Climbing Mount Fuji: trail booking and fees

Until recently, climbing Fuji meant turning up at a 5th station, paying a voluntary donation and walking. That has changed. Both prefectures that share the mountain now charge a fee, check climbers at the trailheads and close the trails overnight to anyone without a bed in a hut. The official site explains the overnight closure as a response to "bullet climbing": climbing through the night without staying anywhere, to see the sunrise from the summit, which crowds the summit area and can cause altitude sickness and hypothermia.

The steps below are in the order to do them. The Official Web Site for Mt. Fuji Climbing says the next season is scheduled for early July to early September and that official dates are announced before it opens, so treat the numbers here as the 2026 season's and confirm them for the year you plan to climb.

Fuji sits on the border of two prefectures, and each runs its own trails. The Yoshida trail, the busiest, is on the Yamanashi side. The Subashiri, Gotemba and Fujinomiya trails are on the Shizuoka side. Both sides charged the same fee in 2026, but their booking systems are separate.

On the Yamanashi side, the hiking fee is booked online in advance, and the official FAQ says same-day registration is also possible. On the Shizuoka side, climbers use the prefecture's app, Shizuoka Prefecture FUJI NAVI, to complete a pre-climb e-learning course and test, register and pay, and the app issues a mountain entry pass as a QR code; the prefecture also says on-site registration is available and that a wristband is handed out once you complete the procedure. In both cases, the mountain hut is booked separately.

The official source for both sides is the Official Web Site for Mt. Fuji Climbing, which links to each prefecture's booking system and posts the season notices. It is more current than any blog, including this page. Some details are worth knowing now. The hiking fee is per person and per climb, and it is the same for children. If you climb on one side and descend on the other, the official FAQ says you do not pay twice, though you may be asked to show proof of payment.

The official comparison lists four trails with different characters. The Yoshida trail starts from the Fuji Subaru Line 5th station at 2,305 m and has about 6.8 km to the summit, estimated at about 6 hours up and about 4 hours down. It has the most huts and the most climbers, and the official FAQ calls it the easier choice for beginners because of the number of huts. It is the best choice for a first climb.

The Fujinomiya trail starts highest, at 2,400 m, and is the shortest route to the summit, about 4.3 km, but it is steep, with an estimated 5 hours up and under 3 hours down. The Subashiri trail starts at 2,000 m in the forest zone, about 6.9 km up, and merges with the Yoshida trail near the top. The Gotemba trail starts lowest, at 1,440 m, and is the longest, about 10.5 km up with an estimated 9 hours, and it has fewer huts, so the official FAQ says to check before you depart.

These times are estimates only. The site says they vary greatly with experience, weather and crowds, and that beginners should expect to take longer.

Book the hut before anything else. Huts sit along each trail, and each takes its own bookings, by phone or on its website. Popular dates fill early, so book as soon as you know your dates. Most huts offer a dormitory bed, a simple dinner and a breakfast box, and you sleep for a few hours before leaving for the summit; ask your hut for its schedule and for its check-in time.

A hut night changes the climb. You go up in daylight on day one, rest at altitude, and reach the summit for sunrise without climbing all night. Under the current rules it is also the only way to be on the trail between 2pm and 3am. The official FAQ says hut guests may pass the gate after 2pm, but asks them to pass the 5th station gate before 2pm for safety, and that you should show the hut reservation confirmation email, either printed or as an offline screenshot.

Once your hut is confirmed, book your climb. For the Yoshida trail, book and pay online in advance through Yamanashi's system, choosing your date. The date on the ticket is the day you pass the 5th station gate. For the Shizuoka trails, register in the prefecture's app, complete the e-learning course and test, pay, and save the entry pass to show at the trailhead.

The order matters because of the cancellation terms. For Yamanashi's online booking, the official FAQ says you can cancel up to the day after the payment date, can change the date until the day before the climb, and that a full cancellation fee applies from two days after payment. A personal cancellation is not refunded. If you pay before your hut is confirmed and then find every hut full, you can be left with a ticket you cannot use as planned.

If you would rather not organize any of this, a guided climb can include the hut, transport and a guide who sets the pace. It is worth considering for a first climb, though you should confirm exactly what is included and whether the hiking fee is covered.

The official FAQ says there are periods of private vehicle restrictions at the Fuji Subaru Line 5th station and at the Subashiri and Fujinomiya 5th stations. During those periods you park lower down and take a shuttle bus. Climbing buses and shuttle buses do not run late at night, and the FAQ warns that at peak hours buses have limited capacity, so you may not be able to board the one you planned. Check the bus operator's timetable, book what can be booked, and keep a margin.

Arrive early enough to spend time at the 5th station before you start, to adjust to the altitude. There is no ATM at the 5th station, according to the official FAQ, so bring cash. Buy water and snacks before you start.

A sample day on the Yoshida trail follows the official numbers. Pass the 5th station gate before 2pm, climb in daylight to your hut at an easy pace, and rest. The upper half is steep, rocky ground, and the official site stresses that the trail near the summit is often congested before sunrise, so leave extra time if you want to be on top at dawn. After sunrise, the descent on the Yoshida trail follows a separate route of loose gravel. The site's estimate is about 4 hours, and it warns that falls are the most common accident, mostly during the descent, so trekking poles and a slow pace help.

At the summit, the crater rim trail, known as Ohachimeguri, opened on 10 July in 2026 and closed on 10 September, like the other trails. Check the site for its status before you plan a walk around the rim.

Huts are basic, and knowing that helps. Beds are shared platforms or bunks with futons and blankets, often side by side with strangers, and space is tight on busy nights. There are usually no showers, and water is limited at this altitude. Toilets at most huts and on the trail ask for a tip of about ¥100 to 300, which the official FAQ says varies by toilet, so keep 100-yen coins handy; the 5th station public toilet at Fujinomiya, for example, lists ¥200. Dinner is simple and served early so everyone can sleep before the early start.

Bring earplugs and an eye mask; people leave for the summit through the night, and it is never fully quiet. Keep your headlamp, warm layers and snacks in a small bag by your head so you can pack in the dark. Confirm your arrival time when you book, and call the hut if you are delayed.

The official site is firm that the summit can be cold, with temperatures near 0 degrees Celsius before sunrise even in summer, and that temperature drops roughly 0.6 degrees for every 100 m of height, with wind making it feel colder. The site says staff may check your equipment before you enter the mountain area, and its essential list includes:

• Hiking boots with a stiff sole and rain gear in two pieces, jacket and pants

• Winter clothing: fleece, down jacket, gloves and a neck warmer

• A headlamp with spare batteries

• A backpack of roughly 30 L that leaves your hands free

• 1 to 2 L of drinking water and high-calorie snacks

• Garbage bags to carry your trash back

• Plenty of cash and 100-yen coins for huts and toilets

• A towel, a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen, trekking poles, a map and a first-aid kit

Fuji is an isolated peak, and the official site says air currents are unstable at height and conditions differ sharply between the 5th station and the summit. In summer, thunderstorms and sudden weather changes are not unusual. Check the forecast for the summit, not for the towns below, and use the weather information at the trailhead.

Altitude is part of the challenge. Fuji's summit is 3,776 m. Climb slowly, drink water, rest at your hut and turn back if symptoms such as headache, nausea or dizziness get worse. The official site discusses health problems to watch for, and descending even a short way usually helps.

Crowds follow the calendar. The official site says it is most crowded from late July to late August, and especially on weekends and public holidays, and it publishes a crowd forecast calendar. If you can choose, pick a weekday outside the Obon holiday.

The biggest mistake is climbing too fast from the 5th station without a rest at altitude. The second is under-packing: thin jackets and shorts are the usual error, and the official site says it may check equipment at the gate. The third is booking in the wrong order, which leaves you with a paid hiking fee and no hut. The fourth is a late descent: climbing and shuttle buses do not run late at night, and missing the last one means a long wait or an expensive taxi.

The fifth is climbing outside the season. The official site is blunt: in the off-season the trails are closed, rescue stations and huts are shut, mobile service is limited and the weather is severe. Even if a trail looks clear in October, it is not a safe climb.

Many visitors do not need to climb at all. Fuji looks best from a distance, and the Fuji Five Lakes on the Yamanashi side give the classic views. The Mount Fuji viewpoints guide and the Fuji Five Lakes hub cover where to go and how to get there. The Chūreitō pagoda above Shimoyoshida, with Fuji behind it, is a well-known view.

The mountain tends to be clearest in the early morning and from late autumn to early spring. In summer, the climbing season, it is often hidden in haze or cloud by mid-morning. If the view is the point, go outside the climbing season and be out early.

Try the less popular trails and dates: huts on the Subashiri and Fujinomiya trails and on weekdays tend to fill later than the Yoshida trail on weekends. Move your date to a weekday in early July or early September, when the weather is less settled but beds are easier to find.

If you cannot get a hut, a daylight climb is still possible. The official FAQ says you can hike without a hut reservation outside 2pm to 3am, and that on the Yamanashi side you cannot pass the gate if the daily number has reached the cap. Start from the 5th station at 3am or later, be back down in time for the last buses and treat it as a long, tiring day without a sunrise. For other seasons in Japan, see the best time to visit guide.