I climbed Fujisan back in 2014, and it was the absolute highlight of my Tokyo stay.

I came vastly unprepared and didn't find the hike that difficult, although it should be noted that we had some perfect weather that day. We climbed from the 5th until the 8th station, where we had dinner and a quick sleep.

In the middle of the night, we woke up and climbed the rest until the summit. That's actually one of my fondest travel memories ever, seeing the Tokyo city lights in the distance and the stars above, almost becoming one, and the silent procession moving upwards. It was mystical, magical.

The much-awaited sunrise at the top was also nice, although it was freezing up there. The descent through long ash paths was easier, but I did take my time due to a bit of vertigo.