Climbing Mt. Fuji: The Trail Fee, Gate Times and Reservations

Since 2024, climbing Mt. Fuji in summer comes with rules that didn't exist before: a fee of 4,000 yen per person, gates or checkpoints that stop climbers from setting off in the afternoon and at night unless they're staying at a mountain hut, a daily limit on one trail, and, on the Shizuoka side, a registration and a short online lesson before you climb. The rules differ between the two prefectures. This guide lays out what applied in the 2026 season on each side, using Yamanashi and Shizuoka Prefectures' official pages, so you can plan for the next season. The 2026 season ended on September 10.

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The season and the trails

The official climbing site run by the national and two prefectural governments lists the 2026 opening periods (above the 5th station):

• Yoshida Trail (Yamanashi): July 1 to September 10
• Subashiri Trail (Shizuoka): July 1, 9:00 to September 10, 17:00
• The other two Shizuoka trails (Fujinomiya and Gotemba): July 10, 9:00 to September 10, 17:00

Outside these periods the trails are closed. If you're thinking of climbing in another season, read our guide to Mt. Fuji outside the climbing season first.

Yamanashi side: the Yoshida Trail

Under a Yamanashi Prefecture ordinance, the Yoshida Trail has a gate at the 5th station trailhead. In 2026:

• Fee: 4,000 yen per person, per climb, paid at the gate or online in advance. Mountain hut guests pay it too. If you join the trail from somewhere other than the 5th station gate, you still pay it.
• Gate closed from 14:00 to 3:00 the next morning, except for people with a mountain hut booking. You can always come down during the closed hours; tell the staff at the gate.
• Daily limit: the gate also closes once 4,000 climbers have passed that day (hut guests excepted). Without a reservation you may not get through on a busy day.
• Reservation (optional): on the official climbing site, with the 4,000 yen paid in advance, up to the day of the climb. It is a reservation to pass the gate, not a hut booking. Even with one, if you haven't passed the gate by 14:00, the closure applies to you (unless you're a hut guest).
• No fee for walking the Ochudo path or sightseeing at the 5th station outside the gate.

The gate used to close at 16:00 and the fee was 2,000 yen in 2024; Yamanashi Prefecture changed both from 2025, aligning with Shizuoka, to stop people rushing up just before the closure.

Shizuoka side: three trails

Under the Shizuoka Prefecture Mt. Fuji climbing ordinance (in force since May 9, 2025), anyone entering the mountain above set points on the three Shizuoka trails during the season must:

1. Register in advance on the "Shizuoka FUJI NAVI" app (in 2026, registration opened on May 8) and get an entry permit (a QR code) to show at the 5th station.
2. Complete a short lesson on rules and manners (e-learning), with a test you need to pass.
3. Pay the entry fee of 4,000 yen per person, per entry. Children pay too; school activities can be exempted by applying in advance.
4. Stay at a mountain hut if you enter between 14:00 and 3:00 the next morning.

Without a smartphone, you can do everything at the 5th station, but it takes about 30 minutes and there may be a queue in busy periods. Cancellations made through the app before the end of the climb day are refunded in full, but not after your permit has been checked on site. There is no daily cap on the Shizuoka side.

No fee for 5th station sightseeing

The rules are about climbing above the 5th stations. On the Shizuoka side, the prefecture says short walks such as the Mt. Futago course and the Kofuji course, and visiting Komitake Shrine, are outside the rules, while the Hoei crater course is covered. On the Yamanashi side, sightseeing at the 5th station outside the gate needs no fee. For visiting the 5th stations by road, see our guide to visiting without climbing.

Quick checklist for next season

1. Pick your trail; the procedures differ between Yamanashi and Shizuoka.
2. Book a mountain hut if you'll set off after 14:00 or climb overnight.
3. Yoshida Trail: consider the gate reservation for busy days. Shizuoka trails: register on the app and finish the e-learning before you arrive.
4. Budget 4,000 yen per person for each climb.

Climbing through the night without rest (dangan tozan) is one of the behaviors that made the news; see "Please don't". More on our Mt. Fuji area page.

Last reviewed: October 4, 2026. This page covers the 2026 season; please check the official pages below for the next season's rules.

References

• Official Website for Mt. Fuji Climbing: Climbing season and facilities (2026)
• Official Website for Mt. Fuji Climbing: Notice from Yamanashi Prefecture (Japanese)
• Yamanashi Prefecture: Using the Yoshida Trail (Japanese)
• Shizuoka Prefecture: Climbing rules on the three Shizuoka trails (Japanese)
• Official Website for Mt. Fuji Climbing: Notice from Shizuoka Prefecture (Japanese)
• Japan Tourism Agency: Yamanashi's safety plan for the Yoshida Trail, including the 2025 changes (Japanese, PDF)