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| View of Mt. Fuji from Lake Kawaguchiko |
My solo trip to Mt. Fuji couldn't have come at a better time. I was ready for some solitude and what better way to spend some alone time?
I was told that the trail to the summit would be closed after September 1st so I was just planning to do the lateral trail at 5th Station. In fact, the sign on the trail head even said that the trail was closed. So I did the planned lateral trail but it was much shorter than I thought. I saw a path that lead up and decided to see where it led.
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| 7th Station |
I climbed all the way to 6th station before I realized I was on the trail to the summit. I looked up and was surprised to see hikers all the way up the mountain. Perplexed, I continued to climb. Along the way I met other hikers who informed me that you could, in fact, still go to the summit. I was a bit bummed to learn this so late as I did not have the supplies to stay overnight or the time to reach the summit and return. Nevertheless, it was a gorgeous day for hiking and I made it to 7th station before I had to turn around.
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| Sunset above the clouds |
That night I went to the onsen next to my hostel. I spent most of my time in the outdoor pool laying on my back enjoying the full moon and stars.
Afterwards, I had a few beers with two hikers I had met early. They were on holiday from Ireland and had only been in Japan for 4 days.
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| Lake Kawaguchiko |
The next morning I decided to rent a bike and cycle the 20 km around Lake Kawaguchiko. It was absolutely perfect weather for it and the scenery was stunning. Mt.Fuji is just one of numerous mountains in the area. It was a leisurely, easy cycle on a fairly well-maintained path.
I couldn't have had a better trip. It was an amazing experience.
