Climbing Mt. Fuji in 2026: New Rules, Fees & How to Reserve

Climbing Mt. Fuji used to be simple: show up, start walking. Not anymore.

For 2026, all four trails now charge a ¥4,000 fee and require an advance reservation — a big change from even a year ago. It catches a lot of first-timers off guard at the gate.

So here's the honest local rundown: what changed, what it costs, how to book without stress, which trail to pick, and what actually happens when you reach the 5th Station gate.

Mt. Fuji 2026 at a Glance

• 💴 Fee: ¥4,000 per person — now on all four trails
• 🎫 Reservation: Required in advance (online)
• 📅 Season: Yoshida & Subashiri Jul 1 – Sep 10; Fujinomiya & Gotemba Jul 10 – Sep 10
• ⏰ Gate hours: Open to all 3 AM – 2 PM; after 2 PM, hut-reservation holders only
• 🥾 Best trail for beginners: Yoshida
• 🌅 Sunrise (goraiko): Needs an overnight hut stay
• 🚌 From Tokyo: Shinjuku bus ~2 hrs to the 5th Station
• 🔺 Summit: 3,776 m (Japan's highest point)

What's New for 2026 (Read This First)

This is the part that trips people up, so let's be clear.

• A ¥4,000 fee on every trail. Until recently only the Yoshida Trail charged (and just ¥2,000). Now the three Shizuoka-side trails charge ¥4,000 too. It's paid in advance, not at the gate.
• Reservations are mandatory. You register online, complete a short safety course, and pay before you go.
• A daily cap on Yoshida. The Yoshida Trail is limited to 4,000 climbers per day — though climbers with a confirmed mountain-hut booking don't count toward that cap. The Shizuoka trails have no numeric cap.
• A gear check at the gate. Turn up without proper rain gear, warm layers, and real hiking shoes and you may be refused entry.
• Bullet climbing is effectively over. All trailheads close from 2 PM to 3 AM to anyone without a hut reservation — which blocks the old (and dangerous) habit of climbing straight through the night without rest.

💡 Local tip: The fee and your mountain hut are two separate bookings. Paying the ¥4,000 does not reserve you a bed. If you want the sunrise, book the hut too — and early.

2026 Climbing Season Dates

The mountain only opens for about ten weeks a year, and the trails open on a staggered schedule:

• Yoshida (Yamanashi side): July 1 – September 10
• Subashiri (Shizuoka): July 1 – September 10
• Fujinomiya (Shizuoka): July 10 – September 10
• Gotemba (Shizuoka): July 10 – September 10

Climbing to the summit before the official opening is prohibited. Late July through August is the most stable weather — and the most crowded.

How to Reserve Mt. Fuji (Step by Step)

Reservations opened on April 27, 2026. The two sides of the mountain use different systems, so match the steps to your trail.

If You're Climbing Yoshida (the popular choice)

1. Go to the official site, fujisan-climb.jp, and open the Yamanashi reservation portal (it has a multilingual version — English, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese).
2. Pick your date and complete the short pre-climb safety course.
3. Pay the ¥4,000 fee.
4. Save the QR code to your phone.
5. At the 5th Station gate, your QR is scanned and you're given a wristband to wear on the climb.

If You're Climbing a Shizuoka Trail (Subashiri, Fujinomiya, Gotemba)

Everything runs through the "FUJI NAVI" app (free, App Store / Google Play). Inside the app you complete the e-learning course, register your date, and pay the ¥4,000. You get a QR code that's scanned at the trailhead for your wristband.

💡 Local tip: Yoshida day slots can sell out once the 4,000/day cap fills, so don't leave booking to the last minute in August. Screenshot your QR code — phone signal on the mountain is unreliable.

Which Trail Should You Choose?

Four trails reach the summit. For most visitors it really comes down to Yoshida vs. the rest.

• Yoshida — Easiest and most popular. Starts at 2,305 m, ~6 hours up, ~3 hours down. The most mountain huts, separate up/down paths, and the best access from Tokyo. Best for first-timers.
• Fujinomiya — Shortest route (starts highest at 2,400 m) but steep, with the same path up and down. Best if you're coming from Osaka/Kansai.
• Subashiri — A quieter, forested lower section that merges with the Yoshida trail near the top. Famous for its sandy "sunabashiri" descent.
• Gotemba — The longest and hardest. Starts lowest (1,440 m) with the fewest huts. For experienced hikers only.

💡 Local tip: If it's your first time and you're coming from Tokyo, take Yoshida, stay in a hut, and climb for sunrise. It's the path the whole system is built around.

Mountain Huts — Booking, Cost & Why They Sell Out

A hut stay turns a brutal one-day slog into a manageable two-day climb — and it's essentially required if you want the sunrise.

• Expect roughly ¥14,000–¥18,000 per person with dinner (often curry) and a simple breakfast; less without meals.
• Each hut books independently (its own website or phone), separate from your trail reservation.
• The popular 7th- and 8th-station Yoshida huts fill months ahead. Book the moment you lock your dates.

A hut booking also lets you pass the gate after 2 PM — handy for an afternoon start before a pre-dawn summit push.

(Hut rates are recent figures and vary by hut — treat them as a guide and confirm with the hut when you book.)

Sunrise (Goraiko) — How to See It

Watching the sun break over the clouds from the summit — goraiko — is the whole point for many climbers, and it has real cultural weight in Japan.

Goraiko — the sunrise that makes the cold, dark final push worth it.

The play is simple: climb to your hut in the afternoon, sleep a few hours, then head up in the dark to reach the top before dawn (sunrise is roughly 4:30–5:00 AM in midsummer). Without an overnight hut, catching the sunrise safely just isn't realistic anymore.

Getting There From Tokyo

The Yoshida 5th Station is the usual starting point, at 2,305 m.

• Direct highway bus from Shinjuku takes about 2 hours in season.
• Or take a train to Kawaguchiko Station (~50 min by bus to the 5th Station) or Fujisan Station (~1 hr).
• Private cars are banned on the Fuji Subaru Line during the climbing season — park at the base lot and take the shuttle.

(Exact bus fares and timetables shift each season — check the current schedule before you go.)

How Hard Is It? Difficulty, Timing & Altitude

Don't let the gentle photos fool you — Fuji is a real mountain.

• Reaching the summit takes roughly 5–7 hours up and 3–5 hours down, usually split over two days.
• Altitude sickness affects around 30% of climbers to some degree — headache, nausea, dizziness from about 2,500 m up.
• Even in August, the summit sits around 5°C by day and below freezing at night, with strong wind chill.

To cut your odds of altitude sickness: rest at the 5th Station for 45–60 minutes before starting, climb at a slow, steady pace, and keep drinking water.

What to Pack

Rain gear, warm layers, and proper shoes are checked at the gate — no entry without them. Bring:

• Hiking boots (high-cut, broken in)
• Waterproof jacket and pants (not a poncho)
• Warm layers — thermal base, fleece, hat, gloves
• Headlamp (essential for the pre-dawn summit push)
• Cash in coins — ¥100 coins for pay toilets, water, and oxygen cans
• Water, high-calorie snacks, sunscreen, and a bag for your trash

FAQ

Do I need a reservation to climb Mt. Fuji in 2026? Yes. All four trails require an advance online reservation and the ¥4,000 fee.

How much does it cost to climb Mt. Fuji? The trail fee is ¥4,000 per person. Add a mountain hut (~¥14,000–18,000) and bus fare if you're doing an overnight sunrise climb.

When is the Mt. Fuji climbing season in 2026? Yoshida and Subashiri are open July 1 – September 10; Fujinomiya and Gotemba open July 10 – September 10.

Can you still climb Mt. Fuji in one day? You can do a daytime climb if you finish before 2 PM, but climbing through the night without a hut ("bullet climbing") is now blocked by the 2 PM–3 AM gate closure — and it's genuinely dangerous.

Which Mt. Fuji trail is easiest for beginners? The Yoshida Trail — easiest grade, the most huts, and the best access from Tokyo.

Do I need to book a mountain hut to see the sunrise? Effectively yes. You need an overnight stay to be positioned for a safe pre-dawn summit.

Plan the Rest of Your Trip

Climbing Fuji as part of a bigger trip? See our guide to the best time to visit Japan, check what to pack for Japan so you clear the gate gear check, and browse more day trips from Tokyo for the rest of your days.