Maybe it's just me, but all of a sudden after midnight, the climb in front of us (and behind us) was extremely crowded all of a sudden. The climb was slow, but it meant that we didn't have to take as many breaks.
We reached the summit at around 3:40 AM, after climbing for around eight hours and forty minutes. Sunrise wasn't for another hour and 20. We initially waited with a bunch of other climbers near the summit entrance, but that area started to get crowded. There was a rock clearing off to the side, away from the buildings, that offered us a spot to camp out. Unlike 2014, it wasn't windy, so we didn't have to look for shelter against the howling wind. At long last, sunrise came, and it was a magnificent sight. I mentioned this before, but I cannot think of a better place to see the sunrise (despite the climb). People started shouting "Banzai" (Hurray!) and some started to sing Kimigayo (the Japanese national anthem).
After seeing the crater, or what I assumed was the crater, it was time to descend the volcano. The descent was a far lot harder than what I remembered. It could be due to the fatigue that was slowly settling in, or perhaps going downhill, slipping on the loose rocks. I had to take far more breaks going downhill than going uphill. Also, there were a whack of wasps/hornets flitting around our heads again... After four and a half hours, we finally reached the 5th station. The first thing I did was to sit at the center of the fifth station to relax for a while. Once rested, we purchased tickets for the bus back to Shinjuku. I was looking for a souvenir coin machine, and found one at a souvenir shop by the shrine. The coin had the same design as the one in 2015, just with a change of year. After purchasing and customizing the coin, we went to offer our thanks to the shrine for a safe climb.
The bus ride back to Shinjuku felt like a charter bus, since there were only 3 other people with us on the bus. I managed to get some shut eye, which was much needed at this point, for I went 24 hours without proper sleep. We purchased some food, including an exquisite corn dog, it was back to the hotel to relax. I couldn't sleep so I ended up doing laundry.
Fortunately I did pass out at around 10 PM. It was my third time climbing Mount Fuji (summit in 2014 and 2019, and to the middle 8th station hut in 2015). I doubt I'll ever do it again, for the climb took a toll on my body. For the rest of the trip, I don't think I felt as energized as I did before the climb.
But that sunrise... it's something worth seeing. I hope the memories are forever ingrained in my mind. If not, who wants to climb Mount Fuji with me next time?
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