Mt. Fuji Brochure

MISAWA ITT

Climbing Mt. Fuji

Courtesy of Misawa ITT All prices, schedules, phone numbers and some information provided in this brochure are subject to change without prior notice.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Welcome To Mt. Fuji Your hike begins from the 5th Station on Mt. Fuji where the altitude is approximately 7,700 feet above sea level. From there, you will hike to the summit (an altitude of 12,388 feet). This will take approximately 4–6 hours. Mt. Fuji is the highest mountain in Japan and a challenge to hike, even for those in top physical condition. It is important to make the proper preparations ahead of time and be sure you are in good physical condition for this strenuous hike.

Changes in elevation and temperature are severe. Even if it is a beautiful summer day at the bottom, the summit may feel like winter. The terrain of Mt. Fuji varies from walking on a dirt path, to loose lava stone (resembling gravel), to rocky boulders. After about the first 8,000 feet, the air becomes very thin and breathing can become difficult. Keep your steps slow and steady so that you don’t suffer from altitude sickness. Please read this brochure carefully.

How tough is the climb?

It is often underestimated and many people have to give up before reaching the summit. However, people of all ages complete the climb and there are plenty of places to rest along the way. From the 5th Station to the summit, it is only about 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) but the elevation gain is almost 1,500 meters (4,900 feet). The climb is not technical, but it is very steep. During the steepest sections, climbers must use hand holds to assist with their footing. Terrain is also loose in other places, making it hard to gain secure footing and almost necessary to wear proper climbing/hiking boots.

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Mt. Fuji Checklist Must bring: Waterproof hiking boots Cold weather gear (the difference in temperature from base to summit is 20° Celsius) Rain gear Hat / Cap Gloves Headlamp

What to wear on the climb: Moisture-wicking clothing Thick climber’s socks Long sleeved shirt (having a short sleeved also will help) Trekking or jersey pants (jeans become heavy with changing weather conditions) **Layering clothing is very important. With sudden changes in weather patterns and temperatures, you will be happy you had more rather than less. **

Useful goods: Walking poles (or purchase a hiking stick at 5th station)

Postcard (to mail from the summit)

Spats (leg covers for rain)

Backpack for storage

First aid kit

Portable oxygen (or oxygen pills)

Yen - ¥12,000 per person (for food, drinks, rest houses, toilets and stamps for your stick)

Sunscreen Chapstick

Pain medication

Face mask or scarf

Extra change of clothes

Sunglasses Fully charged phone

More information available at: http://www.fujiyama-navi.jp/fujitozan/en

Toilet tissue High energy snacks Water Camera Plastic bags for trash

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More Info available at: http://www.fujiyama-navi.jp/fujitozan/en​

Yoshida Yoshida TTrail rail

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Standard time required

Distance

Time

Up

7.5 kilometers

6 hours

Down

7.6 kilometers

3 hours

Trail Information Multiple huts and resting spots Multiple first aid stations for emergencies

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Mt. Fuji Information and Safety Yoshidaguchi Trail Mountain Huts

1. Be fit and healthy. You should be without prohibitive medical conditions and be able to comfortably walk or jog 2–3 miles without stopping before you attempt to climb Mt. Fuji.

2. If you have Sickle Cell Anemia, Sickle Cell Trait or a family history of these diseases, consult a medical provider before you attempt the climb.

3. Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water and avoid all alcoholic beverages at least one day prior to climbing. Alcohol is a diuretic causing a person to lose fluids the body needs for the climb.

7. Never hike alone and never leave your hiking buddy. Do not count on a stranger to help you if you become sick or injured.

8. Do not litter. Please preserve the beauty of the mountain and keep all trash with you as there are no trash receptacles on the mountain.

9. Do not stray from the path. The trails are marked for your safety.

10. Use common sense. Hikers that find themselves over their heads should stop, assess the situation and consider descending. Do not feel bad if you do not make it to the top. No matter what, you still climbed Mt. Fuji. Your safety is more important to us.**

**If seriously injured or you do not think you can make it down the mountain, call your tour guide for further help to nearest first aid station. Please be advised, medical transportation down the mountain can/ 4. Eat small amounts of food regularly. You will exceed ¥30,000 ~ 50,000. can burn up to 7,000 calories in a single climb.

5. Wear appropriate clothing, like Under Armour shirts (long and short sleeve), trekking pants (not jeans), hiking boots, a fleece sweater, rain jacket and a change of clothes. Climbers will encounter several different climates en route to the top and need to be prepared for each. Don’t get caught with the wrong gear.

6. Be aware of altitude sickness symptoms including severe headache, nausea and vomiting, dizziness, irritability, decreased concentration and lack of energy. Climbers should begin to descend immediately if they experience symptoms.

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When Descending

Kawaguchiko / Subaru-Line Fuji-Yoshida / Yamanashi-Prefecture

At the descending 8th station, Edoya Hut, the path divides into two.

The path to right is Subashiri.

Stay to the left on the path towards Fuji Subaru Line, the 5th station bus stop, Kawaguchiko.

Be cautious in heavy fog.

Ensure you take the correct path at the fork.

Stay on the path while descending.

Do not kick or throw rocks!

Do not run down the mountain!

In case you take the wrong trail down How to get back from Subashiri 5th Station 須走五合目 to the New Sanno: Total cost of transportation will depend on the type of transportation you take and can be very costly when using a taxi all the way. It will take at least four hours using the directions below.

1. Call Gogoen Rest House: (0555) 72-1251 Contact the tour guide and let him know your location. This is where the guide’s business card comes in handy.

2. Take a bus bound for Gotenba 御殿場. It takes about one hour from the Subashiri 5th Station to JR Gotenba Station. The last bus leaves Subashiri 5th Station at 6 p.m. (between July 20 and August 20) or 3 p.m. (in early July and late August). If you miss the last bus, you can still take a taxi to the JR Gotenba Station from the 5th Station.

3. When you arrive at JR Gotenba Station 御殿場駅, purchase a train ticket to Tokyo 東 京. You will want to go to Kōzu 国府津, change trains and take Tokaido Line 東海道線 bound for Tokyo 東京. Change trains at Tokyo Station and take Marunouchi Line 丸ノ 内線 bound for Shinjyuku 新宿 (Subway) and get off at Kasumigaseki 霞ヶ関. Take the Hibiya-Line 日比谷線 bound for Nakameguro 中目黒, and get off the train at Hiro-o 広尾.

You can walk to the New Sanno Hotel from here, but if you are unsure of where to go, take a taxi.

4. Please do not forget to contact your tour escort before going back to the New Sanno Hotel by yourself. Understand that these directions are only intended to be used if you accidently take the wrong trail, get injured or for any other reason miss the departure for the Misawa ITT tour bus.

DO NOT intentionally take the wrong trail. This can cost approximately ¥55,000–¥70,000.

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Misawa ITT is not responsible for any injuries or illnesses acquired during this trip. Please be responsible. Plan carefully, ahead of time.

Mt. Fuji Help Phrases Excuse me. I am lost. I need to go to the Kawaguchiko station toward the Subaru line. Please assist me. Thank you. すみません、道に迷ってしまいました。河口湖駅まで行きたいのですが、 助けていただけませんか。 Excuse me. I am hurt. Please contact _______________ san, from Misawa ITT tours. Thank you. すみません。怪我をしています。 この番号に電話をし、三沢基地からの ツアーガイド______________ さんに連絡をとってくれませんか。 If any problems arise, please go to the nearest station and call your tour guide.

Your tour guide will give you an information card with his/her phone number at the beginning of the tour.

HELPFUL TELEPHONE NUMBERS FOR MT. FUJI: Fuji Yoshida Police Station: 05-5522-0110 The New Sanno: 03-3440-7871 Misawa ITT Office: 0176-77-3555 Misawa AB Operator: 0176-53-5181

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Branding of a stamp on a walking stick

This is where a walking stick comes in handy

Helpful Information • The average hiking time is five hours from the 5th Station to the summit (six hours for slower hikers). The average descending time is three hours from the summit to the 5th Station (four hours for slower hikers).

• An information center, a souvenir shop, a shrine and a rest house are located at the 5th and 7th Stations.

• First aid stations are located at the 5th and 7th Stations. A doctor is on standby at the 7th Station.

• The Safety Hiking Guidance Center is located at the 6th Station.

Lodging • The hotels on the mountain are rugged-style huts. There are several mountain huts on Mt. Fuji, but these are only open during hiking season. They do not have shower facilities, but do have toilets (latrine type) located outside the hut.

• Rooms have no tatami mats on the floors.

• For sleeping, the hut provides a thin mattress on the floor and an extra mattress for covering yourself. Some huts use bunk beds.

• Most people do not wear pajamas while sleeping, but they wear sweat shirts and sweat pants.

• All guests have to share one large room with the other hikers.

• You can take sleeping bags and pillows with you but remember you have to carry everything during the time you are hiking. Do not over pack.

Meals • You should bring light meals. Food is available in the huts, but it’s expensive.

• Water is available but is not free (¥100 or more for a cup). It is recommended that you carry at least two liters of water (¥500 a bottle).

• There are no money changing facilities available at the 5th Station, so please bring sufficient yen for your needs.

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Mt. Fuji Information • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Last volcanic eruption: A.D. 1707 Currently dormant Elevation at top 3,776 meters = 12,388 feet = 2.34 miles Dimensions of summit crater: (diameter) 850 meters at widest point Depth: 220 meters Circumference: approximately 3 kilometers Average temperature in July: 40.8º F (4.8º C) Average temperature in August: 43.6º F (6.4º C) Generally, the temperature at top is about 18–20º F cooler than at the 5th Station and 36–40º F cooler than at sea level.

Air density: 60 percent of sea level at the summit Timberline: approximately 8,000 feet Trail surface: pavement, rock, gravel (stone, cinder and volcanic ash) Walking distance from Kawaguchiko 5th Station: approximately 16 kilometers (10 miles) round trip

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Health Tips Sickle Cell Medical Alert Annually, the Military Hospitals in the Kanto Plain treat several individuals for complications of Sickle Cell Disease. In persons with the sickle cell trait, the spleen can infarct (die) and grave conditions can result from the combination of the altitude, extreme physical exertion and dehydration that incurs during a Fuji climb. Sickle cell trait usually runs in people of African or Mediterranean descent but may be present in Caucasians as well. Active duty members are routinely screened for this trait and the results may be found in your medical record. If you are unsure of your results, contact your medical record custodian.

If you have a positive sickle trait, even if you have never been ill from it, the medical staff at USNH Yokosuka recommends that you do not climb Mt. Fuji.

High Altitude Sickness Although incidents are relatively rare on Mt. Fuji, anyone can be susceptible to the effects of altitude illness, which can include acute mountain sickness, pulmonary edema (swelling of the lungs) and cerebral edema (swelling of the brain). Symptoms of altitude sickness include severe headache, nausea and vomiting, dizziness, irritability, decreased concentration and lack of energy.

If these symptoms increase and worsen, the climber should descend the mountain, taking supplemental oxygen and resting frequently. Studies have shown that aspirin, acetaminophen and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can improve symptoms caused by high altitude.

Other High Altitude Syndromes There are other health problems that can be caused or worsened by exposure to high altitude. Most are annoying rather than dangerous, but check with your health care provider if you have any health threatening conditions, especially Chronic Obstructed Pulmonary Disease or Coronary Arterial Disease.

Use Lots of Sunscreen Climbing Mt. Fuji brings you closer to the ultraviolet rays of the sun. Save your skin and prevent cancer by using protective sunscreen.

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Misawa ITT Office

Location: Bldg. 973, next to the Community Center For more information, call 0176-77-3555 from cell or DSN: 226-3555

Hours of Operation:

Monday–Friday 10 a.m.–6 p.m. | Saturday 10 a.m.–2 p.m.

Closed Sundays & federal holidays

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