Fuji!

So after leaving Nagoya last saturday we (Olivia, James and Myself) met up with some friends, Zac, Jon and Tom from Tokyo, and together, with the power of the first and third largest incorporated cities in Japan, climbed Fuji!!

Theres lots to be read about climbing fuji. We did much the same as everyone else. Starting in the late evening, after taking the bus from the surprisingly dingy fujinomiya station, we climbed up the Fujinomiya trail.  Since we were climbing up at night, we took headlamps along with us. Its supposed to be more dangerous this way, and people have warned me about slipping and falling. But I slipped way more during the day coming down the mountain than up. 

Boarding our last train to Fuji. You'll need that energy, Olivia! 

Looking fabulous at the bottomn after exiting the bus.

I didn't take a whole lot of photos coming up the mountain, since It was so dark. Basically we climbed up rock in a long trail of people for  many hours. Along the way we had fun together, complaining and making ridiculous jokes, as well as laughing all of our thin oxygen away.  The mountain is very  cold after living in Japan for  the whole summer, and I was even shivering in my ski jacket and several layers. 

After a mad rush at the top and alot of waiting in line, we got up there about 20 minutes before the first rays crept over the horizon. It definitely was a sunrise to remember, and I see why so many people make the climb. Still it is a long way to go up for a sunrise. To be honest my favorite part was the views and the clean air during the day.  At the top its hard to appreciate the sunrise, when you're so cold and deprived of sleep and oxygen. 

Zac and James look terribly dejected. Spirits were still high, but we all wanted to get to the bottomn.

There really isn't a more breathtaking view to be had in this country. Forget the damn tall buildings. There is a reason fuji is such a famous mountain. climbing so far above the clouds is such an incredible experience

I had to get one photo of me on top of the world.

And Thats it! After hours and hours of climbing down the mountain, knees a knocking, dust a flying, wind a blowing, we got to the bottom. Its still a pretty cool place above the clouds, even at the foot of the mountain. I wanted to sit and watch them for a while longer, but I was already sunburnt and tired enough. Plus we still had a four hour journey back to our beds in Tokyo.

James and I both got pretty well prepared for the climb, and despite all the anxiety of climbing a mountain that so many people have a miserable time climbing, Fuji was alot easier and funner than I expected. Climbing well prepared, and with good company, It was actually a pretty great experience. No doubt tiring, but really something anyone can do if they have the gumption. Its definitely a wonderful way to cap off a trip to Japan, and the views from the top are so breathtaking,  I couldn't help but enjoy myself immensely coming down the mountain in the late august sun, which is much nicer with the cold mountain air than the humidity of urban Japan.
Thanks Fuji, and see you again sometime!