visit the mountain each summer, especially regarding the protection of the environment and measures to guarantee the safety of climbers. The human body requires some time to adjust to a sudden increase of altitude, otherwise there is a risk of headache, dizziness and nausea.

Quite a few people who climb Mount Fuji , suffer from altitude sickness. To avoid altitude sickness, you are advised to tackle the mountain at a slow pace, stay hydrated and make frequent breaks. An overnight stay at a hut around the 7th or 8th station is recommended as opposed to a straight climb to the top. Small bottles of oxygen, available at the 5th stations and mountain huts, can be an effective tool in preventing and fighting altitude sickness; however, the only reliable treatment is to descend the mountain.

From Shinjuku Station Tokyo : yen one way , minutes round trips per day during the climbing season reduced service in 2 round trips per day during the off-season no off-season service in Bus Timetable climbing season Bus Timetable off-season. From Gotemba Station: yen one way , yen round trip , 60 minutes 10 round trips per day during the climbing season reduced service in 3 round trips per day on off-season weekends and holidays no off-season service in Bus Timetable climbing season Bus Timetable off-season.

From Gotemba Station: yen one way , yen round trip , 40 minutes 6 round trips per day during the climbing season reduced service in 3 round trips per day on off-season weekends and holidays no off-season service in Bus Timetable climbing season Bus Timetable off-season. From Shin-Fuji and Fujinomiya Stations: yen one way , yen round trip , minutes from Shin-Fuji Station yen one way , yen round trip , minutes from Fujinomiya Station Hourly buses during the climbing season reduced service in 2 round trips per day on off-season weekends and holidays no off-season service in Bus Timetable climbing season Bus Timetable off-season How to get to Fujinomiya.

The access roads to the Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station , the Subashiri 5th Station and the Fujinomiya 5th Station are closed to regular cars for certain periods during the climbing season. Please see the respective pages for more details. Ask in our forum. Home Back. Intro Get There Hotels. English Official Website for Mt. Fuji Climbing Website by the Ministry of the Environment.