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Mount Fuji Climbing Rules 2026: Fees, Caps and Gate Hours
=========================================================

 August 01, 2026 

 *Updated August 1, 2026*

> **TL;DR:** In 2026 every climber pays a mandatory **¥4,000 fee** on all four trails, on both the Yamanashi and Shizuoka sides. Trail entry is blocked from **2 pm to 3 am** for anyone without a mountain hut booking. The Yoshida Trail carries a **4,000-climbers-per-day cap** (never yet reached); Shizuoka's three trails have no cap. Same-day registration exists on both sides, so a spontaneous climb is still possible: check our [visibility forecast](https://isfujivisible.com/#visibility-forecast) the night before and pick a clear window.

---

2026 season dates
-----------------

| Trail | Side | Open | Close |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yoshida | Yamanashi | July 1 | September 10 |
| Subashiri | Shizuoka | July 1, 9 am | September 10, 5 pm |
| Fujinomiya | Shizuoka | July 10, 9 am | September 10, 5 pm |
| Gotemba | Shizuoka | July 10, 9 am | September 10, 5 pm |

Sources: the official climbing portal's [Yamanashi notice](https://www.fujisan-climb.jp/en/yamanashi-notice/) and [Shizuoka notice](https://www.fujisan-climb.jp/en/shizuoka-notice/). The summit crater loop (ohachi-meguri) opens July 10 with the Fujinomiya and Gotemba trails. The big 2026 change: **Subashiri now opens July 1**, aligned with Yoshida, because the two trails merge near the 8th station ([Shizuoka Prefecture press release, hosted by JNTO](https://www.jnto.go.jp/news/m20260501_1.pdf)). Whichever trailhead you enter is where you register and pay; the fee is charged once per climb.

---

The ¥4,000 fee
--------------

Both prefectures charge **¥4,000 per person, per climb**, on every trail. It is mandatory under prefectural ordinance, not a donation: the old ¥1,000 voluntary conservation contribution [was discontinued after the 2024 season](https://www.pref.shizuoka.jp/kankosports/kanko/mtfuji/1002809/1019061.html) and its programs are now funded from the fee.

Practical points, all from the [official portal FAQ](https://www.fujisan-climb.jp/faq/) (Japanese) and prefecture pages:

- **Children pay too.** The fee is only waived for school-curriculum activities arranged in advance.
- **Hut guests still pay** on the Yoshida side; a hut booking exempts you from the gate hours and the daily cap, not the fee ([Yamanashi notice](https://www.fujisan-climb.jp/en/yamanashi-notice/)).
- **Pay online or at the trailhead.** Major credit cards and QR payments (PayPay and others) are accepted both online and on site.
- **There is no ATM at the 5th stations.** Bring what you need before you ride up.

---

Gate hours: 2 pm to 3 am needs a hut booking
--------------------------------------------

The rule is the same on both sides, enforced differently:

- **Yoshida:** a physical gate at the Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station is **closed from 2 pm to 3 am the following day**. Anyone with a hut reservation passes anytime, no extra paperwork. Descent is not restricted. ([Yamanashi notice](https://www.fujisan-climb.jp/en/yamanashi-notice/))
- **Fujinomiya, Subashiri, Gotemba:** no cap and the trailheads stay staffed, but **entering between 2 pm and 3 am requires proof of a hut booking**, checked at reception, and registered climbers wear wristbands. ([Shizuoka notice](https://www.fujisan-climb.jp/en/shizuoka-notice/))

The window exists to stop "bullet climbing", the overnight no-sleep push that historically produced most hypothermia and altitude-sickness cases. A one-day climb is still legal if you enter right at the 3 am reopening; our [climbing guide](/blog/climbing-mount-fuji) explains why the overnight hut plan is the better idea anyway.

---

The Yoshida daily cap, and why it should not scare you
------------------------------------------------------

Yoshida is capped at **4,000 climbers per day**, not counting hut guests. In practice the cap has never filled. The official FAQ reports **zero days over the limit in both 2024 and 2025**. Yamanashi's published daily permit data for July 1 to 15, 2026 peaked at **3,361 permits on Saturday, July 11** ([official daily table, PDF](https://www.pref.yamanashi.jp/documents/116488/260701~260715.pdf)).

Same-day permits are explicitly available ("we also reserve a same-day allocation", per the [FAQ](https://www.fujisan-climb.jp/faq/), Japanese), so a flexible climber who waits for a clear-sky forecast is not locked out.

---

Where to register
-----------------

- **Yoshida (Yamanashi):** the official Yoshida route reservation system, linked from the [Yamanashi notice](https://www.fujisan-climb.jp/en/yamanashi-notice/). Reservations for 2026 opened April 27.
- **Shizuoka trails:** pre-register from May 8 through the **Shizuoka FUJI NAVI** app or [fujisan223registration.com](https://fujisan223registration.com/2026/jp.html) (Japanese; the app runs in seven languages), including a short rules e-learning and test.
- **No smartphone?** Both sides allow full on-site registration at the 5th station; Shizuoka says to allow about 30 minutes for the paperwork and rules briefing.

**Gear check on Yoshida:** staff at the gate check for cold-weather clothing, separate top-and-bottom rain gear, and footwear suited to the mountain, and can refuse entry to the badly equipped ([Yamanashi Prefecture](https://www.pref.yamanashi.jp/fujisan/annzenn/documents/r8fujitozan.html)).

---

Refunds: the two sides could not be more different
--------------------------------------------------

| Policy | Yamanashi (Yoshida) | Shizuoka (3 trails) |
|---|---|---|
| Cancel with refund | Only until the day after payment | **Any time up to the day of entry, full refund** |
| Change your date | Until the day before your climb | Free changes |
| Weather refund | Only if the Subaru Line itself closes | Covered by cancel-anytime |

Source: [official portal FAQ](https://www.fujisan-climb.jp/faq/) and the [Shizuoka notice](https://www.fujisan-climb.jp/en/shizuoka-notice/) ("You can cancel your entry procedure (full refund) up until the day of entry"). If your dates are uncertain and you have not chosen a trail yet, this asymmetry is a real argument for the Shizuoka side.

---

What changed vs 2025
--------------------

- **Subashiri opens July 1** instead of July 10, matching Yoshida.
- Everything else carried over from [last season's rules](/blog/fuji-climb-rules-2025): the ¥4,000 fee on both sides, the 2 pm to 3 am window, the Yoshida cap, the gear check, and the Shizuoka e-learning and wristbands.

---

Quick FAQ
---------

| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| *Can I climb without booking anything?* | Yes. Same-day registration exists on both sides, and the Yoshida cap has never been reached. You still cannot enter between 2 pm and 3 am without a hut booking. |
| *Do 5th-station sightseers pay the fee?* | No. The fee and registration cover entry to the climbing trail beyond the gate; visiting a 5th station itself needs neither ([official portal](https://www.fujisan-climb.jp/en/)). |
| *Do kids pay the ¥4,000?* | Yes. Only pre-arranged school-curriculum climbs are exempt. |
| *Can I get my money back if the weather turns?* | Shizuoka: yes, full refund until the day of entry. Yamanashi: effectively no, unless the Subaru Line closes. |
| *Which trail should a first-timer pick?* | Yoshida has the most huts and services; see our [full climbing guide](/blog/climbing-mount-fuji) for the route comparison. |
| *When are summit views most likely?* | Dawn, before the daily cloud builds. Check the [visibility forecast](https://isfujivisible.com/#visibility-forecast) the night before. |

---

### Useful links

- **Official climbing portal (English):** [fujisan-climb.jp/en](https://www.fujisan-climb.jp/en/)
- **Yamanashi notice:** [fujisan-climb.jp/en/yamanashi-notice](https://www.fujisan-climb.jp/en/yamanashi-notice/)
- **Shizuoka notice:** [fujisan-climb.jp/en/shizuoka-notice](https://www.fujisan-climb.jp/en/shizuoka-notice/)
- **Our real-time Mt. Fuji visibility forecast:** [isfujivisible.com](https://isfujivisible.com/#visibility-forecast)
- **[Guided Mt. Fuji climbing tours on Klook](https://affiliate.klook.com/redirect?aid=94629&aff_adid=1235894&k_site=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.klook.com%2Fdestination%2Fp50001218-fuji-mountain%2F1-things-to-do%2F)** if you would rather have the logistics handled

---

*Affiliate note: Some links in this post may be affiliate links. If you book through them we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.*

     Orkhan Farmanli

Creator of isfujivisible.com

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