Fuji-san is not only Japan’s highest mountain, but also its most important one, an icon of Japaneseness, one could say. Climbing Fuji-san is a feat that every self-respecting Japanese should achieve once in their lives, according to a Japanese proverb. No wonder that several hundred thousand people climb Fuji-san every year in the brief official hiking season in July and August. Climbing Fuji-san is an experience. It is strenuous, but not as much as you might think. And it does offer the elation of reaching the peak – a relativlely easily achieved happiness. But keep your expectations moderate. If that was what you were after, the (potential) lack of view and of tranquility, and the busy commercial atmosphere can be disappointing.
