Big in Japan: How to climb Mount Fuji

Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.

I think it's important not to overly romanticize Fuji-san. The mountain is being literally loved to death. See the following link (http://blognippon.blogspot.com/2008/08/properly-shitty-mountain.html)

I would recommend also investigating Ontake-san in Nagano prefecture. It's much more pristine and offers much better views of Japan's north, central, and southern Alps, as well as Fuji-san. Here's a blog that has some information (http://otakimura.blogspot.com/2008/07/opening-mountain-ontake-kaizan.html)

Fuji-san may simply be better enjoyed from afar.

8-20-2008 @ 9:17PM

Matthew Firestone said...

Thanks for the comment - this is actually the second time I've climbed Fuji. The first time was 5 years ago, and it was such a miserable experience that I vowed never to it again. And eight hour climb through black volcanic rock devoid of plant life isn't most people's idea of 'scenic,' and lines of up to 2 hours at the top to watch the sunrise sure isn't 'tranquil.'

Anyway, this time I tried to focus on the historical and cultural significance of the mountain, which put things in better perspective. I also went with a good group of friends, which probably made all the difference in the end!!

Again, thanks for the great links!

Add your comments

Your comments:

Remember me

E-Mail me when someone replies to this comment

Please keep your comments relevant to this blog entry. Email addresses are never displayed, but they are required to confirm your comments.

When you enter your name and email address, you'll be sent a link to confirm your comment, and a password. To leave another comment, just use that password.

To create a live link, simply type the URL (including http://) or email address and we will make it a live link for you. You can put up to 3 URLs in your comments. Line breaks and paragraphs are automatically converted — no need to use <p> or <br /> tags.