Fuji Fatigue: Can the Mountain Keep Up?
Each summer, Mt. Fuji opens for a fleeting two-month season, welcoming tens of thousands of climbers hoping to witness the sunrise from Japan’s highest peak. For many, it’s a bucket-list moment—an iconic pilgrimage. But in recent years, this sacred ascent has been marred by congestion, environmental strain, and growing safety concerns.
I first climbed Fuji back in 2000, just a day before the official season began. Even then, the crowds were thick, and the atmosphere felt more like a slow-moving procession than a personal journey. Fast forward to today, and the situation has only worsened. On busy weekends, climbers shuffle shoulder-to-shoulder up the winding trails. Long queues snake outside restrooms. The sense of awe that should accompany the climb has, for many, been replaced by a sense of endurance.
Modest Reforms, Mixed Results
In response, authorities have started rolling out modest reforms. For the 2025 season, a mandatory ¥4,000 climbing fee now applies to all trails—including those in Shizuoka Prefecture, which were previously free. Yamanashi Prefecture brought in a similar fee last year for the popular Yoshida Trail. Online registration is now required in principle, with only the Yoshida Trail currently subject to a daily cap.
This is a step in the right direction. But let’s be honest: the current system still feels piecemeal and unevenly enforced. Multiple booking platforms and apps create confusion, and the fact that climbing permits are completely separate from mountain hut bookings doesn’t help. It encourages last-minute decisions, speculative reservations, and the risky practice of “bullet climbing”—making the full ascent overnight without rest.
Another curious loophole is that you can still pass through the gate without a mountain hut reservation—as long as you complete your climb and descent within the same day and comply with the designated gate closing times. While this might be technically doable for highly experienced, exceptionally fit, and well-acclimatised climbers—say, starting at 5 am and finishing by 2 pm—it’s wildly impractical for most people. More importantly, it undermines the spirit of the new rules, which aim to discourage unsafe practices like rushed, overnight ascents. Yet the option remains.
Quick Guide to Climbing Mt. Fuji in 2025
Here’s what you need to know:
• Climbing Fee: ¥4,000 per person. It’s best to pay online in advance, but same-day payment is available at all trailheads—except on the Yoshida Trail if it hits capacity (which didn’t happen at all in 2024).
• Digital Tickets: For the Yoshida Trail, use the Asoview platform (they’ve got English support) via the official Mt. Fuji Climbing Site. For the Shizuoka trails, bookings go through the SHIZUOKA FUJI NAVI app. You can change your date up until the day before.
• Daily Cap: 4,000 climbers per day—Yoshida Trail only. No caps on the other three trails.
Why Booking Should Be Easier (and Smarter)
Efforts to balance access with sustainability are welcome—but they don’t answer the bigger question: how do we fairly manage limited access while making sure people are genuinely ready for the climb?
Right now, booking a mountain hut means contacting each one individually—a frustrating process even for Japanese speakers. For international climbers, it can feel like navigating a maze. And for huts higher up the mountain, spots disappear fast.
It’s a bit like a busy Tokyo cafe selling you a coffee without asking if you’ve actually found a table to sit and drink it. At least in most cafes, there’s the courtesy of checking before taking your order. The current Mt. Fuji system lets you pay your climbing fee without considering whether you’ll even be able to find a place to sleep on the mountain.
So why not make the whole thing simpler?
Lottery + Hut Booking System
Here’s one idea: combine the climbing permit with a mountain hut booking, issued through a single, lottery-based platform. It would reward those who plan ahead and help hut operators manage guest flow more effectively.
It wouldn’t necessarily cut overall climber numbers—unless it came with entry caps across all trails. But it would help shift access toward more prepared hikers and reduce the scramble of last-minute plans or risky overnight climbs.
You’d apply online, choose up to three preferred dates, and rank your hut options. If selected, you’d get both a permit and a confirmed overnight stay—paid in advance. Prices might range from about ¥13,900 at Hinode-kan to ¥20,500 at Hakuun-so, one of the more popular huts on the Yoshida Trail. Bookings would be non-transferable, but fair cancellation policies could allow partial refunds.
To make it all work, enforcement would be key. For 2025, Yamanashi Prefecture has already installed a permanent steel gate at the Yoshida Trail’s Fifth Station. Rangers are now empowered to turn away climbers who aren’t properly dressed or equipped—a welcome improvement over the looser approach of previous years. But a smarter, integrated system would go even further by linking trail access directly to accommodation.
What About Tour Groups?
Tour operators wouldn’t be left out. A separate portal could handle small and mid-sized groups. Maybe limit group sizes to 20, with preference for groups of 5–10. Licenced guides would apply with a full itinerary and upfront payment. That way, school trips and international visitors could still enjoy the mountain—without overwhelming the system.
Fairness for Independent Climbers
Climbers going solo or in small groups should also have a fair shot. One application could cover up to six people, all named in advance. To keep things fair, it could work as an “all-or-nothing” system—either everyone in your group gets a spot, or no one does. To avoid people gaming the system, group leaders would be limited to one application per lottery window.
Weather Happens
And yes—weather on Mt. Fuji is unpredictable. But a smart refund or rescheduling policy could make things easier. If a typhoon hits and the trails are closed, you’d get a refund or the chance to rebook—if space allows. Optional weather insurance at checkout could help offset the risk too.
Why It Matters
This isn’t just about crowd control—it’s about restoring the sense of wonder Mt. Fuji should inspire. Climbing Japan’s most iconic peak shouldn’t mean unrelenting queues, logistical chaos, or preventable emergencies. In 2024 alone, there were 70 search-and-rescue cases, including 10 fatalities.
Tying trail access to a confirmed overnight stay wouldn’t reduce overall climber numbers on its own, but it would discourage rushed ascents, promote proper rest and acclimatisation, and cut down on poorly thought-out bookings—making the climb safer and more enjoyable all around.
And hey, even bolder ideas deserve a look. A recent blog post by Martin Hood suggested cutting all road access to the Fifth Stations. Radical? Definitely. But the point stands: Mt. Fuji doesn’t need more rules. It needs fewer, better-prepared climbers.
Drawbacks and What the World Is Doing
Sure, a lottery might frustrate spontaneous travellers—especially those flying in from overseas. And let’s face it, Japanese-only websites aren’t exactly user-friendly for everyone. So if this system goes ahead, it has to be multilingual and easy to use.
But Mt. Fuji wouldn’t be alone here. Other famous peaks already do this:
• The Inca Trail, Peru: Capped at 500 people/day. Permits sell out months in advance. You have to book through a licenced operator.
• Half Dome, Yosemite (USA): Daily ascents by lottery. Demand is way higher than supply.
• Annapurna Base Camp, Nepal: Not a lottery, but permits and route quotas are enforced.
Mt. Fuji already has a daily cap on the Yoshida Trail—a good start. But linking permits directly to accommodation would strengthen enforcement there and could serve as a model for bringing the other trails in line over time.
The Bottom Line
Japan’s no stranger to tech-based lotteries—just look at the Tokyo Marathon. Adopting something similar for Mt. Fuji could make the climbing season more manageable, less chaotic, and far more rewarding.
Rolling out a lottery system tied to accommodation could help make climbing Mt. Fuji the unforgettable, awe-inspiring experience it’s meant to be—not just something to endure.
What do you think? Should Mt. Fuji move to a lottery-based system?
