Saturday morning started 3am, for Mt Fuji's summit. We collected Saito and Shiroki san en route to tick off this challenge with friends ✔️ And that we did!
The journey to Shizuoka took 4 hours, and we set off from the car park to the 5th station starting point, by bus which is a further 30mins.
The starting point is at 2400m, and to adjust to the altitude we spent two hours at the station before starting our ascent. The weather changed dramatically within those two hours alone, and was a good idea of what was ahead of us! We started in the rain. The path well worn, and wide enough at most for two way traffic...however many points higher up only allow single file. In one half day we experienced rain, sun, gale force winds, thunder and lightening, snow fall. Temperatures changed from 18C @2400m, to -4C at top!
Our ascent took everything we had to reach summit, tenth station! We arrived at 6pm. Lights turn off at 7pm so we needed to quickly sort our dinner and get into our floor space. Interesting set up. We all slept next to one another, not even a passage to walk to the bathroom. No space for bags. Many snorers and heavy breathers meant we were not the first asleep and hence found sleeping quite a challenge al be it rather tired ourselves!
We had all eventually been able to doze off. Lights came on at 4am, and people started moving & talking which was our alarm bell too!

We found the best position at 4:55am to view the sunrise from the top. The skies were partly cloudy, yet we managed to get a great sighting and just in time as it very soon clouded over completely.

I feared the descent once seeing the ascent, but it didn't turn out nearly as bad as I had imagined. A couple slips landing onto rocks, and one full tumble taken - but Tam rolled well and came off with no broken or twisted ankles. It was inevitable with such loose gravel and steepness! I was amazed on the downhill that we had made this in the other direction! Wonderful experience.