It’s a good rule of thumb: if you get stuck on a mountain to the point you need a rescue team to extract you, you probably shouldn’t go back. One Mt. Fuji hiker, however, failed to heed this commonsense advice.
Rescues were four days apart
Local media in Shizuoka Prefecture report that someone contacted the 110 emergency line on April 26th after seeing a man collapse. Rescuers arrived near the 8th Station to find a 27-year-old university student of Chinese nationality.
The man, who resides in Tokyo, was climbing alone and apparently suffering from altitude sickness on his attempted descent. He was conscious, however, and able to talk to rescuers in Japanese.
This wasn’t the man’s first climb up the mountain. Reports say he had to be rescued just four days earlier, on April 22nd, by helicopter. At that time, the man reported he had lost the crampons, traction devices attached to his climbing boots, and was unable to climb down in the snow.
The student had reportedly returned to Fuji to retrieve his smartphone, which he had lost during his first unfortunate ascent. It is unclear whether he found it.
What makes this worse is that the Mt. Fuji climbing season has not even officially started. Climbing season typically runs from early July to early September.
Tourists in trouble
Fortunately, rescues from Mt. Fuji haven’t set new records despite an increase in tourism. In 2024, Shizuoka authorities reported that they had to assist 46 people who were stuck on the mountain. That’s close to but still short of the 51 rescues performed in 2018 before the COVID-19 crisis.
Four people also died climbing Mt. Fuji last year on the Yamanashi Prefecture side. A Japanese man in his 60s died near the 8th Station on July 14th, 2024. Three other victims died around the same time.
Officials in both Shizokua and Yamanashi, which host hiking entrances to the mountain, routinely warn visitors about the dangers associated with inadequate preparation. Local media is often filled with reports of visitors attempting the climb in nothing but day clothes. In particular, authorities warn against “bullet climbing,” the practice of attempting to ascend to the summit in a single night without resting in a rental hut.
There have been other reports in local media recently of tourists harming themselves while engaged in dangerous behavior in Japan. Earlier this year, a female tourist died in Otaru, Hokkaido, after trespassing onto train tracks and being struck by a train.
Bottom line: If you’re planning to hike Mt. Fuji, make sure you have the right equipment, adequate rest, and are in appropriate physical condition. (And, uh, stick to climbing during climbing season, please.)
If you can’t fulfill these criteria, maybe consider gazing at the pretty mountain from afar instead.
Discuss this article with other UJ fans on our Bluesky account or Discord server!
Help keep us going
We’re an independent site that keeps our content free of intrusive ads. If you love what we do, help us do more with a donation to the Unseen Japan Journalism Fund in any amount.
What to read next
Japan’s Musical Roads Give Tourists a Lyrical Treat
How musical roads in Japan came about – and where to find the most scenic ones with a Japanese pop culture connection.
Likely Unauthorized Drone Flight at Skytree Causes Uproar in Japan
Some are calling for a more rigorous crackdown on tourists who disregard Japanese laws after the footage came to light.
Yamanashi, Shizuoka May Charge Stranded Mt. Fuji Hikers for Helicopter Costs
As more people require rescue from the mountain during the off-season, both prefectures contemplate responding to public outcry.
Sources
４日前にも救助の男性、再び富士山から「下山できない」 置き去りの携帯電話回収を試みたか. Shizuoka Shimbun
“置き忘れた携帯電話を回収に”再び富士山へ…山岳遭難の中国籍男子大学生 4日前にも山頂で「アイゼン紛失」し防災ヘリで救助されていた=静岡県警【続報】. SBS
7・8月に山岳遭難62件 富士山では開山日に死者 静岡県警まとめ. Asahi Shimbun
