Mt. Fuji Pilgrimage - Day 2 (9/9/25)

I woke up before 2 AM, and Yus was already up. Since the other climbers had already left, we quickly prepared our packs. We ate a brief breakfast in the dining hall before stepping out to begin the strenuous final push to the summit. Here is the timeline of our climb:
2:28am 0km 2,740m (7th Station Tomoekan Hut) It was very cold and windy outside and we had to put on our thick jackets and gloves to keep warm. A few step after leaving our hut, we were greeted with steep stoney steps which zigzag up to the summit. Our progress was slow due to the never ending steps. Add to this the thin air which make us fatigue faster.
2:36am 0.1km 2,740m (7th Station First Aid Center).
2:39am 0.2km 2,790m (7th Station Kamaiwakan Hut).
2:43am 0.3km 2,800m (7th Station Fujiichi Kan Hut).
3:06am 0.5km 2,860m (7th Station Toriiso Hut).
3:35am 1km 3,020m (8th Station Taishikan Hut).
3:44am 1.2km 3,150m (8th Station HoraiKan Hut).
4:26am 1.9km 3,250m (8th Station Gansomuro Hut).
4:57am 2.5km 3,400m (Original 8th Station Fujisan Hotel).
5:50am 3.2km 3,450m (8.5 Station Goraikokan Hut).
6:13am 3.8km 3,600m (9th Station).
6:45am 4.2km 3,720m (Mt. Fuji Summit).
7:00am 6.1km 3,740m (Sengentaisha-Okumiya Shrine).
8:21am 6.6km 3,776m (Mt. Fuji Automated Weather Station & Kengamine Peak).
9:02am 8.2km 3,710m (Yoshida Descending Trail).
9:47am 9.8km 3,400m (Original 8th Station Tomoekan Hut).
11:22am 16.3km 2,305m (Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station).
Upon reaching the summit of Mt. Fuji, I chose to circle the crater rim and visit the highest point. When I saw a line of hikers waiting to take photos with a stone monument, it didn't register to me that I had arrived at Kengamine Peak. I quickly took a picture of the monument and departed, needing to rejoin Yus, who was waiting at a hut on the opposite side of the crater.
Once reunited, he suggested I grab some soup sold by one of the mountain huts to warm up before starting the descent. The descending trail was entirely separate from our ascent route. While the climb involved navigating steep volcanic rock steps, the descent was a rapid, slippery slide along loose gravel and sand—a completely different physical challenge.
The trail briefly connected with the 8th Station, where we made a necessary detour back to the Tomoekan 8th Station hut to retrieve the bags we had left to lighten our load. (Note: Guests booking at the 7th Station Tomoekan are permitted to store gear at the 8th Station branch.) As we entered the 8th Station hut, we encountered a staff member who, speaking no English, rudely demanded that we leave immediately. It was one of the rare instances of discourtesy I experienced in Japan. After quickly collecting our belongings, we continued our descent. We followed the descending trail down to the Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station. Along the way, we spotted horses making their way up the mountain. At one point, a crowd of hikers was gathered, taking pictures of a mother deer and a young doe grazing on the slope. Upon reaching the 5th Station gate, we joined a queue at a tent for a dated Mt. Fuji stamp. After receiving our stamps, we proceeded to the bus station. We changed into clean, dry clothes before boarding the bus bound for Shinjuku. From Shinjuku, we transferred to another bus heading to Haneda Airport. Yus's flight back to Los Angeles was scheduled for that same night, while mine was set for the following evening.

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