Kon’nichiwa!
Climbing Mount Fuji has a reputation for being crowded.
But I’ve climbed Mount Fuji to the summit via the most popular Yoshida Trail, and when I went, I didn’t encounter crowds at the top.
This is likely because I wasn’t aiming to be there at sunrise, so I started hiking to the summit later than most people. I actually preferred to be there during the day so I could take in the views in full daylight. (That, and I just don’t like waking up so early. 🤪) After staying overnight in a 7th station Mount Fuji mountain hut, I left there after sunrise which helped to avoid the summit’s busiest time.
The easiest way to avoid the crowds is to skip the sunrise at the summit.
But I get it! The Mount Fuji sunrise is the ultimate epic Mount Fuji experience.
So if you aren’t willing to compromise on that, then the next best thing to do is to choose the least crowded days to climb. But even then, expect some crowds! Manage your expectations (expect a traffic jam!) and the amount of people won’t lessen your experience!
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The Mount Fuji climbing season is from early July to early-to-mid September. In 2025, it was from July 1 to September 10.
In general, the weekends, holidays, and mid-August are considered the worst time to climb Mount Fuji if you are looking for the least crowded day to go.
Saturday is the most crowded day of the week.
The trails going up get more crowded as you get closer to the summit, from 8th station onwards, and the most crowded time near the summit is from 3am to around sunrise.
Here are the Mount Fuji trails ranked from most crowded to least crowded, per the official website for Mt Fuji climbing:
- The Yoshida Trail is intermittently crowded from around 3am from above the 8th station. It’s most crowded just below the summit around sunrise.
- The Fujinomiya Trail is crowded from around 3am from above the 9th station. It’s most crowded just below the summit around sunrise.
- The Subashiri Trail merges with the Yoshida Trail at original 8th Station, but it’s not crowded until that point.
- The Gotemba Trail is usually not crowded at any time.
Here is the Mount Fuji crowd calendar for 2025, as put out by the official website for Mt Fuji climbing.
More to know when planning your Mount Fuji climb
- How to get to Mount Fuji 5th Station (the start of your climb)
- Where to stay before climbing Mount Fuji
Yoshida Trail (most crowded)
Where to start hiking: Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station
How to get there: Kawaguchiko Station to Fuji Subaru Line 5th station bus
Where to stay the night before: Wafu Guesthouse Kashiwaya (5 minutes walking from Kawaguchiko Station)
Fujinomiya Trail (second most crowded)
Where to start hiking: Fujinomiya 5th Station
How to get there: Mishima Station to Fujinomiya 5th Station bus
Where to stay the night before: Hotel Gee Haive (7 minutes walking from Mishima Station)
Subashiri Trail (crowded approaching summit from 8th station)
Where to start hiking: Subashiri 5th Station (Subashiriguchi 5th Station)
How to get there: Gotemba Station to Subashiri 5th Station bus
After translating the page, look under: “climbing bus (seasonal service)” > Subashiriguchi 5th Station Mountaineering Bus: Gotemba Station – Subashiri Sengen Shrine – Subashiriguchi 5th Station (pdf)
Where to stay the night before: Hotel Route-Inn Gotenba Eki-Minami (a few minutes walking from Gotemba Station)
Gotemba Trail (usually not crowded)
Where to start hiking: Gotemba New 5th Station (Gotemba Shin 5th Station)
How to get there: Gotemba Station to Gotemba 5th Station bus
After translating the page, look under: “climbing bus (seasonal service)” > Gotembaguchi New 5th Station Mountain Climbing Bus: Gotemba Station – Gotembaguchi New 5th Station (pdf)
Where to stay the night before: Hotel Route-Inn Gotenba Eki-Minami (a few minutes walking from Gotemba Station)