Mount Fuji

Kawaguchiko, Japan

Kawaguchiko is a gorgeous little town a few miles away from Mount Fuji. The scenery is beautiful and there are nature protection areas everywhere. We cycled for a good 10 miles around a peaceful lake, taking in stunning views of the picturesque countryside. We decided that the following day we would take a bus half way up Mount Fuji and climb the rest of the way up to the peak … well … we kind of underestimated just how challenging it would be. We did our research beforehand, learning that the temperature can change the further up the mountain you go and that the climb can take anywhere between 3 and 7 hours depending on how fit you are. We spoke to a guy in our hostel who had recently done the climb himself. It took him 2 and a half hours and he only wore shorts and a t-shirt until he reached the peak where he put on a little jacket. With this in mind, we packed our jumpers and gloves. We started the day in 40 degree heat but after a 4 hour climb, with at least another 3km to go, the temperature dropped to a little above freezing and we almost froze to death in a mini blizzard and had to head back. It was an experience though and we managed to climb high enough to see the clouds below.