Why a Mini-Road Trip around Mt. Fuji is Amazing
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Mt. Fuji is the PRIDE of Japan. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage site that has inspired artists and poets, and is one of Japan’s “Three Holy Mountains”. It’s distinctive symmetrical cone makes it unlike any other mountain on earth. On a clear day, you can see it from Tokyo (from some observation decks like the Fuji TV Building Observation Deck.
As far as climbing the mountain, the official climbing season goes from early July to mid-September as this is the time when facilities are open to assist climbers. This timeframe is ideal considering that there is minimal snow on the mountain and the weather is favorable. It is strongly recommended to climb during the climbing season; with a sizable snowfall on the mountain, mountaineering equipment is required and the climb is considerably more challenging. One thing is for certain, if you intend on climbing Mt. Fuji, future planning is required. You can find a Google map of the places I will discuss at the end of this post.
Luckily, you can still enjoy awe-inspiring views of Mt. Fuji by renting a car from nearby Hakone and driving around the base of the mountain in one direction. Renting a car is incredibly easy in Japan, but be sure that you have an International Driver's Permit. Check out this useful guide on what an international driver's permit is and how to get one. Most, if not all, places require this document to drive with a foreign license. If you’re not used to driving on the left side of the road, this is a fantastic experience/skill to acquire as Hakone and the area around Fuji is much less populated than Tokyo. Couple this with how friendly and patient Japanese are, it makes the mini road-trip a much better experience. Plan for about 2 days to see most of the sights around Mt. Fuji.
If you want some tips of what to see to do in other Japanese cities like Tokyo and Kyoto, check out my blog posts below:
Tokyo (Blog Post: A Guide to Exploring Tokyo)
Kyoto (Blog Post: Why Kyoto is one of the best places to visit in Japan)
Hiroshima (Blog Post: Why you should see Hiroshima on your visit to Japan)