Feature: Climbing Mount Fuji

A challenge to the sacred volcano

 

Japan Experience climbed Mount Fuji as soon as the slopes of the volcano opened in early July. After five hours of effort, a reward: the sunrise from the summit, a magical moment.

 

Le mont Fuji vu de la gare de Kawaguchiko

Mount Fuji seen from Kawaguchiko Station

ABA

We then have a thought for the pioneers of Mount Fuji who, more than a millennium ago, accomplished the ascent from the foot of the volcano . If this performance is still achievable, nowadays the bulk of hikers choose the fast track, the one that starts from the 5th station and allows you to spend the night near the summit before admiring the sunrise the next day. This is the choice we made. We have a few hours before starting the ascent: a useful time to acclimatize to the altitude . And to swallow a curry rice in one of the station's fast food restaurants.

See: Japanese curry

Le classique riz au curry

The classic curry rice

tosa muu

La randonnée se transforme en escalade ?

Hiking turns into climbing?

TMA

Notre envoyé spécial !

Our special correspondent!

ABA

 

The first shelters

3 p.m. Looking up, we see small buildings lined up here and there on the side of the mountain. Sign that we are approaching the seventh station , which marks the location of the first refuges . We are close to 2,700 meters above sea level .

Higher up, white spots dot the ocher sides of the volcano. It is that, while the heat wave rages throughout Japan, here the last snows of June have not yet melted.

 

We pause again, snack on an onigiri and a cereal bar, sitting facing the void . We regain our strength, taking care to breathe deeply to overcome the scarcity of oxygen .

Young hikers pass us. “Where are you from?” we ask them. “Kazakhstan”, they reply, before continuing on their way.

Mount Fuji attracts travelers from all over the world in search of a challenge.

 

 

Refuge à la 7è station

Refuge at the 7th station

TMA

Les refuges de la 7è stations

The refuges of the 7th station

TMA

En place pour assister au spectacle

In place to watch the show

TMA

 

The tour of the crater

The light came, we then undertake to achieve what the Japanese call the ohachi meguri , translation: the tour of the crater . Overlooking on one side the 3,776 meters of void, on the other the still snow-covered tank of the summit , we admire the panorama which is offered to us. Going around Mount Fuji's crater is a bit like going around Japan : we overlook not only the surrounding towns and forests , but also Suruga Bay and the Izu Peninsula to the south. To the east, the buildings of Yokohama , tiny from here, tear up the horizon and suggest, further on, Tokyo and its megalopolis. Japan suddenly seems small to us.

 

L'immense cratère du volcan

The huge crater of the volcano

TMA

Le soleil découvre une roche rouge et une blanche neige

The sun discovers a red rock and a white snow

TMA

Le contraste magnifique entre la roche, le ciel et la neige

The magnificent contrast between rock, sky and snow

TMA

Notre envoyé spécial en pleine contemplation

Our special envoy in full contemplation

ABA

Entamée le 2 juillet à 13h30, l'aventure s'achève le lendemain matin

Started on July 2 at 1:30 p.m., the adventure ends the next morning

TMA

Lancez-vous dans l'ascension du Mont Fuji avec un guide !

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