In addition to many interesting city destinations, there is also the wilder side of Japan. This mountainous island nation is full of epic landscapes and incredible nature wonders, of which the most famous is Mount Fuji. Rising above 3,776 meters above sea level, this snow-topped volcano is the place to go if you want to see the land of the rising sun from above.
Conquering the top. If you want to conquer the top of Mount Fuji, you should time your visit between July and August, but for other purposes you will find Mount Fuji enjoyable almost any time of the year. The best time of the day for conquering the top is early morning. At this time you can see the sunrise from the top and are most likely to get to enjoy the incredible landscapes opening from the top of the Land of the Rising Sun. During the later hours of the day, this scenery is often hidden behind clouds. The scenic Five Lakes area north of Mount Fuji is also well worth visiting.
Mount Fuji, the roof of Japan and a natural paradise
Located on Honshu Island west of Tokyo, the volcanic Mount Fuji is the highest mountain in Japan. Called Fuji-san in Japanese, this scenic mountain is part of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park. Home of Epic landscapes and challenging mountain trails, Mount Fuji is what one could call a climbers paradise, but as there are several trails circling on lower parts of the mountain, hiking in Mount Fuji is also well worth trying. Guided tours to Mount Fuji are available in Tokyo.Conquering the top. If you want to conquer the top of Mount Fuji, you should time your visit between July and August, but for other purposes you will find Mount Fuji enjoyable almost any time of the year. The best time of the day for conquering the top is early morning. At this time you can see the sunrise from the top and are most likely to get to enjoy the incredible landscapes opening from the top of the Land of the Rising Sun. During the later hours of the day, this scenery is often hidden behind clouds. The scenic Five Lakes area north of Mount Fuji is also well worth visiting.
Practical information for your trip to Mount Fuji
Weather on Mount Fuji in subject to rapid changes and the climate here is much colder than in most Japanese locations. Summers on the slopes of the mountain are quite warm but winters are snowy and cold. Snow can be met on the mountain even in July when the rest of Japan is struggling with intolerable heat.
Photo: Asela, used under Creative Commons License (By 2.0)
Therefore, you should bring warm clothing when visiting Mount Fuji. If you are going to climb the mountain, be sure to be well prepared because it is a serious job and can be quite dangerous.
Visitor services. As Mount Fuji is a remote destination, it is provided with only the very basic services of the mountain huts, which are of use when climbing on Mount Fuji. Restaurants and accommodation on Mount Fuji are restricted to the services of these huts, but more options can be found further away in the nearest town of Fujiyoshida or in the city of Kofu. There are no flights to Mount Fuji available but you can get as near as to Tokyo, which is just 100 km away from the slopes of Mount Fuji. You can easily travel to this safe mountain destination by bus or train from Tokyo.
hint See also these nearby destinations: Tokyo, Nagoya, Hakuba
