Japanese culture travelogue

News groups are very helpful. Declan in Japan recently told me via fj.life.in-japan that the best way to climb up Mount Fuji is

Follow up:

to take the route up from Fuji City's shingogoume. Apparently the mountain huts on the route are better in terms of food and cost.

Sounds good. Thanks Declan.

I also heard that the top of the mountain closes on the 31st of August so, from September, you can't climb to the top. :(

Looks like I'll have to get to Tokyo before the mountain closes. Apparently it is very easy to climb and a lot of people take a bus up half way then climb the rest. Maybe joining a tour group for the sunrise is probably a good idea. (6 hours hike to the top!)

One Japanese girl who went up had a friend suffer from altitude sickness. Hmm, those bottles of Oxygen will come in handy.