Climbing Mount Fuji 2026: Season, Fees & Reservations
Climbing Mt. Fuji is a different trip entirely from the day-trip viewing tours most visitors book, this is the actual overnight summit hike, with a new mandatory fee and reservation system as of this season.
Verified: July 3, 2026.
The 2026 season, exactly
| Trail | Opens | Closes |
|---|---|---|
| Yoshida | July 1 | September 10 |
| Subashiri | July 1 | September 10 |
| Fujinomiya | July 10 | September 10 |
| Gotemba | July 10 | September 10 |
| Summit crater rim walk | July 10 | September 10 |
Climbing outside this window is unofficial: huts close, patrols stop, and the risk profile changes significantly. This isn’t a technicality, it’s the difference between organized infrastructure and none.
What changed: the ¥4,000 mandatory fee
The old system had a voluntary “conservation cooperation fee,” pay what you wanted, or nothing. That’s gone. Every climber on any of the four trails now pays a mandatory ¥4,000 entry fee, funding trail maintenance, safety patrols, and the gate systems that enforce it.
The reservation requirement
All four trails require online pre-registration and fee payment through the official Mt. Fuji Climbing website before you arrive, walk-up climbing is no longer permitted during peak periods. The Yoshida Trail specifically caps at 4,000 climbers per day, once that number hits, the gate closes for the day. Entry between 2 PM and 3 AM is restricted unless you already have a mountain-hut booking, this rule targets “bullet climbing” (summiting overnight without rest) which the government is actively discouraging.
Full cost breakdown
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Mandatory entry fee | ¥4,000 |
| Transport to 5th Station | ¥1,300–4,800 (route-dependent) |
| Mountain hut, overnight, 2 meals | ¥13,000–15,000 |
| Total, overnight climb | ~¥18,000–24,000 ($120–160) |
A day-only summit attempt (no hut) skips the lodging cost but means climbing through the night to catch sunrise, the exhausting version most first-timers regret choosing.
Which trail to pick
Yoshida Trail is the most popular, most-served by buses from Tokyo, and now capped at 4,000 climbers/day, book early if this is your pick.
Subashiri Trail opens the same date as Yoshida, generally less crowded, a good alternative if Yoshida’s daily cap fills.
Fujinomiya Trail is the shortest route to the summit, opens 9 days later than Yoshida/Subashiri, accessed from the Shizuoka side.
Gotemba Trail is the longest and least crowded, for climbers who want solitude over convenience.
Beginner reality check
Not technical (no ropes, no climbing gear), but physically demanding: loose volcanic gravel, steep grade, and altitude fatigue most first-timers underestimate more than the raw distance. The summit is genuinely cold even in August, pack layers regardless of how warm the 5th Station feels.
Final thoughts
This is a different trip from the day-trip Fuji viewing tours most visitors book, book your trail reservation and hut early (peak weekends fill fast), budget ¥18,000-24,000 for an overnight climb, and respect the July 1 to September 10 window, it exists for real safety reasons. If viewing Fuji from below is more your speed than climbing it, our day-trip guide and tour comparison cover that instead.
Verified as of July 3, 2026. Reservation rules and daily caps are actively enforced this season, confirm current status on the official site before booking transport or huts.
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Frequently Asked Questions
When can you climb Mount Fuji in 2026?
The Yoshida and Subashiri trails open July 1; the Fujinomiya, Gotemba, and summit crater rim walk open July 10. All trails close September 10. Climbing outside this window is unofficial, unpatrolled, and significantly riskier, most operators and huts are closed.
Do you need a reservation to climb Mount Fuji now?
Yes, all four trails require online pre-registration and fee payment through the official Mt. Fuji Climbing website before you go, walk-up climbing is no longer permitted during peak periods.
How much does it cost to climb Mount Fuji?
¥4,000 mandatory entry fee (replacing the old voluntary conservation fee), plus transport to the 5th Station (¥1,300 to ¥4,800 depending on route), plus roughly ¥13,000 to ¥15,000 for a mountain hut stay with two meals if climbing overnight.
Is Mount Fuji hard to climb for a beginner?
Physically demanding but not technical, no ropes or climbing gear needed. It's a long, steep slog on loose volcanic gravel, most first-timers underestimate the altitude fatigue and cold at the summit more than the distance itself.