Even after Mt. Fuji's climbing season ended, reckless climbers have been breaking into restricted areas. Our crew went to the site to investigate.
On the first day of a three-day weekend, Mt. Fuji was shrouded in thick fog with heavy rain.
Report – Director Masataka Tanaka (Sept. 13, 6th Station, Fujinomiya Trail, Shizuoka)
"A barricade has been set up on the trail leading to the 7th Station."
The climbing season officially ended on September 10. A "No Entry" sign was posted at the 6th Station. Every year, the same issue arises at this time—
Report – Director Masataka Tanaka (Sept. 13, Fujinomiya Trail, 6th Station)
"About five people are coming down the trail."
These are reckless climbers trespassing beyond the barricade.
Reporter: "The season is over—are you climbing from here?"
Within just 90 minutes of coverage in the rain, 23 people had entered the restricted area. Violators may face up to six months in jail or a fine of up to 300,000 yen. When the crew approached one man coming down:
Q. Why climb now instead of during the season?
Man: "No particular reason."
Another woman was staggering down, clinging to a rope. Suspected of altitude sickness, she collapsed onto a bench. In 11°C weather, a foreigner in shorts and a raincoat trudged down, shoes soaked through.
Tourist from Germany:
"Yes, it's closed, but since there's no snow or hail, I think it's fine. Only my shoes are completely wet."
Last year, six people got lost during the off-season; four of them died.
Shizuoka Mt. Fuji Guide Association, Director Masahiko Koike:
"During the closed season, there are no rescue teams or mountain huts. If something happens, climbers must handle everything on their own."
During the open season, police officers are stationed at mountain huts near the 9th Station. After the closure, however, rescue teams must be dispatched from police stations.
Tetsuya Yuzawa, 30, Shizuoka Prefectural Police Mountain Rescue Unit:
"Speed is everything when it comes to rescue."
The program joined officers Yuzawa and Okamoto on their final patrol before closure. In September, falling temperatures sharply increase the risk of hypothermia.
Yuzawa:
"Up there, it feels like winter already. The risk of hypothermia really goes up."
Even in daytime, the summit was just 9.7°C. At nightfall, it dropped further, with small icicles forming. On patrol, the team found four exhausted men from Tokyo.
Climbers:
"To be honest, we kind of want to go back."
Rescuer Okamoto (22):
"Are you alone? Take it slow."
So far this year, 36 people have been rescued due to altitude sickness or hypothermia; 12 of them were foreigners.
On Sept. 9, near the summit, our crew spotted a shocking sight:
Report – Director Masataka Tanaka:
"That foreign climber has taken off his shirt and just draped it over his back…"
One man was bare-chested in shorts; the woman with him wore a tank top and shorts. They posed for photos despite the 8.7°C temperature. Before the rescuers could approach, they were gone.
At the 9th Station mountain hut, the crew met two women on their first climb.
Women: "The wind is strong." / "It's freezing."
At 3 a.m. on Sept. 10, the temperature was 6°C. Higher up, the wind grew fiercer.
Reporter Goro Uchida (9th Station, Fujinomiya Trail):
"The closer we get to the summit, the stronger the wind. It's draining both body heat and stamina."
At 4:15 a.m., they reached the summit: 4.4°C and still dark, but already packed with climbers waiting for sunrise at 5:20. Despite the cold, the final sunrise of the season was breathtaking.
First-time climber:
"It was freezing—I wouldn't recommend waiting up there. But I feel I received good energy."
More than 210,000 people climbed Mt. Fuji this season. Rescue teams noticed two unusual trends.
Rescuer Yuzawa:
"This year we had many sunny days, but when it rained, it poured. Sometimes winds blew 30 to 40 meters per second."
The first change: fewer rainy days overall, but triple the rainfall volume when it did rain. On Aug. 10, Yuzawa faced typhoon-level winds (over 40 m/s) during a rescue call.
On Sept. 7, our crew also witnessed such conditions: a man in his 70s collapsed at the summit, showing symptoms of hypothermia despite proper gear. He was so weak he couldn't sit up.
As rescuers carried him down, typhoon-force gusts battered them.
Rescuer:
"We can't move. Call for backup—it's impossible to carry him."
With reinforcements and hut staff, they managed to bring him down safely.
The second change was the effect of new entry restrictions. Last year, six climbers died on the Shizuoka side; this year, none.
Shizuoka introduced new rules: a 4,000-yen climbing fee and a ban on night entries, aimed at stopping "bullet climbing." As a result, both deaths and rescue cases fell by half.
Shizuoka Prefecture World Heritage Division, Shinji Okabe:
"We've heard the mountain was quieter this year. With no fatalities, the restrictions seem effective."
Still, issues remain. Some climbers arrived at huts after dark. A man in his 40s and his friend took nearly six hours to reach the 9th Station, arriving past 7 p.m.—after reception hours. His friend barely made it by 7:30.
Kazumasa Watanabe, owner, Mannenyuki Mountain Hut (9th Station, Fujinomiya Trail):
"If each hut had stricter time rules, it would help. We'd appreciate improvements."
Rescuer Yuzawa:
"When it gets dark, climbers rush, trip, or lose their way. It's vital to plan so you finish while it's still light."
[Source: TV Asahi NEWS]
