"From the eye of the east": Climbing the highest mountain in Japan : Mt. Fuji

View of sunrise from top of Mt. Fuji

Assalamualaikum & good evening,

Mt. Fuji : the highest mountain in Japan. Also regard as one of 'Japan's Three Holy Mountains' along with Mount Tate and Mount Haku. It is a special place of scenic beauty, a historic site and has been submitted for future inscription on the World Heritage List by UNESCO.

Finished on the introduction on Mt. Fuji. I want to tell a story regarding my experience on climbing the highest mountain in Japan. Honestly, i never climbed any mountain before nor do i have any interest in mountain climbing. Back in Malaysia, the only highest 'natural place' that i've climbed before was Broga Hill. Though, it was just only a 'hill', compared to 'mountain', the hill are just nothing.

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こんにちは、

日本の最高の山；富士山は活火山である。標高 3776m の日本最高峰であるとともに、日本三名山（三霊山）、日本百名山、日本の地質百選に選定されている。俺は元々山登りに興味は全然持ってなかった。マレーシアにも、最高の自然な場所を登ったのはブロガ丘ただひとつ。それでも、「丘登り」と「山登り」は本当に違います。「丘」と「山」は二つの違いなもの、登りの難しさも違う。だから、これは俺の山登りの初めての経験だった！

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Get ready for an adventure!

There are about 5 routes to the peak of Mt. Fuji, and after done my homework of searching an infos, we decided to climb using Kawaguchiko route. To reach Kawaguchiko 5th station (the starting place to climb using kawaguchiko route), we took a highway bus direct from shinjuku train station to Kawaguchiko 5th station. The process was so convenient that i did it all only using an internet ; the process included finding info, reservation of bus and mountain hut to stay and confirmation with staff/person-in-charge.

We reached 5th station around 12 noon and started our climbing at 1 in the evening. We used 1 hour gap to get ready of our gears/tools and stop for prayer. After everything was set, we started our climbing with bismillah and a du'a hopefully everything went well. (Alhamdulillah everything going as planned and everyone safely reached the peak and safely return back home).

インターネットで調べた結果、富士山登りのは5つの道があります。俺は河口湖ー吉田トレールに決めた。河口湖ー吉田トレールの最初点は河口湖5合目である。俺は住んでるところから、小田急線の電車に乗って、ずっと終点まで新宿に降りて、新宿から富士急高速バスを乗って、河口湖5合目まで着いた。

富士急高速バスでちょうど12時に河口湖5合目に着いた。山登る前に、道具の準備とか体の準備とか、それは全部含めて、1時間ぐらいかかった。ちょうど昼1時に山登りを始めた。よっしゃ!!! 皆、頑張ろう!

Arrived at 6th station

This 2 picture shows that the people i've met during the climbing.

Above : full energy grandpa, climbing Mt. Fuji every month just for self-satisfaction and maintaining body stamina.

Below : a group of Ritsumeikan student that i met. Full of energy and friendly. Sadly, can't continue journey together with them as we only climbed together till 8th station and we got separated.

山登り通りに出会った人たち

上の写真：お爺ちゃんにしても、毎月富士登山をして、いろいろアドバイスをしてくれた。

ありがとうお爺ちゃん~

下の写真：立命館大学の4年生の大学生たち。

フレンドリ；　初めて出会ったのに、すぐ仲良くになる。

これは一期一会だ！

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Throughout the climbing, we accidentally separated into 2 groups. the 1st group or we so-called 'the fast-pace group' and the 2nd group 'the relax group'. I'm in the 1st group for sure....oh yeahh! The 1st group consists of 4 people including me arrived at 8th station at 4 in the evening. We stopped at 8th station as i've booked a mountain hut to stay overnight. The best part was the hut staff quite surprised as we arrived early, i　promised that i'll be there at 5 in the evening. Instead we arrived 1 hour early. We only took 3 hours of climbing to reach 8th station; a great record to be proud of, especially this were our first time. We stayed there for a nap to regain our energy back plus we were being served with a dinner ; set of saba fish with white rice. Alhamdulillah~

Midnight at 12, we were set to continue our journey to the top of the mountain, which was at station 9.5, around 700m more.

山登り時に、俺たちは全員9人2つのグループに分けてしまった。「速いグループ」と「リラックスグループ」を呼ばれた。俺はもちろん速いグループに！速いグループは俺を含めて、全員4人で昼4時に8合目に着いた。俺の予約山小屋は8合目にあるので、あそこに5時ぐらいに着くと山小屋の主任に約束した。だから、俺たち4人着いたとき、その山小屋の主任はちょっと驚いて、「初めて山登山にしても、5合目から8合目までたった3時間かかった、めっちゃ早い」と言われた。その山小屋にちょっと休んで、晩御飯を食べて、力を取り戻すという目的だった。

晩御飯を食べたあと、6時ぐらい皆すぐ寝て、ちょうど深夜12時に富士山の頂上まで登り続いた。富士山の頂上まであと700メートルぐらい。よっしゃ、あと少し頑張ろう!!

Mountain hut where we stayed....taishi-kan

Elevation at 3100m above sea water

Eventhough there were only another 700m to the top of Mt. Fuji, the road are more steeper than before. Plus, in the dark night, armed with only a headlamp or flashlight, the climb to the top became more challenging. Nevertheless, we 'the fast-pace group' still managed to get a best record for ourselves. We managed to climb to the top of Mt. Fuji with a recorded time of only 2 and a half hour. We reached the top of Mt. Fuji at 2.30 in the morning. It was really early to wait till sunrise which was at 5 in the morning. Plus the temperature at the top was about 5 degree celcius. It was soo cold. I already wore a long-john, 3 layers of shirt and a jacket.....still i could felt the coldness.

富士山の頂上まであと700メートルなのに、あの時闇夜であり、道も険しくて山登ることはだんだん危なくなってた。深夜の暗さは俺たちただヘッドランプを持つだけで、こんな冒険な道を動力したんだ！この道、俺たちの選んだ道だから。富士登山、俺の最初の冒険な旅だ！俺たち「早いグループ」はそんな危ない道を登って、たった2時間半ぐらいかかって、頂上まで着いた。俺たちにとって、素人と言っても本当にすごい記録だった。でも、早すぎのせいで、日の出を見るために、後2時間半待つしかない。頂上で誰にもまだ着いてない上で、あそこの温度は5度ぐらいの寒さで、本当に苦しかった。そのままで日の出まで待った。