Before climbing Mount Fuji

Hello everyone! I've written in earlier posts that I'm going to climb Mount Fuji (which at 3776 meters, is Japan's highest mountain) ... and it's finally happening... tomorrow!!!

But before we can even start climbing, there is some preparation to do.

To start, there's the necessary equipment: hiking shoes, rain coat, warm clothes, hat, sunscreen, gloves, warm socks, etc. We've decided we don't need oxygen tanks. We're both athletes and my roommate's climbed it twice already without an oxygen tank. So hopefully we won't be falling unconscious.

Then, we also have to think about food. There are no restaurants up on the mountain so we have to bring everything with us. I think there are some vending machines and some small shops where you can buy some food but I've read that the prices are ridiculous. So we've decided to bring everything with us.

And we have to bring everything back with us as well. You aren't allowed to throw things on the mountain, even biodegradable matter like banana peels. So we have to make sure to have bags to throw away our garbage.

And just to get to the starting point (we've decided to start from the Fujinomiya 5th station), it takes about 2hrs and a half by train, and then another 1h30 by bus. So we're going to leave quite early tomorrow to be able to start climbing around noon. From Fujinomiya 5th station, it takes about 4-7 hours for the upward climb and 2-4 hours to climb down.

I still have to pack so I will be signing off now. If I'm not too tired, I'll try to upload the pictures after tomorrow, when we get back.

Can you believe it? I'm climbing Mount Fuji!!! See ya soon!