Joan Sather Real Estate

Mt. Fuji, Japan, August 25, 2009, 5AM
Station #10, the summit, 12,388 feet

Scrambling up the last part of the steep, rocky trail, we sighed in relief as we passed through the last Torii gate, into Station #10. We had made it to the summit of the crater of Mt. Fuji just before sunrise !

The vast sky was already showing a sliver of red just above the blanket of fluffy clouds. We headed for the highest spot on the summit ridge of the crater to watch the fiery ball of the sun rising out of those clouds. It was a spectacular sunrise and we felt like we were seeing it from the top of the world. We cheered. We “got it”. Why this mountain, respectfully known as Fuji-san, has been regarded as a sacred mountain for as long as humans have lived nearby. Why there are Buddhist as well as Shinto shrines dotted throughout the 10 stations of the trek. Why, in July and August, there are 3,000-10,000 people on the mountain every day.

They come from all parts of Japan to experience this trek. Many of those we met in Tokyo had done it, some more than once. They traveled alone, in groups, with their families, with their friends. Though these crowds freaked us out a bit (yes, we guessed we were with approximately 3000 others at the summit!), they treated each other, and us, very politely. Even near the top, when the route became narrow and congested, the only ones pushing were a couple of tourists. As we hiked 5 hours in the dark, most of us wearing headlamps to see, there was a certain camaraderie in encountering the same people over and over.

We recognized each other, even in the dark and even though the day before we were all wearing ponchos in pouring rain. In fact, the group we saw the most were 3 adorable university students we shared a lunch table with starting out the first day at Station #5.
When we introduced them to our guide, Shoji, he was able to pick a couple of our rest stops strategically to talk to them a bit more. Go Shoji !

It took us 8 hours to get down that mountain. Shoji picked the route with more switchbacks so we would not have to climb down the steep rocky paths. This plus the 10 hours it took to ascend made us very tired people with wobbly knees at the end of day 2. But the challenge made every ache worth it. And the memories !

The memories began with the energy of anticipation at Station#5. Most trekkers begin here, at around 7500 feet. It feels like a Japanese version of Mammoth, with hikers milling around forming their groups, meeting their guides, and purchasing the long wooden sticks which have probably been sold here for the past 50 years. At each station of the ascent, you can pay to have a wonderful brand burned into your stick. This is done with the same Japanese flourish used by sushi chefs all over the world. At the summit, you can have 2 brands: one for the summit and one signifying that your successful climb has increased your sixth sense.
After hiking and sweating for a number of hours, with our backpacks full of the gear we would need, it was a little disconcerting to stop to let a tractor pass loaded with souvenirs and packaged food to supply the stations all the way to the summit ! Oh, well. At least there is no danger from an eruption of this volcano. Though it is still classified as active by some, the last eruption was in February of 1707.

And this year, no need to make the frustrating decision of what to get my husband, Kent, for his birthday. He chose to climb Mt. Fuji. So we summited on his day and the sacred sunrise was his present. As has been said before, “a true gateway to another world”.