Continued from http://happyotrekker.blogspot.com/2012/09/mt-fuji-part-1-25812-to-2912_6.html
Fujisan Hotel located at the original 8th station and at an altitude @ 3400m asl can accommodate 500 people in its upper and lower huts. It possesses an eco-friendly toilet requiring a fee of JPY200 for each usage.
Each person was given a two-foot wide berth with a sleeping bag and a blanket. I found my sleeping bag covered with some mud and hence decided against using it. I simply wrapped myself with a thin base layer, a fleece T-shirt, a fleece jacket and a thin shell as well as a fleece cap, a polar buff and gloves to keep warm.
At about 12 a.m, hikers were already up and preparing to start their hikes. However, we ‘slept’ till 2.30 a.m. In fact, we were the last batch and the hotel operator had to alert us to wake up for the summit hike. We took energy bars for our snack and left the hut about 3 a.m. The uphill hike was painfully slow due to the huge number of climbers. Just before the 9th station, our guide told us to cross a rope divider to use up another route (which is the descending route) to the peak. We reached the peak at about 4.45 a.m. in time to watch the sunrise at 5.07 a.m. Thereafter, we proceeded to a shop at the 10th station (Peak) to have our morning breakfast. The peak was super crowded! We spent time roaming about the peak taking photographs and buying souvenirs before we left at about 7.30 a.m. The downhill trek was easy but slippery. We took ½ hour break at Fujisan Hotel to collect our possessions and to change into something more comfortable before proceeding downhill via the Yoshida Trail. We took slightly more than 3 hours to hit the Subaru Line 5th station (2300m asl) at 11.15 a.m.
The Subaru Line 5th station is certainly more developed than Subashiri 5th station with modern shops and amenities for tourists. From here we took a 40 minutes bus ride to Kawaguchiko sataion where we were picked up in a van from K’s House. We spent the rest of day cleaning and washing up as well as patronizing nearby restaurants for our meals and supermarkets for food.
The following day was free and easy. We merely walked round the shore of Lake Kawaguchiko and visited Mt Tenjo (1104m asl) using cable car (instead of hiking). Unlike the mountain, the weather was very hot and humid and we decided to end our tour early to get back to Tokyo. The bus journey from Kawaguchiko station to Shinjuku took about 1.45 hour. From Shinjuku, we took the tube back to Suidobashi Station near YMCA. That evening I took instant noodle for dinner for everyone was too reluctant to leave their comfortable beds.
For the photographs, please refer to: http://happytrekker.shutterfly.com/pictures/15242.
Next: http://happyotrekker.blogspot.com/2012/09/tokyo-part-3-25812-to-2912_12.html
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