What should you take with you ?

Here is a list of stuff you could take with you.

Much of it is optional and depends if you are going for a quick dash up and down or a few days in the field. You need to strike a balance somewhere between going sufficiently prepared and enjoying your climb and not going overloaded with so much expensive professional equipment you cannot walk.

Weight is one of the most important considerations for any type of prolonged hiking. If you have something lighter that does the same job then use it instead. If you are a penniless international traveler, with the only thing to your name being the clothes on your back, you can still climb. Just don’t forget the suntan cream, a torch and toilet paper. Your feet will suffer if you wear flip flops and you will get exposure if it rains or the wind picks up but at least your nose wont look like a beetroot and you should be able to find your way back in the dark. The toilet paper is self explanatory.

Footwear- Forget flip-flops. Strong trainers or light hiking boots are better.

I purchased a pair of GT Hawkins trekking boots in black, with reflective stripes, and GoreTex material waterproof uppers for Yen 9,000. There is a cheaper version available for around Yen 6,000, which is water resistant, but the GoreTex version is waterproof and definitely worth the small extra expense. I was surprised to find the boots required hardly any breaking in.

They are sturdy with good grip and are ideal for walking over small boulders which might cause some discomfort to the wearer of lighter types of trainers. If you have difficulty finding large sizes go to the best kept secret in Japan, Hikari Shoe Shop, on the east side of Shinjuku station, close by to Isetan department store's Queens Chef building [ask at the Police Box opposite for directions].

Hikari is a chain of shops that ONLY sell large size shoes, starting at 27cm. It will take a good two hours to go there, pick out your shoes and go back from the bus station. The prices are perhaps two or three thousand yen more, but for people with large size feet you are guaranteed to find a wide selection of shoes, trainers and boots to fit you [Tel 03 3351 0192 Japanese only]. If you don’t use the right size of footwear you may suffer from black toe nails or a sprained ankle. If a black toenail occurs it takes months for the nail to recover and is most unsightly. Next climb I will use a pair of Bates 921. An excellent military boot with built in shock resistance similar to the comfort of Nike Air Max running shoes.

Boots are heavier than trainers so wearing them for a while beforehand is always useful to get accustomed to the extra weight. Wearing the weight of long trousers is useful training too. I prefer a combination of shorts in the day and combat trousers for night climbing because they automatically come with a double thickness of cloth on the knees and bottom. Great for kneeling down or sitting on cold rocks in the darkness.

They also have extra pockets on the legs which are invaluable for holding bottles and snacks to save fumbling around without stopping, taking off and opening your rucksack every time you take a water break. Regular forced Fluid and Carbohydrate intake are fundamental requirements during any form of exercise and climbing Fuji is no different. Having drinks and snacks readily at hand will keep you in peak condition throughout your climb.

Thick socks - Hiking socks are expensive in Japan [Yen 1,500]. A lot of shops sell a packet of 3 white sports socks by Hanes [U.S.] for less than Yen 1,000. Try their extra thick white cotton cushioned type.

Walking stick/trekking pole - if you do not want to buy a traditional wooden staff as a momento of your Fuji climb you would do well to take a light walking stick with you. Perhaps two sticks, using them like skiing poles. The three section adjustable length type is best as the angle of the terrain is different during ascent and descent and you can adjust the height to make it more comfortable on your back at the various stages of your journey. Try to buy the type with internal spring shock in the tip as it cushions the impact on your arm over many hours of walking. These are available from Yen 2,900 to around Yen 5,900. They are lightweight and made of various material such a duralium, carbon fiber and fiberglass.

Alternatively a traditional wooden staff can be purchased at the 5th station for around Yen 1,000 and up depending upon the type. As you climb make sure to have the stamp at each station applied. A person with a branding iron warmed over a charcoal fire will do the honors for you. When you reach the summit get your final stamp inside the first building you see, which is part of the mountain Shrine.

Torch and spare batteries - Because your trek will be at night you will need to carry a torch. Even if it is not a night climb you still need to carry at least one in case of emergency.

I carry two torches. I also make sure to dump the batteries and buy fresh ones before I go, as well as take one set of spare batteries. Your main torch would best be a strap on headlamp. Panasonic make an extremely light headlamp with comfortable and adjustable straps that fits painlessly over your head or over a hat. At only 100 grams you hardly realize you have it on. It retails for Yen 3,300, but can be found cheaper in discount stores. The model number is BF-192B and you will need to buy a special Lithium battery to fit it. This costs around Yen 600 and can be found in most convenience stores or camera shops. The battery number is CR123A and it will give you 8 hours continuous illumination as well as two free hands to concentrate on your climb. The headlamp has two reflectors in it. One casts a patch of light ahead of you and another at your feet, when properly angled downwards. This allows you to move quite fast over the ground while looking ahead. All of your night climb will be done using the headlamp and is the best choice as it frees up your hands.

As a secondary torch I carry a Maglite with two AA size batteries. It comes with its own belt holster and retails at around Yen 2,000. It has a powerful adjustable narrow and wide beam which is very useful for pointing ahead at something in the darkness, like a sign on the trail. To not carry a torch is foolhardy on the pitch black slopes, so do not go without one. Or fresh batteries.

Hat - baseball hats leave your ears and neck exposed to the sun. Don’t use them.

Balaclavas are too hot in the summer so a wide all round brimbed hat is recommended like a jungle, boonie, bosun or cowboy hat. Failing that, turn your baseball hat into a foreign legionnaires hat by adding a cloth at the back that covers both your neck AND your ears. A hat also doubles up to keep your head warm during the night climb. Most of your body heat is lost through your head so it has a noticeable effect to your comfort if you wear a hat.

Gloves - wear gloves all the time for 3 reasons. It helps protects your hands as you steady yourself on rocks during your climb, it protects the back of your hands from painful sunburn and, lastly, when you descend the mountain the trail surface is loose scree. You can easily slip backwards and land with a bump on your backside, so the gloves protect your hands from cuts as you try to break your fall.

Suntan cream - even when the mountain appears overcast there is a high concentration of UV rays raining down upon you. You will wake up the next day with severe sunburn if you do not take precautions to cover up.

Select a suntan product that blocks both UVA and UVB rays. The UVB rays are the ones that do the most damage. Apparently, they can bounce off the ground and hit you from below even with a hat on. Apply and reapply cream frequently throughout the day to any exposed skin, not just your face and lips. Even taking your gloves off for lunch at the summit may lead to sunburn on the back of your hands. Put a little extra cream here even though you wear gloves. Also, a lot of people that reach the summit have a nap to refresh themselves. You can see them spread-eagled in the sunshine, some looking amusingly comatose with exhaustion. A really BIG mistake unless you take sunburn precautions before sleeping in the open.

Sunglasses - again the exposure to prolonged UV can burn the cataracts in your eyes rather similar to suffers of snow blindness. Wear proper UV cutting sunglasses at all times.

Clothing -  you need to carry some waterproof type protection in case of rain or high winds. GoreTex is one of the best materials to use because of its ability to breath and not leave you so sweaty. It is expensive but good.

The cheapest vinyl type rain set you can buy in Tokyo is around Yen 3,000 for jacket and trousers. Look for the packs they sell to scooter riders or fishermen. They are attractively colored and will do the job for you. Watch the material though. Nylon will leak and leave you feeling uncomfortable. Check the inside seams around the shoulders. If it looks like the seams are not sealed or taped over don’t buy. You will end up sloshing along in misery like a walking water balloon if your purchase has poor seams. Check the trousers are long enough too. Japanese trousers are shorter unless you buy the bigger sizes. They must go down over your footwear otherwise rain goes straight into your socks. The larger sizes are looser around the knee. An important point as you climb up Fuji in the same way as you climb stairs. Your knee movement must be unencumbered by the waterproof trousers and also not pull up the trousers above your boots to let water drain in to them. Elasticated waterproof gaiters can also be worn to help eliminate wet socks. They cost around Yen 3,000 if made out of Gore-Tex material.

Wicking underwear helps by sucking your sweat away from your skin and leaving you less susceptible to a chill. It is expensive, about three times more than a normal undershirt, but works well if you wear a polo shirt over it.

Layering is always the best way to go rather than a single thick jumper for night climbing. Carry several sets of underwear and polo shirts. Your ride back to Tokyo is on public transportation and it is polite to change into something less soiled.

A light down jacket is useful too for when you stop for a prolonged water break or have to hunker down for a snooze or inclement weather. You can easily attract a chill to your upper body when excerting yourself and then stopping in the wind even for several minutes. During night climbing I wear a vest, t-shirt, down jacket and sometimes a waterproof jacket.

Whistle - always useful to attract attention if you find yourself alone and in trouble. Although the trail up has lots of people that would see you if you got into trouble, the trail down does not. A typical scenario would be slipping off the trail and lying injured in darkness.

Bottled Oxygen - Available for around Yen 600 at Sport Shops or the sports section of large retail stores. One or two bottles is useful to give you a second wind during your ascent. Don’t rely on this to get you out of trouble if you suffer from acute altitude sickness on the mountain. You should turn around and descend to a more comfortable altitude.

First Aid Kit - You may experience a mild headache during your climb so it is useful to carry a few headache tablets. Again, this is not an excuse to get you to the summit if you suffer from altitude sickness. If your situation does not improve with a rest let somebody close by know your situation and turn around and descend. There is a First Aid Station on the mountain in case of injury.

Carry some band aids for minor cuts and scratches and a large triangular bandage to immobilize your arm or wrist in case of a walking wounded injury, such as a fall, when nobody else is around.

Cash - always carry extra cash in case you are delayed on the mountain or miss the bus. In my case, my return pace was hindered by finding a lost child and having to contact the Police. I missed the last evening bus back to Shinjuku by a mere 5 minutes. Unavoidable but frustrating when you need a good soak in a hot tub. If similar misfortune occurs the last local bus off the mountain from the 5th station down to the railway station leaves at 22:10. Unless you elect to stay at the 5th station until the morning you will need 1,700 for the bus ride down to Kawaguchi-ko station, Yen 7,500 for a basic but friendly business hotel, about Yen 1,500 for take out dinner and drink at a 7-11 store, and about Yen 2,500 for the rail fare back to Tokyo. Do not count on being able to use credit cards everywhere during your journey. Carry enough cash just in case.

The following day I caught the 06:15 train back to arrive mid-morning in Tokyo. Local trains are frequent to Otsuki where you change to either a local orange colored [slower but cheaper] or Azusa express [an additional express supplement is payable] train on the JR Chuo line which runs from Shinjuku to Kofu, Matsumoto and Nagano cities. Alternatively, at certain times of the day a direct to Shinjuku train runs on the line from Fuji which means you can relax all the way home.

Food - For those on a diet you must forget about this for a while.

A good technique to secure extra stored energy is to deliberately increase your carbohydrate intake about 3 days before your climb. Eating food high in carbohydrate content and only light exercise and proper rest before the climb will prove very beneficial. Carbohydrates are fuel for your body so feed it just the same as you would fill up a gas tank several times during a long journey.

High calorific and healthy snacks should be consumed regularly during the climb, with an emphasis of only one third of calories derived from fat. Several packets on Yen 100 packs of Ritz Cheese crackers, chocolate and raisin biscuits are useful to carry instead of dry and sawdust tasting sports and diet snacks. Read the package labels closely. Forget your diet. Your body needs a fuel of maximum carbohydrate content with minimum weight and good taste.An excellent tip is to buy the equivalent of a Japanese rice sandwich. They can easily be found in any Convenience Store for about Yen 130 each. They are triangular or round shaped, often wrapped in a sheet of seaweed, and fit in the palm of your hand. Buy half a dozen fresh ones in Shinjuku before you leave. They come with different flavor fillings. My favorites are tuna or vinegared salmon but they also come in many other imaginative flavors.

Trail mix is not usually available in Japan but you can make your own poor man’s version before you go from buying individual packets of raisins and nuts. I normally buy fruity breakfast cereal as a base from the local Japanese supermarket and mix some extra packets of raisins and nuts with it. Buy the cereal in bag form rather than boxes of cereal. Comparing the price of cereal in box form to bag form shows you usually get twice the amount in a bag for a better price. Do not make the mistake of buying bran cereal. One of its well known effects is to keep your body’s eliminations regular. Your objective is to climb Fuji rather than keep stopping for toilet breaks.

Rice, fortunately for the climber, is the staple food in the Far East and is rather high in calories [approx 225 per serving] with about 90 % of calories derived from carbohydrates. So anything with rice in it is good, including freeze dried meal packets you boil up yourself and which can be brought in Iishi Sports store in Shinjuku.

An apple as a snack will give you 80 calories of energy [100% derived from carbohydrates], a banana 127 calories [95% derived from carbohydrates] and an orange 64 calories [99% derived from carbohydrates]. Raisins are also a very good buy at 110 calories per quarter serving [99% derived from carbohydrates.

To work out your energy needs here are some interesting comparisons.

Standing quietly will burn 109 kilocalories per hour, which is about the same as eating a meal or lying down. Climbing with no load will burn around 508, with a 5kg load around 546 or a 10 kg load around 588 kilocalories. On the other hand moderately fast stairclimbing will burn 659 whilst a fast pace will burn 874 kilocalories. Climbing Fuji in the later stages feels more like stair climbing !

Reckon on your pack being probably around the 5-10kg mark if you carry additional things like camera lenses or tripods.

Contrast that with your resting energy expenditure [REE].

This is calculated as 6.95 x your weight in pounds +679 if you are 18-30 years old or 5.27 x your weight in pounds +879 if you are 30-60 years old.

Once you have calculated your REE you multiply that by what is called an activity factor. Driving a car is 1.3, light walking is 1.6, riding a bike 1.7, climbing 2.1 and a running race 2.4.

If you multiply you REE by 2.1 this will give you a guide to your daily energy requirement for climbing Fuji with a little bit of science support behind you.

Extra food and drink is readily available for purchase at rest huts climbing up Fuji and at the Summit.

Drink - Get yourself well hydrated several days before you go. Down in the plains of Tokyo the summer temperature is hot and humid. Perhaps 30 degrees C so you may be less hydrated before you start than you should be.

You will climb to about 5 degrees C at the summit. As you climb and exercise your sense of thirst is naturally dulled so it is very important to take regular water breaks every 20-30 minutes or so. Even if you do not feel thirsty you must continue to deliberately consume fluids like clockwork twice or three times an hour. Don’t skip because you don’t feel thirsty. Carry 500 ml PET bottles for easy drinking on the move. One, perhaps two, 1.5L PET bottles can be kept in your rucksack if you don’t want to pay the higher prices on Fuji. Don’t consume alcohol while on the move as it will dehydrate you and is dangerous.

A Camel Back fluid holder is a good idea if your rucksack has the facility for one. They are expensive but useful however PET bottles are quite adequate and light enough to squash and bring back from your trek.

Crampons - useful to carry a set if climbing early in the season when the snow has not quite melted and the trail has not yet been traveled heavily.

They come in a handy pouch with elasticated straps and cost around Yen 2,000

Rucksack - If you have not brought a rucksack recently this may be a good time. You are basically looking for four things.

First, is lots of padding on the shoulder straps. If you have a rucksack already you might consider adding some extra padding in this area for your climb. Second, is a belt strap. Loads are easier supported on your hips rather than shoulders. Many modern rucksacks have a belt, not the chest strap you often see on cheaper rucksacks to make them look good. A wide belt with lots of padding is best. Thirdly, the surface that contacts with your back has a ventilated or honeycomb material to keep you cooler and less sweaty. Fourthly, are the seams and zip fasteners sealed or not. Water will get in and spoil your load otherwise even though the rest of the material is waterproof.

Toothbrush - Take a toothbrush along with you and use bottled water to rinse.