I will be visiting my Japanese friend in Osaka in July. I plan to climb Mt Fuji. Is it possible to go to the 5-lakes area (Kawaguchiko) directly from Osaka (without going to Tokyo first) ? I do not want to join a tour group. Write-ups on Mt Fuji says that it is always hidden by clouds, and that July is rainy. Is it still worth the trouble of doing the climb to see the sunrise ? <BR>I am also looking for budget accomodation, budget but with private bathroom. Does anyone have recommendations ? Thanks.

Dear cb <BR> It is possible to go to Fujinomiya or <BR>Gotenba from Osaka by rail.Fujinomiya and Gotenba are gateways to Mt.Fuji.You have to change trains 2 or 3 times;it takes 4 or 5 hours.But you need not to go to Tokyo first. <BR> Rainy season usually ends around 20th in July. <BR> I am a resident in Japan,but I have never climbed Mt.Fuji. So I don't know it is worth or not.Climing Mt.Fuji is very popular in summer in Japan. <BR>

In Japan, if somebody describes a person "like Mt Fuji", then this means that he maybe look nice from a distance but he is not when getting closer. Some part of the summit is actually nasty and smell. <BR> <BR>But still, we Japanese love to climb Mt Fuji as an experience of once in a life time. <BR> <BR>From Osaka, take Shinkansen to Mishima, then take a bus to Shingogome, from which it's just four hours of climbing. <BR>You don't have to join a tour, just follow other people. Bring a flashlight if you climb during the night time. <BR> <BR>Have fun. <BR>

cb, <BR> I'm from the States and climbed Fuji with friends in '94. We tried to do the train thing, and got on an express (by mistake) that took us past the right stop. By the time we got to the hut (5th station?)it was 9:30 and everyone else was in bed. They fed us some warmed over soup. [these "huts" were 5000 yen back then and were simply large dorm rooms, but you can get a quick start on the hike.] <BR> We were there in early August, dreadful heat wave in the valley, but very pleasant hiking (some got very bad sunburns, though). Saw sunrise through far off clouds. The low clouds rolled in about 11am. <BR> Yes, it did smell. Thousands climb it every year, and they didn't have proper septic systems at the stations(I have heard they are trying to fix that) For water, you can either drink from holding tanks that catch runoff from the roofs of the stations, or pay for bottled water that get's more expensive as you go up (again, we were there in a heat wave; I drank 5-6 liters!) <BR> It may seem like a waste of money at the time, but buy a hiking stick and have it branded at each of the stations as you go up - a great momento to take home.

Thanks to all your replies and advice. I will remember not to compare anyone to Mt Fuji no matter how beautiful the mountain is. cb