Guide · On the mountain

Mount Fuji 5th Station: the four stations and the tours

Halfway up the volcano, where the road ends and the trails begin. Here is which station is which, what you find up there, and which day tours actually go.

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Editorial team, mount-fuji-tour.comUpdated October 22, 20266 minutes to read42 sources

On this topic: the tour From Tokyo: Mount Fuji Full-Day Highlights Sightseeing Trip 4.5 (5,247 reviews) 10 hours from$64per person Check availabilityCancellation free up to 24 hrs in advance

Quick answer

01What it is: The road-end trailheads; all four climbing trails start at a 5th station.¹
02The usual one: The Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station, at about 2,300 m.²
03The highest: The trailhead on the Fujinomiya side, at 2,400 m.³
04Summer rule: In 2026 private cars were barred from the Subaru Line in high summer.⁴
05On a tour: One highlights day stops 40 minutes there, except in winter.

Where the road ends and the climb begins

The Mount Fuji 5th Station is not one place but four. The mountain has four climbing trails, Fujinomiya, Gotemba, Subashiri and Yoshida, and the official climbing site states that every trailhead starts from a 5th station, each reached by its own road.⁵ ¹ Above them, in summer, only the trails continue.

For a day visitor the stations are the highest point you can reach without hiking. You leave the lakes and forests behind, drive up through the tree line and step out into thin, cooler air with the summit cone rising above you and the plain spread out below. It is the closest a sightseeing day gets to the volcano itself, and the change from the green lakes to bare red and black rock is striking even when the summit is hidden.

The area above the 5th station is a National Park Special Protection Area, with strict rules to protect nature.⁶ That is why the stations look like what they are: a car park, a shrine, some shops and a trailhead, with the wild mountain starting a few steps away.

This page's tour

A highlights day that ends up high

Morning

Coach from Tokyo

2 hours on the coach to the first stop.
First stop

Oishi Park

30 minutes on the shore of Lake Kawaguchi.
Late morning

Arakurayama Sengen Park

75 minutes, with the pagoda optional.
Midday

Oshino Hakkai

80 minutes, with time for lunch.
Afternoon

Mount Fuji 5th Station

40 minutes up high, except in winter.
Evening

Back to Tokyo

2 hours on the coach to the drop-off.

The four stations compared

The station most visitors mean is the Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station on the Yamanashi side, the start of the Yoshida Trail at 2,305 m.⁷ The official climbing site calls the Yoshida Trail the most popular route.⁸ Fujiyoshida's tourist guide gives the station's altitude as about 2,300 m, with views of the lakes below and sometimes a sea of clouds.²

On the Shizuoka side, the Fujinomiya 5th Station is the highest trailhead, at 2,400 m, and the start of the shortest route to the summit.³ ⁹ The Subashiri trailhead lies at 2,000 m in the forest zone, and the Gotemba New 5th Station sits far lower, at 1,440 m, with the longest walk up.¹⁰ ¹¹

For sightseeing, the difference is access. The Subaru Line climbs from the Kawaguchiko side, the same area the lake tours visit, and its station is built for visitors, with shops, food and a shrine.² ¹² The other three stations matter mainly to climbers who choose their trail first and their trailhead second.

How high

Altitude of the trailheads and the summit

Trailhead altitudes from the official climbing site; summit height from the Japan Meteorological Agency.¹¹ ¹⁰ ⁷ ³ ¹³

The four trailheads

Altitude, trail and access

Station	Altitude	Trail	Up to summit
Fuji Subaru Line	2,305 m	Yoshida	6.8 km, about 6 hrs
Fujinomiya side	2,400 m	Fujinomiya	4.3 km, about 5 hrs
Subashiri	2,000 m	Subashiri	6.9 km, about 7 hrs
Gotemba New	1,440 m	Gotemba	10.5 km, about 9 hrs

Figures from the official Mt. Fuji climbing website's comparison of routes.⁷ ³ ¹⁰ ¹¹

Tours that go up

Three days with time on the mountain

This page's pick

Highlights day

Lakes, pagoda, then the station

Hours: 10
At the station: 40 minutes
Price: from $64

See the tour

From Tokyo:Mt.Fuji 5th Station, Arakurayama park day tour

Longest stop

Station first

An hour up top, then the lakes

Valid: 1 day
At the station: 1 hour
Price: from $35

See the tour

Luxury bus

Outlets and Hakone

Mountain, shopping, ropeway

Hours: 12
On the mountain: 40 minutes
Price: from $93

See the tour

Decision helper

Should your day include the 5th station?

Weigh the mountain road against more time below

I want to stand on the volcano I travel in winter I want the pagoda and ponds I will climb to the top I am driving in July or August

Yes, pick a station tour

One highlights day lists 40 minutes at the 5th Station.

Check the winter plan

That same tour swaps the station for lower stops in winter.

A lakes day instead

More time at Arakurayama and Oshino Hakkai, no mountain road.

The station is the start

The Yoshida Trail leaves the Subaru Line station at 2,305 m.⁷

Plan for the car ban

In 2026 private cars were barred from 3 July to 10 September.⁴

Located at an altitude of approximately 2300 meters, it offers mystical views of the Fuji Five Lakes below, and sometimes even a sea of clouds.

Fujiyoshida Tourism Promotion Service (official Fujiyoshida tourist guide)Source 2

What you find at the Subaru Line station

The Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station has souvenir shops, restaurants with mountain-themed food, and Komitake Shrine within the area.² ¹² In the climbing season the gate of the Yoshida Trail stands at the trailhead right beside it.¹⁴

Bring cash: the official climbing site says plainly that there is no ATM at the 5th station.¹⁵ In winter the first-aid centre, toilets and mountain huts on the mountain are closed and cannot serve as shelters.¹⁶

Do not walk far above the station without proper gear. Even a short stroll onto the trail is a mountain walk on loose volcanic rock, and the weather changes fast at this height. The official site warns of large temperature differences between the 5th station and the summit, and of sudden changes in the weather.¹⁷ A clear sky at the car park can turn to cloud and rain within the hour, so treat the forecast for the summit, not for the lakes, as your guide.

Map

From Tokyo to the lakes and the trailheads of Fuji

First the whole way from Tokyo with Hakone and Kamakura, then the five lakes at the north foot, then the four 5th stations around the summit.

Map from Tokyo Station and Shinjuku to Mount Fuji, Kawaguchiko, Owakudani in Hakone and the Great Buddha of Kamakura — Tokyo to Fuji

Map of the Fuji Five Lakes with Oshino Hakkai, the Chureito Pagoda, Oishi Park and Kawaguchiko Station — The five lakes

Map of the summit of Mount Fuji with the Subaru Line, Fujinomiya, Subashiri and Gotemba 5th stations and the Hoei crater — The trailheads

1
Tokyo Station
Meeting point of the site tour at 8:00 AM, about 101 km in a straight line from the summit.¹⁸
In Google Maps ↗
2
Shinjuku
Second meeting point at 8:30 AM; the free 45th-floor observatories of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government stand here.¹⁹
In Google Maps ↗
3
Kengamine summit
The highest point of Mount Fuji, 3,776 m, on the crater rim.¹³
In Google Maps ↗
4
Kawaguchiko Station
End of the Fujikyu line, 26.6 km from Otsuki; buses from Shinjuku get here in just under two hours.²⁰ ²¹
In Google Maps ↗
5
Owakudani
A 50-minute guided stop of the site tour, reached on the Hakone Ropeway.
In Google Maps ↗
6
Great Buddha, Kamakura
A bronze Buddha some 11.3 m tall, begun in 1252, about 74 km east of the summit.²² ²³ ²⁴
In Google Maps ↗
7
Oshino Hakkai
Eight spring ponds, a national natural monument since 1934 and part of the World Heritage site.²⁵
In Google Maps ↗
8
Lake Yamanaka swan shore
Lake Yamanaka is the nearest lake to Fuji; the site tour stops 20 minutes at its swan shore.²⁶
In Google Maps ↗
9
Chureito Pagoda
Up 398 steps in Arakurayama Sengen Park, about 25 minutes on foot from Shimoyoshida Station.²⁷ ²⁸
In Google Maps ↗
10
Oishi Park
A Lake Kawaguchi park where Fuji rises behind lavender in early summer.²⁹
In Google Maps ↗
11
Lake Sai
Split off an older lake by the lava of the Jogan eruption of 864.³⁰
In Google Maps ↗
12
Lake Shoji
The smallest of the Fuji Five Lakes, known for its Upside-down Fuji reflection.³¹ ³²
In Google Maps ↗
13
Lake Motosu
The deepest of the five lakes and the view on the 1,000-yen note.³³ ³⁴
In Google Maps ↗
14
Subaru Line 5th Station
Start of the Yoshida Trail at 2,305 m, with the climbers' gate and Komitake Shrine.⁷ ¹⁴ ¹²
In Google Maps ↗
15
Fujinomiya trailhead
Trailhead at 2,400 m on the shortest route to the summit.³ ⁹
16
Subashiri 5th Station
Trailhead at 2,000 m; in 2026 the Subashiri Trail opened on 1 July.¹⁰ ³⁵
In Google Maps ↗
17
Gotemba New 5th Station
Trailhead at 1,440 m; the way up is 10.5 km, about 9 hours.¹¹
In Google Maps ↗
18
Hoei crater
The southeast-flank crater of the eruption that began on 16 December 1707.³⁶
In Google Maps ↗

Open the map in Google Maps

Checklist

For a visit to the 5th station

Bring

A warm layer, even in summer
A rain jacket
Cash, as there is no ATM

Check

The season and the road rules
That your tour names the 5th station
The forecast for cloud on the summit

Cost calculator

Price a 5th station day for your group

Enter your group size to compare days that go up the mountain.

Highlights day10 hoursfrom $64 Station firstValid 1 dayfrom $35 Outlets and Hakone12 hoursfrom $93

People 2

Total from$128

per participant from $64

Check availabilityfree cancellation

Totals here are a quick sum: the listing's GetYourGuide from-price times your party size, turned into your currency at the ECB rate for today. The final amount appears only at checkout.

Video

Mount Fuji, 5th Station, Japan

The video loads only when you tap play.

Colder than the lakes, and much colder than Tokyo

Temperature drops by about 0.6 °C for every 100 m you climb, so the stations feel much cooler than the lakes below, and the summit can be as cold as mid-winter even in summer.³⁷ At the summit station the Japan Meteorological Agency's August normal is a daily high of 9.5 °C and a low of 3.8 °C.³⁸

The 5th station sits between those extremes, well above Lake Kawaguchi and far below the crater. Pack a fleece and rain gear even when Tokyo is sweltering; a fleece that lives in your bag the rest of the trip will earn its place here. Sunscreen and sunglasses help too, as the thinner air at this height lets the sun burn faster than you expect.

Wind matters as much as temperature: on an open slope a steady breeze makes a mild afternoon feel cold within minutes. Watch the sky, and head back to the bus early if cloud builds around the summit or the wind picks up.

The road up and the summer car ban

The Fuji Subaru Line climbs from the Kawaguchiko side to the station. Fujiyoshida's guide gives about 1 hour from Fujisan Station and about 50 minutes from the Kawaguchiko interchange via the Subaru Line.³⁹ Coaches and private cars share the road for most of the year.

In the busy climbing season, private cars are kept off. In 2026 they were barred from the Fuji Subaru Line, the toll road up to the 5th station, from 3 July to 10 September.⁴ The rule applies to private cars, so if you visit in that period, check how your tour or bus reaches the station.

In winter the stations change character. The trails above are closed outside the summer season, and the official site strongly advises against climbing then.⁴⁰ ⁴¹ Some tours also change their plan: our pick for this page swaps the 5th station for lower stops in winter, which its listing states openly.

Day tours that stop at a 5th station

The tour this page recommends is a highlights day of 10 hours with 5,247 reviews. Its listed stops are Oishi Park for 30 minutes, Arakurayama Sengen Park for 75, Oshino Hakkai for 80 and the Mount Fuji 5th Station for 40, with 2 hours on the coach each way. It starts from $64.

Its winter note matters: in winter it goes to the 4th station or 1st station area, or to Hana no Miyako on Lake Yamanaka, instead of the 5th station. Another day from Shinjuku lists a full hour at the 5th station before Oishi Park and Oshino Hakkai, and starts from $35, though with only 56 reviews averaging 4.13.

A luxury-bus day spends 40 minutes on the mountain before 1.5 hours at the Gotemba outlets and a quick pass through Hakone. Our featured site tour, by contrast, does not go up to any 5th station at all; it trades the mountain road for Hakone and Lake Yamanaka.

Is the trip up worth it?

If you will not climb, the station is the only way to stand on the volcano itself, and on a clear day the view over the lakes is wide and memorable. On a cloudy day you may stand inside the cloud and see little more than the car park, which no tour can rule out.

If the summit is your real goal, the 5th station is just the start. The climb from the Subaru Line takes about 6 hours up and 4 down on the Yoshida Trail, and only in the summer season.⁷ ⁴² Our guide to the hike covers the trails, the fee and the rules.

And if you mainly want the classic views, a lakes day without the road up gives you more time at the pagoda and the ponds. Choose the 5th station when the mountain itself is what you came for, check the season first, and pack for weather a long way from Tokyo's. Whichever day you book, with no fee for cancelling until 24 hours ahead, you can switch if the forecast for the mountain looks grim.

Your day at Fuji

Hakone, Lake Yamanaka and Oshino in one day.

Meet at Tokyo Station or Shinjuku, pick a date, and cancel free up to 24 hours before.

Check datesfrom $54 · cancellation is free 4.7 · 7,539 checked reviews

You ask,we answer.

How high is the Subaru Line station?

About 2,300 m. The official climbing site gives 2,305 m for the Yoshida trailhead at the Fuji Subaru Line 5th station.² ⁷

Which 5th station is the highest?

The one on the Fujinomiya side. It stands at 2,400 m and starts the shortest route to the summit.³ ⁹

Can I drive up in summer?

Not in a private car in high summer. In 2026 private cars were barred from 3 July to 10 September.⁴

Is there an ATM up there?

No. The official climbing site says there is no ATM at the 5th station, so bring cash.¹⁵

How cold is it?

Much colder than Tokyo. Temperature falls about 0.6 °C for every 100 m of height gained.³⁷

Does the featured tour go there?

No. It visits Hakone, Lake Yamanaka and Oshino Hakkai; pick a 5th Station listing instead.

Do tours go up in winter?

Some change plans. One tour swaps the 5th station for lower stops in winter, as its listing says.

Sources

What this text is based on

1
Council for the Promotion of Appropriate Use of Mt. Fuji (official Mt. Fuji climbing website: Ministry of the Environment, Yamanashi and Shizuoka Prefectures)Things you must know before climbing Mt. Fuji
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2
Fujiyoshida Tourism Promotion Service (official Fujiyoshida tourist guide)Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station
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3
Council for the Promotion of Appropriate Use of Mt. Fuji (official Mt. Fuji climbing website: Ministry of the Environment, Yamanashi and Shizuoka Prefectures)Comparison of Routes
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4
Council for the Promotion of Appropriate Use of Mt. Fuji (official Mt. Fuji climbing website: Ministry of the Environment, Yamanashi and Shizuoka Prefectures)Climbing Season: Operating period for each facility (2026)
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5
Council for the Promotion of Appropriate Use of Mt. Fuji (official Mt. Fuji climbing website: Ministry of the Environment, Yamanashi and Shizuoka Prefectures)Things you must know before climbing Mt. Fuji
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6
Council for the Promotion of Appropriate Use of Mt. Fuji (official Mt. Fuji climbing website: Ministry of the Environment, Yamanashi and Shizuoka Prefectures)Things you must know before climbing Mt. Fuji
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7
Council for the Promotion of Appropriate Use of Mt. Fuji (official Mt. Fuji climbing website: Ministry of the Environment, Yamanashi and Shizuoka Prefectures)Comparison of Routes
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8
Council for the Promotion of Appropriate Use of Mt. Fuji (official Mt. Fuji climbing website: Ministry of the Environment, Yamanashi and Shizuoka Prefectures)Comparison of Routes
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9
Council for the Promotion of Appropriate Use of Mt. Fuji (official Mt. Fuji climbing website: Ministry of the Environment, Yamanashi and Shizuoka Prefectures)Comparison of Routes
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10
Council for the Promotion of Appropriate Use of Mt. Fuji (official Mt. Fuji climbing website: Ministry of the Environment, Yamanashi and Shizuoka Prefectures)Comparison of Routes
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11
Council for the Promotion of Appropriate Use of Mt. Fuji (official Mt. Fuji climbing website: Ministry of the Environment, Yamanashi and Shizuoka Prefectures)Comparison of Routes
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12
Fujiyoshida Tourism Promotion Service (official Fujiyoshida tourist guide)Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station
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13
Japan Meteorological AgencyNational Catalogue of the Active Volcanoes in Japan: 55. Fujisan
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14
Council for the Promotion of Appropriate Use of Mt. Fuji (official Mt. Fuji climbing website: Ministry of the Environment, Yamanashi and Shizuoka Prefectures)FAQ
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15
Council for the Promotion of Appropriate Use of Mt. Fuji (official Mt. Fuji climbing website: Ministry of the Environment, Yamanashi and Shizuoka Prefectures)FAQ
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16
Council for the Promotion of Appropriate Use of Mt. Fuji (official Mt. Fuji climbing website: Ministry of the Environment, Yamanashi and Shizuoka Prefectures)Mt. Fuji outside of the climbing season
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17
Council for the Promotion of Appropriate Use of Mt. Fuji (official Mt. Fuji climbing website: Ministry of the Environment, Yamanashi and Shizuoka Prefectures)Things you must know before climbing Mt. Fuji
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18
Geospatial Information Authority of JapanGeodesic distance calculation: Fujisan summit (Kengamine) to Tokyo Station
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19
Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO)The Top 30 Spots for Viewing Mt. Fuji
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20
Fujikyu Railway (Fujisanroku Electric Railway)Fujikyu Railway Line (top page)
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21
Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO)Fuji Five Lakes Area
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22
Kotoku-inThe History of Kotoku-in and the Great Buddha
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23
Kotoku-inThe History of Kotoku-in and the Great Buddha
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24
Geospatial Information Authority of JapanGeodesic distance calculation: Fujisan summit (Kengamine) to the Great Buddha of Kamakura
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25
Yamanashi Tourism Organization (official tourism site of Yamanashi Prefecture)忍野八海 (Oshino Hakkai)
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26
Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO)The Top 30 Spots for Viewing Mt. Fuji
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27
Fujiyoshida Tourism Promotion Service (official Fujiyoshida tourist guide)Arakurayama Sengen Park and Chureito Pagoda
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28
Fujiyoshida Tourism Promotion Service (official Fujiyoshida tourist guide)Arakurayama Sengen Park and Chureito Pagoda
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29
Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO)The Top 30 Spots for Viewing Mt. Fuji
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30
Japan Meteorological AgencyNational Catalogue of the Active Volcanoes in Japan: 55. Fujisan
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31
Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO)The Top 30 Spots for Viewing Mt. Fuji
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32
Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO)Fuji Five Lakes Area
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33
Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO)Fuji Five Lakes Area
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34
Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO)The Top 30 Spots for Viewing Mt. Fuji
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35
Council for the Promotion of Appropriate Use of Mt. Fuji (official Mt. Fuji climbing website: Ministry of the Environment, Yamanashi and Shizuoka Prefectures)[Shizuoka Prefecture Route] Restrictions on climbing Mt. Fuji (2026)
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36
Japan Meteorological AgencyNational Catalogue of the Active Volcanoes in Japan: 55. Fujisan
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37
Council for the Promotion of Appropriate Use of Mt. Fuji (official Mt. Fuji climbing website: Ministry of the Environment, Yamanashi and Shizuoka Prefectures)Things you must know before climbing Mt. Fuji
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38
Japan Meteorological AgencyClimate normals 1991-2020: Fujisan summit station (heinenchi)
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39
Fujiyoshida Tourism Promotion Service (official Fujiyoshida tourist guide)Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station
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40
Council for the Promotion of Appropriate Use of Mt. Fuji (official Mt. Fuji climbing website: Ministry of the Environment, Yamanashi and Shizuoka Prefectures)Climbing Season: Operating period for each facility (2026)
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41
Council for the Promotion of Appropriate Use of Mt. Fuji (official Mt. Fuji climbing website: Ministry of the Environment, Yamanashi and Shizuoka Prefectures)Mt. Fuji outside of the climbing season
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42
Council for the Promotion of Appropriate Use of Mt. Fuji (official Mt. Fuji climbing website: Ministry of the Environment, Yamanashi and Shizuoka Prefectures)Climbing Season: Operating period for each facility (2026)
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