Hiking Mt. Fuji on Hard Mode ll Subashiri Trail

I hiked the second most difficult trail on Mt. Fuji, the Subashiri trail and it was…. an adventure.
Subashiri Trail Info
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[@emenemes5678]

The reason people wake up early for summit attack is because the sky is clearer. when the sun is out and it gets hotter, it will get cloudy.

[@ghostbird3651]

The fog is my biggest fear on long hikes where you can’t really predict how the weather will turn haha. Beautiful views!

[@adorrf0953]

Beautiful

[@NeelsonX1]

Thank you! Very informative and entertaining :>

[@ChefinJapan]

Thanks so much for watching ☺️

[@steffleeLOVE]

Thanks so much for making this video. It’s very helpful for me! Just a question - can you share how long did it take you to get down back to the subashiri trail head and what time did you get there? Trying to see if we can make it out for a connection to Osaka right after the hike

[@ChefinJapan]

Oh good question! It took us about 4 hours to climb down, and we took lots of breaks! Best of luck on your hike! ^^

[@user-gf2xg3pt3m]

Thanks for posting, very informative. I am heading to Japan in July and would like to hike to the summit. Are the weather reports helpful in terms of planning a couple days out or is just luck? What would be your estimate for someone planning not to stay in one of the overnight huts but hike straight through taking pit stops at the various stations? Everything have read state you don't get any sleep as it is too loud and tightly packed sleeping accommodations. Also, was your return via the Subashiri Trail or Gotemba which references the sand trails.

[@ChefinJapan]

Oh so awesome! As for weather, yeah the reports are super useful/reliable. You can find one with a quick google search. As for doing the hike in 1 day without the hut, it can be “almost” free if you bring your own food. However toilets cost 200 yen per use so that would really be the only expense. They ask for a donation to enter the mountain, but it’s not mandatory. If you decide to eat food at the stations rather than bring food you’ll need a little more money. It’s always good to have some for extra water too. The higher you climb the more expense things get, I don’t remember the exact pricing though. Anyway, best of luck on your hike!

[@fpsrussia3]

I’ll be hiking the subashiri trail in September! I couldn’t get a reservation at a higher station so I’ll be staying at Taiyo-kan (7th station). Gotta long trek in the early hours to the summit but it will be worth it! (Hopefully haha)

[@ChefinJapan]

Amazing!! Have the best time! ^^

[@garveytony]

We’re gonna be doing this tomorrow. Same route! Let us know any tips we need to be aware of - because of the recent rain! Thanks!!!

[@bpospanov]

thanks!

[@johnh2382]

Just do it while you can. I did it overnight for Hatsumode but will likely never be able to do so again after injuries to both left and right meniscus. Nowadays, I do hiking in Izu but suffer when I do long hilly hikes. I used to do Mt. Jimba traverse across to Mt. Takao in winter after a snowfall but suffer on the second leg when my knees start hurting badly. Do it!!

[@ChefinJapan]

I’m sorry to hear about your knees, sounds like you got a lot of good adventuring in before that though! Takao in winter sounds so nice! ^^

[@johnh.6839]

@@ChefinJapanThanks. Yes, winter hikes were the best. Nothing beats an early morning hike when the trails are not crowded and snow untouched.

[@danielbunchaft2774]

Amazing video! Thank you so much! I'm going to Japan on august, and plan to Hike Mr. Fuji, however, i just found room in the Setokan Hut (Subashiri Trail - 2700m) Do you think it's safe to rest there, and then go to the summit, in a 2-day trip? I heard that from Setokan Hut take more 5.5h to the summit. We're a group of 4, everyone in great physical conditions, however, i wonder if it's safe to climb so long at night. Would it be risky to get lost, or something else?

[@ChefinJapan]

Great question! Actually a lot of people hike Fuji in the dark to make it to the top for sunrise. The path is very well taken care of, so in general it’s safe. Just be sure to bring a headlamp ^^ Have a great trip!!

[@danielbunchaft2774]

​@@ChefinJapanThank you so much! Our booking was confirmed today, we're excited to the climb!

[@ChefinJapan]

@@danielbunchaft2774 Amazing!! Have the best time!~ ^^

[@AndrewCrusoe]

Did you stay in Fujiyoshida or Gotemba? I’ll be in Tokyo the preceding days before and I’m exploring the most cost-effective way to do this. Although I guess I could just take the train from Tokyo and then stay the night on the mountain? Either way, looks like I’ll be going thru Fujiyoshida. Just debating if I wanna split everything up since it’s about three hours train ride from Tokyo and do the hike the next day. Thanks :)

[@ChefinJapan]

I stayed in Gotemba! You can def take the train straight from Tokyo to the mountain, it might be the best option for luggage purposes.

[@woahslowdowntherepal1115]

Hi!! I was just wondering do you have any idea if they limit the number of people on this trail like how theyre doing for the yoshida one :D?

[@ChefinJapan]

They are starting to limit access on the Yoshida trail starting this year, as for the Subashiri trail there are not limits as of now~ ^^

[@jwinter7480]

This is a great video- I was wondering, how did you go about making a reservation for the hut you stayed in? Is there a particular website you can go to or is it best to call and make a booking? Thanks!

[@ChefinJapan]

Hello! For this one it was required to call to make a reservation. I think there may be other huts that can be reserved online, I’m not 100% sure though.

[@user-mo5tf6oi6d]

Hi I have a question... When booking your transport via bus from Tokyo to Gotemba, then the mountain bus from Gotemba to the 5th station, do you have to put in an exact return time? Or is it an open return? Also, do you think it's possible enough to do this hike in one day? I do a lot of hiking already but want to be certain as I may be going alone. Thanks :)

[@ChefinJapan]

It’s not recommended to do the hike in 1 day bc of altitude sickness, but some people do it. If you’re an advanced hiker maybe you can, just make sure to listen to your body and take it slow/stop if you start feeling symptoms. As for the bus, there’s no set time to return. Just make sure not to miss the last bus! 😆

[@snowpower8331]

20/07/2023: Leaving at 05.00 from Tokyo, we reached by car Gotemba after two hours and continued to the 5th station by bus. The path for the first hour is in the forest, then continues along lava debris to arrive in stages at the various stations, which are small huts let's say almost bivouacs without water. Our hut at the 7th station had 60 beds without water, which you could buy in plastic bottles. After two and a half hours we were at our hut at 3,100 m (1,100 am) and at this point we continued on to the crater in another two hours (a total of 1,840 am). We followed the crater path up and down and quickly descended to our hut for dinner. We could also have gone down to Gotemba, but we had already booked and paid for half board at the hut. However, there was little time for the descent, the last bus would have left at 7.45pm. We, living in the Alps, did not suffer from the fatigue of the altitude, however for those who are not trained it is better to plan the ascent and descent in two days.

[@cyliasad]

Hii ! Where did you stay the day before climbing fujisan ? I'm looking for a good place to acclimate but also that leads to the 5 station of the subashiri trail

[@ChefinJapan]

Hello! I stayed in a town called Gotemba. From there we were able to catch a bus to Fuji ^^

[@katelyngilkey3623]

What time of year did you do this hike? And do you know the name of the hut you stayed at? My friends and I are currently planning our visit for July. Thanks!

[@Tydrix]

Fuji summit is only available in the months of July, August and maybe first week of September. Technically you can still hike out of season but is strongly advise against it cause the risk of death is high.

[@ChefinJapan]

I’m sorry I don’t remember the name of the hut, but I hiked it the first week of August! Hope you have a great trip!!^^

[@dearminghui]

Nice video 👍 can you share with me what is your hiking boots? Or do you have recommendations?

[@ChefinJapan]

Yess, my hiking boots are great! Still using them and loving them after 3 years and they were pretty affordable. The brand is called “Merrell.” I got these ones on sale at an outdoor store here in Japan, but I’m sure you can find similar ones online!

[@dearminghui]

​@@ChefinJapan Thank you! I am excited to hike the Subashri trail next month.

[@ChefinJapan]

@@dearminghui yay best of luck!!

[@diyanaothman8241]

Hi Thanks for sharing the video. Very helpful. I just need to know How to booked the bus and the hut at the 8.5 Station . Thanks

[@ChefinJapan]

The bus you can book at the station. I called the hut to make the reservation. I’m not sure how to do it from overseas though 😅

[@allenkmp]

What camera did you use while hiking?

[@ukaszbirycki9779]

Hi! What equipment can we rent on the 5th station? Do they have jackets and headlamps? Thanks?

[@ChefinJapan]

Hello! I don’t remember seeing any rental equipment but there were things you could buy like gloves, hats, long socks, flashlights, etc. It’s best to bring your own stuff though and just buy anything you forget!

[@joannw9095]

What is the name of the hut you stayed at?

[@ursalapanja4342]

Hi! I'm a student and just planning a solo trip to Tokyo and during one of the days I really have a big wish to visit mount Fuji. But as a student from a small county I have to plan my trip in advance and make it budget driendly. Is it possible to come from Tokyo to 5th station, climb the mountain and return back to Tokyo in one day? It's really hard to find the answer on the internet so I hope you'll be able to answer :)

[@ChefinJapan]

It isn’t impossible, but it’s also not recommended. Are you an experienced hiker? I think it’s okay to try it if you are experienced, but make sure to listen to your body and if you start feeling bad from altitude sickness, either slow down or head back. Altitude sickness can be dangerous for some people so it should be seriously considered! That being said there are definitely experienced hiker people who climb up and down Fuji in a single day. Best of luck!

[@ursalapanja4342]

@@ChefinJapan Thank you for your answer. Yes I actually live on a quite high altitude and close to the mountains so I hike a lot, but ofcourse not as high as mount Fuji, so your concerns make a very good point. I will keep this in mind when planing my trip. Thank you! :)

[@Tydrix]

@@ursalapanja4342 It's very possible. Good amount of people have done this, but like the creator of this channel said, you should be a good shape and experienced hiker to do this. In fact, I'm doing it in a day hike this summer and returning to Yokohama to spend the night. Make sure to start early. I'm starting before the first bus at 7:35am

[@niklasalasuutari8153]

Possible. I did it 2 weeks ago; we started at 9pm and returned 13 hours later. You can do it quicker but we spent time on top (walking around crater etc.) Also, we had to wait two hours on top for the sunrise because our pace was a bit too fast what we originally planned. Hope this helps ✌

[@Tydrix]

@@niklasalasuutari8153 Hi, is the road to Subashiri-guchi 5th station open? I just checked on google maps and there was a review from 9 months ago saying the road was closed due to typhoon. That was 9 months ago so things could be perfectly fine now. My climb is in two weeks.

[@daniellemeester5501]

What station did you start at? We are doing this trail in about 3 weeks, starting from 5th Station.

[@ChefinJapan]

I started from the 5th station as well ^^

[@daniellemeester5501]

@@ChefinJapan 👏🏼👏🏼

[@mmaya01]

Hi! I know it has been a year but wanted to know if you can tell me where you stayed the night before and the night after in Gotemba? Also what did you do with your luggage? Thank you!

[@ChefinJapan]

Hi! Sorry I don’t remember the name of the hotel, but I stayed near Gotemba station. They’re used to fuji hikers so they’ll keep your luggage for you!

[@eisenklad]

if your luggage isnt oversized, you can leave it in train lockers if you are coming back to the train station. in 2019, i left my 20" luggage at yoshida 5th station carpark with my trainers/casual walking shoes. it rained the whole night and i did a bullet climb but the summit was closed after 8.5th sation. i'm going back to fuji this year(2024). due to restriction of 4000 people per day on yoshida(might affect Subashiri trail since they share same trail after the 8th station) , i will be starting at Gotemba 5th, do a loop at Mt Hoei peak from the 6th station, continue up gotemba trail to Mt Fuji peak, then go down subashiri trail. this time my luggage is bigger. if there's no suitable locker at gotemba station, i will either chose to ask the inn to hold on to my luggage or get it forwarded. but it would be nice to change out of hiking shoes instead of riding the train from Gotemba to Shinagawa. previously, i changed at yoshida 5th station before taking the bus back to kawaguchiko station.

[@mmaya01]

@@eisenklad that's awesome! Thanks for the information... I had the same though about Subashiri trail with the new fee! Hopefully is not that bad. Good luck on your next hike. Can't wait for the video!

[@kakanirohan7864]

Did you stay in the Taiyokan hut? Also the trek seemed pretty lonely, I will be trekking alone but would prefer seeing other people trek too. TIA.

[@ChefinJapan]

Actually there were still a good amount of people on the trail! The hut we stayed in on Subashiri (sorry I don’t remember the name of it) was full. The trail just wasn’t congested with traffic hold ups with tour groups in areas like the main one usually is, so I personally found that really nice~

[@kakanirohan7864]

@@ChefinJapan thanks a lot for your response, did you also descend via the Subashiri trail or the gotemba trail?

[@evgenylukiyanov]

niceee what time of year was that?

[@ChefinJapan]

It was last summer 2022!

[@biancaopala99]

Hey thanks for the video! I currently have two reservations...one in the subashiri trail on the 7th station and one on the 6th station on the yoshido traill...im not aure which one to do....the subashiri trail seems more challenging but our yoshida hut is not far from the summit so we would have a long way to. Is it possible to walk from the 6th station to the top in one go with mamy breaks?😊

[@ChefinJapan]

It’s totally possible to walk from the 6th station to the top! Just be sure to take it slow and listen to your body as to avoid the altitude sickness thing. Have a great climb!^^

[@andrewbramlett222]

Can you tell me how you found your hut. I know you called but how did your find your hut so you can call them?

[@ChefinJapan]

Hello! I don't remember exactly but I think I just googled "mt. fuji hut subashiri trail" or something along those lines ^^

[@MC-bv7ni]

Can we go to the top of the mountain without paying or is there a fee?

[@ChefinJapan]

You don’t have to pay, but you’ll be asked to donate at the entrance ^^

[@THUGNIFICENT4g]

where do you even pay for the ticket for the bus and My fuji to climb it?

[@ChefinJapan]

You buy the bus ticket at the station the bus leaves from! You can get it from a ticket machine (which has English) or from a ticket booth with a real person. For the mountain, you don’t need a ticket but if you want to make a donation you can! There are people at the entrance of the mountain accepting donations ^^

[@THUGNIFICENT4g]

@@ChefinJapan THANK YOU KINDLY!

[@kengyanglim9184]

The hut male and female is separate?

[@ChefinJapan]

The one I stayed at was mixed, I think they’re all mixed due to limited space.

[@88Cougars2015]

use your outside voice

[@AL-tj7ye]

Which month did you hike?

[@ChefinJapan]

It was the beginning of August!^^

[@ragged73]

Appears you went on your own and not with an organized group. Would prefer not but the reservations are the biggie for me with the group. Just prefer not hiking with a bunch of others.

[@Tydrix]

Plenty of people hike this on their own.

[@simunator]

solo for me. there isnt much to see on fuji, it's honestly just sheer gut check up and down