「遥かな頂 - 富士山」 鈴木優香 The Distant Summit of Mt. Fuji - Yuka Suzuki

The drizzling rain turned the volcanic rubble at our feet a deeper black, and the tips of the larch leaves morphed into clear round grains. It is early September, just before the end of climbing season. The mountain trail at Subashiri is enveloped in silence. The only sound was the crunching of feet on the ground.

Although I am daunted by the rainy mountain, Mt. Fuji gives me the feeling that I am being put to the test. Just as climbing a sacred mountain is expressed as tohai in Japanese (worship climb), climbing Mt. Fuji is in itself an act of devotion to the gods. Fuji is called one of the three sacred mountains in Japan, along with Mt. Tateyama and Mt. Haku, but as the highest peak in Japan and an independent mountain with a breath-taking appearance, it feels to have a more sacred air than other peaks.

On this day, we walked for about three hours and stayed at the mountain lodge at the Sixth Station (2,630 meters above sea level). From time to time, climbers would come seeking a branding for their kongozue walking sticks, then depart on their way again. Night came quickly, and the stars twinkled in the sky.

At dawn, it rained again and then stopped. The sunrise was hidden in the clouds, so we quickly packed our gear and left the lodge. As we crossed the forest line, the black mountain surface was covered with yellow and yellow-green clumps. They were alpine plants such as alpine knotweed and Japanese knotweed.

As we approached the Seventh Station (2,930 meters above sea level), the sun's rays poured out from between the clouds and flooded the area. The rays shone down all around us, illuminating us trekkers, the plants, the rocks, and everything else on the mountain equally.

We followed the winding path that was slowly being built, admiring the mountain surface as it gradually turned red. Under our feet, the fine volcanic rubble turned into volcanic rocks the size of our fists, making a dry crunching sound. The headache that started around the Eighth Station (elevation 3,270 meters) is a symptom of altitude sickness. I had no choice but to accept this new hardship, and after climbing to the Eighth and Ninth Stations, I finally passed through the torii gate of Kusushi Shrine, which stands at the top of the mountain.

Standing at the edge of the massive crater, we could catch a glimpse of the history of intense volcanic activity on the menacing red-black rock walls. The depth of the crater is said to reach as deep as the eighth station. The summit, Kenga-mine (3,776 meters above sea level), is finally reached after circling the crater. However, even though I was so close, I had to turn back because the increasing headache and nausea had completely drained my energy.

On the way down the mountain, we were met by cold snow and rain, and I left the mountain feeling like I had learned my lesson. However, a few days later, for some reason, I felt the urge to reach the summit again. It seems that Mt. Fuji possesses a mysterious force that draws people.

【Our route this time】
Subashiri Route
Day 1: Approx. 2.5 hours
Fifth Station at Subashiri entrance (2,000m) to Setokan (2,630m)
Day 2: about 9.5 hours
Setokan - Sengen Taisha Okumiya Kusushi Shrine (3,715m) - Crater rim trail- Fifth Station at Subashiri entrance

【Items worn】
W TECH LITE SS LOW CREWE (color: GR / EB)
W 200 OASIS LS CREWE (color: BR)
W MOUNTAINEER HVY (color: MS)

【Profile】
Yuka Suzuki
After graduating from graduate school, she joined an outdoor manufacturer, where she worked on product planning and design, before going independent in 2016 and starting her own project, "MOUNTAIN COLLECTOR," in which she makes handkerchiefs from the scenery she sees in the mountains. She continues to express herself through photography, design, and writing, with mountains and travel as her life's work.
www.mountaincollector.com