Climbing Mount Fuji: the rules of good conduct
Respect the environment
Until 2013, Mount Fuji was refused registration as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for a long time, particularly for the amount of waste that polluted its sides. Climbing the sacred volcano indeed requires some rules of good conduct.
In place to watch the show
TMA
Keep your trash on you
It's a common sense rule but it's good to remember: be careful not to throw any waste during your ascent. The wind is sometimes strong and you can accidentally let loose plastic bags or other packaging. Be careful to leave the sides of the volcano as clean as you found them. At the seventh and eighth stations, the refuges have bins where you can throw your waste.
Do not pick up stones
Bring back a stone from the sacred volcano as a souvenir: tempting, isn't it? Imagine that the approximately 285,000 hikers (2017 figure) do the same thing every year... So resist the temptation and also be careful not to move any stones during your ascent.
The volcanic rocks of the mountain
TMA
Do not pick plants
Similarly, fans of Mount Fuji's flora and fauna should refrain from collecting any plants, flowers, or even insects .
Do not bring a pet
Animals, which could injure their paws on the gravels and volcanic rocks , are prohibited on Mount Fuji.
Do not leave the marked trails
The ascent of Mount Fuji can be done via one of the four marked routes . Do not leave these marked routes. It is about your safety as well as respect for the environment of the volcano.
7th Station Torii
TMA
Do not inscribe engravings on the stones
This is also common sense. Don't be those tourists who engrave their name on the stones of the volcano and leave a poor image of themselves to posterity.
Do not camp on the volcano
There is no camp on the slopes of Mount Fuji. The volcano is not made for pitching a tent or making a fire. To spend the night, reserve a refuge between the seventh and eighth stations.
Respect the calm of the refuges
If you plan to spend the night in one of the refuges of Mount Fuji in order to contemplate the sunrise the next day, respect the calm after dark : telephone in silent mode, conversation in a low voice, etc.
