Climbing season status
The 2026 climbing season ended on 10 September 2026
The official trails to the summit and the mountain huts are closed. Climbing to the top is not something to attempt now — the route markers, the huts and the first-aid stations that operate only during the season are gone until next summer, and so is the entry reception.
Some 5th Stations may still be reachable for sightseeing, depending on road, weather, snow and bus conditions on the day. That is not the same as the climbing trails being open.
Dates and current conditions: the official Mt Fuji climbing site.
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Hidden Japan Gems · Free Checklist
Mt. Fuji Huts Booking Checklist 2026
One sheet to pre-book, pack, and pace the climb — based on the official 2026 rules and the 42-hut directory. The 2026 season ended on 10 September: the rules and prices below are the 2026 ones, so check the official site and each hut before planning next season.
Before you open the booking form
- Lock the date. In 2026 the Yoshida and Subashiri trails opened July 1, and Fujinomiya and Gotemba July 10; all closed September 10. Outside the season the summit trails are closed.
- Decide hut vs. day climb. In 2026, on every trail you could not start up between 14:00 and 03:00 without a hut reservation (the same rule applied in 2025), and the Yoshida trail capped climbers without a hut booking at 4,000 a day. A day climb without a hut had to pass the 5th Station gate before 14:00 or after 03:00.
- Budget the climbing fee. In 2026 both prefectures charged ¥4,000 per climber (as in 2025), and the Shizuoka trails (Subashiri, Fujinomiya, Gotemba) also required a short safety course — on the FUJI NAVI app or at the 5th Station. Plus hut cost.
- Check how your hut takes payment. Several huts take card payment when you book (Toriiso, Goraikoukan and Taishikan, for example); others, like Fujisan Hotel, take cash or card at check-in. Carry cash for toilets, water and hut shops either way.
- Book as soon as bookings open. Opening dates vary by hut — in 2026, Ikedakan opened bookings on 1 March, Upper Edoya on 1 May and Goraikoukan on 11 May.
8 huts to consider (Yoshida, Fujinomiya and Gotemba trails, 2026 prices)
| Trail | Station | Hut name | Capacity | Cost (1N + meals) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yoshida | 8th (~3,100 m) | Taishikan (太子館) | — | ¥14,500–16,500 (shared room, 2 meals) |
| Yoshida | Hon-7th | Toriiso (鳥居荘) | 100 | ¥12,650–14,850 (shared room, 2 meals) |
| Yoshida | 7th (2,790 m) | Kamaiwakan (鎌岩館) | — | ¥13,500–16,000 (dinner only) |
| Yoshida | Hon-8th | Munatsuki Edoya / Upper Edoya (胸突江戸屋) | 150 | from ¥12,000 (2 meals) |
| Yoshida | Hon-8th (~3,400 m) | Fujisan Hotel (富士山ホテル) | — | ¥12,000–14,500 (2 meals) |
| Yoshida | 8.5th (3,450 m) | Goraikoukan (御来光館) | 90 | ¥16,000 (2 meals) |
| Fujinomiya | 8th (3,250 m) | Ikedakan (池田館) | 150–180 | from ¥13,000 (2 meals) |
| Gotemba | 7.4th | Warajikan (わらじ館) | 36 | ¥11,500–13,500 (2 meals) |
Which to pick
Goraikoukan at 8.5th is the last hut below the summit on the Yoshida/Subashiri route — about 90 minutes to the top, longer in summer crowds. Upper Edoya and Fujisan Hotel at the Hon-8th are the next step down (Edoya also quotes about 90 minutes to the summit). Warajikan (Gotemba trail) and Ikedakan (Fujinomiya trail) are the Shizuoka-side options. Capacities marked — are not published on the huts’ own pages.
Goraikoukan at 8.5th is the last hut below the summit on the Yoshida/Subashiri route — about 90 minutes to the top, longer in summer crowds. Upper Edoya and Fujisan Hotel at the Hon-8th are the next step down (Edoya also quotes about 90 minutes to the summit). Warajikan (Gotemba trail) and Ikedakan (Fujinomiya trail) are the Shizuoka-side options. Capacities marked — are not published on the huts’ own pages.
Day-of timing (Yoshida trail, summer 2026)
10:00–12:00Bus arrives at Fuji Subaru Line 5th station (2,300 m). Spend about an hour at the 5th Station before climbing to let your body adjust to the altitude.
13:00Start climbing. Pace yourself; about 3½–6 hours to an 8th-station hut, depending on how high it is. The trail is steep loose volcanic gravel — slower than it looks.
16:30–19:00Arrive at hut (check your hut’s check-in deadline). Sign in, drop bags, change layers. Dinner varies by hut; eat, drink and rest before the summit climb.
19:00–20:00Lights out. Most huts have shared sleeping spaces, some with curtains or partitions. Earplugs and an eye mask make the difference.
00:00–02:30Wake, depending on your hut and the date. Final climb to the summit: about 90 minutes from Goraikoukan or Upper Edoya, 3–4 hours from Taishikan, and about four hours from huts around 3,000 m in the official model plan, allowing for the pre-dawn queue.
04:20–05:15Sunrise from the summit (official planning figures: 1 July 4:21, 10 July 4:26, 10 August 4:49, 10 September 5:13). Take photos, take in the view, do not rush.
06:00–10:00Descend. Use the dedicated descent route, not the climbing route. Allow about four hours; the loose gravel is hard on knees.
Pre-climb packing checklist
Required
- Headlamp Hand-held flashlight makes the rocky pre-dawn climb dangerous. Spare batteries.
- Layered clothing Before dawn the summit can drop below 0 °C even in August (JMA’s August normal daily low is about 4 °C, with about one day a month below freezing). Add wind.
- Rain shell + pants Top + bottom. Plastic ponchos tear easily in strong wind.
- Cash For anything not prepaid — the climbing fee if paid on site, a hut that takes cash, water, and toilets (¥200–300 per use above the 5th station).
- Climbing shoes The official site lists hiking boots (high-cut, stiff soles) as required equipment, and in 2026 the Yoshida 5th Station gate let climbers through only if they had climbing footwear, two-piece rain gear and warm clothing. Town sneakers are not enough.
- 1.5L water + snacks Huts sell water (Taishikan, for example, lists ¥400–500), so bring most of yours.
- Sun protection UV at 3,000 m is brutal. Brimmed hat, sunglasses, SPF 30+.
Strongly recommended
- Walking poles (1 pair) Especially for the descent. Bring your own or rent with the rest of your gear before the trip.
- Gloves Cold and rocky sections. Bring a spare pair in case one gets wet.
- Oxygen can Optional. It gives only temporary relief: if altitude sickness symptoms persist, stop climbing and descend.
- Eye mask + earplugs Communal sleeping. Worth their weight.
- Plastic bag (trash) No trash bins on the trail. Carry it all down.
- Helmet Optional but recommended — rockfall is a real hazard on the upper trail.
- Battery pack Phone GPS drains fast at altitude in cold.
Booking site URLs (bookmark these)
- Official Yoshida trail portal fujisan-climb.jp — Yoshida entry reservation and fee prepayment (the system started in 2024).
- Fujisan Hotel fujisanhotel.com — Hon-8th station Yoshida, with an English page.
- Goraikoukan goraikoukan.jp — 8.5th station, the last hut below the summit on the Yoshida trail. Popular dates can sell out; check its live calendar.
- Taishikan mfi.or.jp/~taisikan/ — 8th station Yoshida (about 3,100 m).
- Fujisan Hotel (Yoshida Hon-8th) Does not take individual bookings by phone — book online through its website.
- Aggregator willer-travel.com — WILLER’s Fuji climbing tours (bus + hut packages).
Reservation phrase (for phone calls)
“Hello, I would like to make a reservation. (もしもし、予約をお願いします — Moshi-moshi, yoyaku wo onegai shimasu). I would like to stay at [hut name] on August 5, two adults, with dinner and breakfast. Is that available?” Most huts in the table above do not take phone bookings: Goraikoukan, Ikedakan, Kamaiwakan and Taishikan take reservations online only, and Fujisan Hotel does not take individual phone bookings. Warajikan still lists a phone booking line.
“Hello, I would like to make a reservation. (もしもし、予約をお願いします — Moshi-moshi, yoyaku wo onegai shimasu). I would like to stay at [hut name] on August 5, two adults, with dinner and breakfast. Is that available?” Most huts in the table above do not take phone bookings: Goraikoukan, Ikedakan, Kamaiwakan and Taishikan take reservations online only, and Fujisan Hotel does not take individual phone bookings. Warajikan still lists a phone booking line.
Common mistakes to skip
- Booking a 7th-station hut and trying to summit at sunrise. Four hours or more of climbing in the dark with crowds — the official model allows about four hours even from huts around 3,000 m. Pick a higher 8th or 8.5th hut if sunrise from the summit is the goal.
- Underestimating wind chill. Wind can make the summit feel much colder than the air temperature. A T-shirt and hoodie are not enough; bring warm, windproof layers.
- Skipping acclimatization. Spending about an hour at the 5th Station before climbing helps your body adjust; climbing straight off the bus raises the risk of altitude sickness.
- Low-cut or worn-out shoes. The official equipment list calls for high-cut boots with stiff soles. Volcanic gravel destroys grip; descent is the dangerous half.
- Going on the busiest days. In 2026 the busiest day across all trails was Sunday 19 July (6,445 climbers, Environment Ministry count), and weekends and Obon were busy too — pick a weekday if you can.
- Forgetting how early the wake-up is. Somewhere between about midnight and 02:30, depending on the hut. Sleep is short. Plan to lose sleep; plan to nap before climbing.