Mount Fuji: A Comprehensive Guide to Risks and Precautions

25%.

Do you know what this number is?

It's the percentage of people who didn't make it to the summit of Mt.Fuji, even though they had the will to do it.

Mount Fuji, Japan's highest peak, is a popular destination for climbers worldwide. Its majestic beauty and the unique experience it offers attract thousands of foreign tourists each year. However, climbing Mount Fuji is not without its risks. From sudden weather changes to physical challenges, many factors can turn a thrilling adventure into a dangerous endeavor. 

This article compiles a list of accidents and challenges faced by foreign climbers since 2015, aiming to provide a comprehensive guide for those planning to conquer this iconic mountain. By understanding the potential risks and taking necessary precautions, we hope to ensure a safer and more enjoyable climbing experience for all.

Mt.Fuji Climbing Accidents Among Foreign Tourists

The number of accidents involving foreign climbers reported from 2015 to 2023 are as follows.

• In July 2015, an American man fell and died at the Fujinomiya trail. He was not wearing a helmet. The cause of the fall is unknown.
• In July 2016, a Chinese woman collapsed and was rescued at the Yoshida trail due to altitude sickness. She suffered from a lack of oxygen and low air pressure.
• In August 2017, a Taiwanese man fell and was seriously injured at the Yoshida trail. He was not wearing a helmet. The cause of the fall is unknown.
• In June 2018, a French man fell and was slightly injured at the Fujinomiya trail. He was wearing a helmet. The cause of the fall is unknown.
• In July 2019, a British man collapsed and was rescued at the Yoshida trail due to altitude sickness. He suffered from a lack of oxygen and low air pressure.

• In August 2019, a Russian woman was hit by a falling rock and died at the Yoshida trail. She was not wearing a helmet. She died from chest trauma caused by the impact.
• In August 2020, a Korean woman fell and was slightly injured at the Yoshida trail. She was wearing a helmet. The cause of the fall is unknown.
• In July 2021, an Australian man collapsed and was rescued at the Fujinomiya trail due to altitude sickness. He suffered from a lack of oxygen and low air pressure.
• In June 2022, an Indonesian man fell and was seriously injured at the Yoshida trail. He was not wearing a helmet. The cause of the fall is unknown.
• In May 2023, a Canadian woman fell and died at the Fujinomiya trail. She was not wearing a helmet. The cause of the fall is unknown.

Troubles Mt.Fuji Climbers Face

The Japanese government did a survey in 2016, which is a little out-dated, but I hope this provides some insight into the problems and troubles people face before and during Mt.Fuji. It's pretty interesting.

Troubles BEFORE climbing Mt.Fuji

About Climbing Equipment:

• Brought too much luggage due to not knowing the difficulty (China, Yoshida)
• Ran out of drinking water during the descent (Germany, Yoshida)
• Wanted to leave luggage overnight but couldn't arrange it (Germany, Yoshida)
• Forgot to exchange money, no cash to buy water (France, Yoshida)
• Lack of personal belongings (essentials) (USA, Yoshida)

Knowledge about climbing trails and Mount Fuji:

• Worried about how to successfully climb at night (UK, Yoshida)
• Why can't we climb from the descent trail? Some people can't climb the rocky area (Mexico, Yoshida)
• Didn't know the time and terrain required for climbing (Taiwan, Yoshida)
• Difficult to understand where to go (USA, Fujinomiya)
• Too few toilets (China, Yoshida)

Accommodation

• Mountain huts are too small (Taiwan, Yoshida)
• Pre-booking mountain huts (Spain, Yoshida)
• Don't know much about mountain huts (Malaysia, Yoshida)
• It was difficult to understand the "availability" to stay overnight. Didn't know whether it was possible to return on the same day, whether it was necessary to stay overnight, and how to transfer JR (Italy, Fujinomiya)

Transportation

• No night bus, used a taxi (Spain, Yoshida)
• It was difficult to reserve a bus ticket, so I reserved an extra bus on Saturday (China, Yoshida)
• Bus stop (France, Yoshida)
• It was difficult to arrange a bus ticket to the 5th station. All direct buses from Shinjuku were full, and the website was difficult to understand. It was difficult to speak Japanese on the phone when booking a mountain hut (South Africa, Yoshida)
• How to get from Osaka to the 5th station (Germany, Yoshida)

Physical strength

• Worried about whether I could physically handle it (Taiwan, Yoshida)
• Altitude sickness (China, Yoshida)
• Physical limit (Germany, Yoshida)
• Age (69 years old). But I managed to succeed (France, Yoshida)
• Didn't know if I could climb to the summit (Germany, Fujinomiya)

Weather Information

• Weather forecast (couldn't cancel the mountain hut reservation) (Netherlands, Yoshida)
• Changeable weather (Singapore, Yoshida)
• Worried about bad weather (China, Yoshida)
• Whether we can climb to the summit depending on the weather (China, Yoshida)

Troubles Experienced DURING Climbing Mt.Fuji

Illness / Poor physical condition

• My wife got altitude sickness (Australia, Yoshida)
• I couldn't breathe well from the 9th to the 10th station. It was very hard (Thailand, Yoshida)
• Headache (Taiwan, Yoshida)
• It was cold during the climb (Nationality unknown, Yoshida)
• My knee started to hurt during the descent (USA, Fujinomiya)
• Felt a little stressed about the thin oxygen and physical condition (France, Fujinomiya)

Lack of physical strength:

• Climbed slowly and couldn't keep up with the group. Especially when climbing rocks and steps (Australia, Yoshida)
• Worried about my physical strength (China, Yoshida)
• I was sleepy and couldn't descend easily (USA, Fujinomiya)

Falls due to trail conditions

• The slope of the rock wall is too steep (China, Yoshida)
• There were falling rocks in the designated rest area (China, Yoshida)
• Slipped (China, Yoshida)
• The trail is slippery (China, Yoshida)
• The trail is narrow. Need a lift (Germany, Yoshida)
• Occasionally, the trail was steep. There weren't enough shelters (refuges) for wind protection (Germany, Yoshida)
• It's not a safe trail (Brazil, Yoshida)
• The descent was very slippery and put a strain on the knees (Brazil, Yoshida)
• There were many small stones on the trail, it was dangerous (Korea, Fujinomiya)
• There were many empty bottles scattered between the 7th and 8th stations (Singapore, Fujinomiya)

Injuries

• Descending the muddy trail mixed with pebbles was more difficult and painful than I imagined (UK, Yoshida)
• Hurt my knee when descending because there were many stones (Singapore, Yoshida)
• Foot cramp (Taiwan, Yoshida)

Weather

• It suddenly got cold and started raining, but there was quite a distance to the Fuji Mountain Hotel I had booked (USA, Yoshida)
• Didn't know if I had the physical strength to climb to the summit. The weather forecast said there was a chance of rain (Indonesia, Yoshida)
• When climbing at night, the trail was dark and the lighting was insufficient. The wind was strong at the summit and it was very scary (France, Yoshida)

Congestion on the route

• Had to line up in two rows to climb to the summit (Netherlands, Yoshida)
• It took time to climb because there were so many people (had to wait) (Spain, Yoshida)
• There were many climbers on the narrow trail (Spain, Yoshida)
• After 2 a.m., too many people gathered at the summit and it was cramped (Germany, Yoshida)

Getting lost

• There weren't enough signs on the trail to know where I was (USA, Yoshida)
• There is a problem with the signs (China, Yoshida)

Mountain- Mountain huts

• There was a cockroach in my bed (USA, Yoshida)
• There was no place to hang wet clothes. Just having such a place makes a big difference. I hope it improves (USA, Yoshida)
• The sleeping quarters in the mountain hut were very narrow (Spain, Yoshida)
• There is room for improvement in staying at the mountain hut. Arrived at the mountain hut soaking wet (after being rained on for over an hour), but the staff and facilities at the mountain hut were not sufficient (Spain, Yoshida)
• The sleeping quarters in the mountain hut were very narrow and crowded (Spain, Yoshida)
• The people in the mountain hut were noisy and I couldn't sleep (USA, Fujinomiya)
• The condition of the mountain hut, the toilet was very dirty, the bed was very dirty, the smell of the toilet lingered all night (UK, Fujinomiya)

Toilets

• There weren't enough toilets on the way back with the yellow circle (sign?) (Germany, Yoshida)
• There were very few toilets during the descent (Germany, Yoshida)
• The toilet at the 5th station was dirty (Italy, Fujinomiya)

Mount Fuji: A Comprehensive Guide to Risks and Precautions Wrap-up

Climbing Mount Fuji is an unforgettable experience, but it's crucial to remember that safety should always come first. The incidents and challenges outlined in this article serve as a stark reminder of the potential risks involved.

However, with proper preparation, awareness, and respect for the mountain, these risks can be significantly reduced. We hope this guide will serve as a valuable resource for all foreign climbers planning their journey up Mount Fuji.

Remember, the mountain isn't going anywhere - it's better to postpone your climb than to risk your safety.

Remember to always prioritize safety, respect the mountain, and enjoy the climb!