Since travelling to Japan in my teenage years and seeing Mt Fuji from our bullet train I have had a fascination with it. On my next trip it was in the clouds! On my third trip I did a day tour to 5th station and several other spots which were meant to offer you extensive views but it was again in the clouds. This time I was determined to spend a few days in the area so that I gave myself every opportunity to see it in its full glory. As it was March the snow was too far down the mountain so fifth station was closed. Our Airbnb in Lake Kawaguchi had magnificent views. We sighted the mountain from the train and then travelled by bus to our destination. Clear skies and the most incredible views. It was quite chilly at Lake Kawaguchi but well worth the effort. We hopped on a bus that took us to several spots where you could pay for a day pass and jump on and off as often as you like. Got so many amazing photos, my friends who were with us were blessed as they didn’t realise how elusive it can be. Mt Fuji is very dear to me due to my heritage (my grandma is Japanese and my grandpa met her after the war) and I see it as the symbol of Japan and one to be treasured. I have not finished yet I aim to get back and do the climb! Also when travelling on the train ask for the side with views, I didn’t have to ask when booking all my train travel they just automatically put us on the best side every time to experience the best views.

Dear Hikers, I just want to give you a nice hike recommendation in case you visit mount Fuji in times, where the 5th station is closed. We went in February and were quite disappointed that we were not allowed to go to the 5th station by car. Security persons were even blocking us to hike the road further up (for safety reasons of course, as always in japan). We then drove down to the third station and from there took a hiking trail all the way up to 5th station. That was an awesome experience, since we've had an amazing viewpoint only for us. The trail is well marked in the app maps.me and start a few meters up the road from the third station . It took us (usual fitness, but young) 2 hours each way. There was some snow, some ice, and one or two trees on the way, but in total it was defenitely doable =) I would have safed us some time when starting from 4th station, but it was not possible to escape the useless workers there. I can highly recommend you taking this trail when you want to do a hike on fuji where nobody else is in winter =) Cheers

My first hike above 3000m. Decided to do a night hike to witness the sunrise on the peak. Weather wasn't great at first and it rained quite heavily for the first half of the trek. This made us quite cold and uncomfortable so we payed quite a lot to sleep in a mountain hut for a few hours. As a person who relies heavily on glasses, the rain, wind and darkness made the route slightly risky, however there was a rope to hold onto most of the way on the Yoshida trail. We woke up at around 4am to finish the hike to the top. Spectacular views of the sunrise, lots of people were there to witness this.

Bought a to and fro ticket for a bus ride from Tokyo central to Mount Fuji. Used the local bus pass at Fuji to move around the area. The ride from Tokyo to Fuji gives a good glimpse of Tokyo city as well as the country side. Mt. Fuji is visible from most of the places in the town unless your view is obstructed by buildings or trees. I felt that the best view was from the Kawaguchiko Natural Living Center and I spent most of my time here (decided after having visited other places to catch a glimpse of the mountain top which was covered by clouds for a long time). The garden, flowers, and the lake add to the beauty. Of course, you may not be able to catch a glimpse of the entire mountain immediately; but the place provides a nice ambiance to spend time, with the mountain always in your sight.

In September, I joined about 20 other folks and hiked to the summit with Fuji Mountain Guides. This company does it right. Their guides are very knowledgeable and keep a a careful eye on everyone to be sure you are safe. The hike turned out to be much tougher than I had imagined. It is less than 5 miles from the 5th station to the summit but you gain more that 5000 feet in elevation over that short distance. So the trail is very steep and unrelenting. We stopped for the night at a small hut at about 10000 feet and then went to the summit the next morning. One of the disappointments was finding that there are actually roads that heavy equipment use to drive all the way to the summit. The top of the mountain is an unattractive volcanic crater. The day we got to the summit, we were above a cloud layer so the views were very limited. I am glad I did this hike, and I did feel a big sense of accomplishment, but it was not the great emotional experience I was hoping for. In Japan there is a saying that "a person who has not climbed Mt. Fuji once is a fool, but one who has climbed it more than once is even more of a fool". I can now fully appreciate this statement.

I did an epic 1 day trip by bus independently from Shinjuku bus station.I followed the itinerary from a website called trulytokyo.com.From buying bus tickets to how to navigate your way through Shinjuku train station that has 200 exits to the bus station were very accurate.Arriving at Mt Fuji i continued to follow the itinerary but found the landmarks and the bus stops did not correspond. I had a fabulous day but just had to cross reference all the bus stops to get off at the right landmarks.It was a beautiful clear sunny day and the gorgeous mountain was in view for the 7hrs that i was there for.What a memorable day

The original plan was to see mount fuji. The day started with promise it was sunny/overcast when starting. Ultimately, We did not see much. As we ascended, snow started falling. By the time we reached 5th station, we found out that they were no longer allowing vehicles to enter for safety reasons. We couldn’t see the peak due to the snow. There is a shrine on the grounds, so I went there for a little bit before heading back to the bus. Travelled with my parents as part of a tour.

You will be amazed to see the actual spectacular view of Mt. Fuji, the one we saw in the postcard are totally different when you are there, it is an experience of a lifetime, they suggest not to visit during winter time because the Mt. Fuji are covered with winter clouds, spring months are the best time to visit from mid February to end of April.

I booked a bus tour out of JR Shinjuku leaving at 7:40am. Arrived at 5th Station (2305m) on YOSHIDA route entrance. I left extra clothes for next day at the locker, keeping my back as light as possible. Yes, you can buy many stuffs on the mountain (even beer and sake). You must to have 100 yen coins handy to use bathroom (200yen) each time. We start going up around 12pm, arrived Lodge HAKU UN SOU (3200m) around 5:30pm. I was guided to a bunk bed which was well structured to keep my personal belongings. The dinner was served immediately. Since this was not my first rodeo, I was curious with their service. Oh well.. I dose off less than 30 minutes and start getting ready to go up at 1am. We all left the lodge at 2am heading to the top. We arrived top around 4:30am, just in time to see the perfect sunrise. It is definitely worth the trip but this is not an easy hike. I saw a guy sleeping under stones but I am sure that he has to change his plan as it gets really freezing in the night. There were many trashes left behind the trail. Also, the last part of the climbing is very steep and narrow. There were many people folding the line behind. Hmmm…

I was originally travelling at night from Kyoto to Tokyo but changed to a daytime train in the hope that I might catch a glimpse of the fabled Mt Fuji. I have stayed in Yokohama and not been lucky enough to get a clear view due to cloud. When I booked my train seat the counter has a seat plan to show Mt Fuji view seats. I asked for a window seat and crossed my fingers. From Kyoto to Tokyo the seats are on the left and you are travelling on the left side track. As we left Kyoto it was an overcast day and it had been trying to snow. I thought I might be unlucky again. As we left Kyoto there was a complete white out. So I got my book out. Not long after the snow cleared and so did the sky to a beautiful blue. If its a clear day you see the Mountain for quite some time even travelling at speed. It just gets better and better. It was the glorious end to an amazing few days. Even my rubbish old phone got stunning photos.