See COMPLETE MT FUJI ROCK ITINERARY for more information on pricing, fundraising, packing, local information, flights and more.
Note on Itinerary
Although we do our best to adhere to the schedule listed below, this itinerary is subject to change for numerous reasons beyond our control. All hotel rooms are 2-persons per room excluding “community” huts on mountain where sleeping is Japanese style on mats on the floor.
DAY1 : August 21 / Arrive to Japan
Fly into Narita Airport where you will be met by our ground team. We will be transferring you in groups of 5-10 via the airport Limousine(bus) to the Park Tower Hotel in Tokyo. In the evening, we will have our first group meeting as our group leaders welcome us to Japan and brief us for the culturally enriched days to come.
DAY2 : August 22 / Kamakura Tour
We will drive to Kamakura, known for its temples, shrines, and historical monuments. Here, we will visit the massive bronze statue of the Great Buddha at Kotokuin Temple. The second largest Buddha statue in Japan, the bronze image measures 37 feet (11.4 meters) and is thought to date back to 1252. From there we will take a walk along Wakamiya Oji, the approach to Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine lined with gorgeous cherry trees. Features of the Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine include a series of red torii gates, an arched bridge, ponds, a huge gingko tree and the colorful main hall standing at the top of 62 stone steps. After the Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, you’ll have free time to Shop for Japanese arts and crafts along famous Komachi Shopping Street. The day will come to a close with a group dinner at Yokohama Chinatown, the largest Chinatown in Japan.
DAY3 : August 23 / Mt.Fuji (860m⇒2335m)
We will leave Tokyo and drive approximately 2 hours and a half to Fuji Yoshida. Here we will leave our city bags and meet our mountain staff.
Mount Fuji-san, along with Mount Tate and Mount Haku, is one of Japan’s “Three Holy Mountains”. An active volcano that last erupted in 1707–08. An estimated 600,000 people climb Mount Fuji every year making it the most visited mountain in the world. You have no doubt heard about the popular 1-day hike to the top of Mount Fuji that begins at Station 6. At Love Hope Strength, we always like to do things a bit different, off the beaten path!
The original Yoshida Guchi trail starts from Station 1 at The Fuji Sengen Shrine, where the pilgrims of over 500 years ago came to pray before they started their climb up the sacred mountain. Today, traditionalists claim that the only way to climb Mt. Fuji is from Fuji Sengen Shrine. In sticking with the traditional sacred culture, we will begin our journey along this less traveled trail after a visit to the Fuji Sengen Shrine.
We will be hiking through some beautiful woods for about 3 hours until we reach the Umageshi point (1450m). The Umageshi point marks the beginning of the holy area of Mt. Fuji and we’ll find the trail from here to 6th station filled with many guardian images, shrines and other Shinto religious objects. Approximately 6 hours from the start, we will reach Station 6. We will stay overnight at the traditional Seikanso Hut where our musicians can unite us through music on the slopes of Mount Fuji. We will sleep “community” style on simple mattresses lined up side by side in rooms tucked behind rice paper screen partitions.
Note: The walking stick A traditional souvenir and climbing aid is a Japanese Mt Fuji walking stick. The walking stick may be purchased at the Sengen Shrine. Along the climb, for Y200 each, you can get a station stamp branded onto your stick as a memento of your achievement. The walking stick comes complete with a Japanese flag and anti-bear bells (hence the absence of bear attacks on Fuji-san). For the peace of mind of your fellow climbers we would advise taking the bells off before they beat you to death with your walking stick! The walking stick by itself it Y1000, and depending on how many stamps you buy it can be quite expensive. Cash only on the mountain! We recommend up to Y3000 if you wish to get all of the stamps.
DAY4 : August 24/ Mt.Fuji (2355m⇒3776m) (day 2 on the mountain)
After breakfast at Seikanso, we will hike approximately 6 hours to the peak. The trail becomes steeper from station 6, and we will see various alpine plants along the trail until the 8th Station. From the 8th station we will start to feel the real altitude, where the breathtaking views are just as stifling as the thin air. Another 2 hours walk from station 8, we’ll reach the lodge at the peak, where we will be spending our second night at Mount Fuji. Our evening will once again be “community” style, better known as “sardine” style, as we huddle up under thick blankets in the modest accommodations at the Peak. Try to grab a quick shuteye next to your snoring neighbor before we wake for the most magical sunrise of your life.
DAY5 : August 25 / Mt.Fuji (3776m⇒2305m) (day 3 on the mountain)
A faint, silken thread of pink-orange-gold, will begin to define the horizon. Then, at about 4:30 a.m., the molten sun swells on the lip of earth and spills over. We will take a moment to listen to the rhythmic sounds of our musicians at the dawn of a new day and what will mark the beginning of a new phase of cancer care in the world.
You will have some time to have a bite to eat or roam around the crater of Mount Fuji before we begin our 3-4 hour descent to station 5 where our bus will be waiting to take us to the High Land Hotel & Spa in Fuji Yoshida for 2 nights. Enjoy the spa, the town and reflect upon the recent journey.
DAY6 : August 26 /Fire Festival
After breakfast, we will drive to Oshinomura and experience the cultural art of soba making. After dining upon our handmade soba, we will head to the Fire Festival. The Yoshida Fire Festival or “Yoshida no Himatsuri” is held every year on August 26th to appease the goddess of Mt. Fuji and to keep the volcano from erupting for another year. Yoshida no Himatsuri also serves as the closing ceremony of the Fujisan summer climbing season. For this lively festival, named one of Japan’s three most unique festivals and celebrated for over 500 years, the entire community comes out to watch the burning of large “taimatsu” torches and the parade of two large Omikoshi (portableshrines) through the streets. The Fire Festival is one of Fuji Yoshida’s most prized cultural possessions, and we can think of no better way to celebrate another incredible year of love, hope and strength as we bring cancer care and awareness to the world.
*Their will be a public bus transportation from the hotel to Fire Festival in every 30min to 1hour until about 8pm. Or a taxi will be about 1000Yen one way.
DAY7 : August 27 / Free Time in Tokyo
We will drive approximately 2hours and a half back to Tokyo. After coming back to Tokyo, we will have a lunch at Happoen. It has 50,000㎡ of traditional Japanese gardens where we can enjoy a walk in the beautiful Edo romance garden before or after lunch. Happoen whose name means “Garden of eight views” was created in the Edo era. The natural beauty of the garden has been maintained through the centuries to the present day enchanting scenery. After the lunch at the Happoen, we will check in at the Park Tower Hotel and you’ll have your own free time to do what ever you’d like in Tokyo for the rest of the day and evening.
*A group event or music celebration may be scheduled in the evening. More details to come.
DAY8:August 28 / Yakatabune
A list of optional excursions will be planned, which you may select from this morning and afternoon. Additional fees will apply based upon the activity selected. Return to the hotel in time for the 17:30 the bus to the port of Yakatabune for our finale party. Yakatabune is a breathtaking Japanese style boat that cruises around Tokyo Bay with Japanese foods and traditional Geisha performance.
Optional excursions: All rates will vary based upon number of participants.
Visit to Tsukji Fish Market, $112 per person
Visit to Sumo & Sumo Museum $257 per person
Visit with Geisha & Japanese Traditional Gourmet $190 per person
Visit to Bonsai, Japanese Tea & Japanese Garden $78 per person
DAY9:August 29 / Departing Tokyo
Transport via the airport limousine(bus) to Narita Airport from the hotel will be scheduled based on your departure time.
See COMPLETE MT FUJI ROCK ITINERARY for more information on pricing, fundraising, packing, local information, flights and more.
