Visit Japan Web Yoshida Trail
Visit Japan Web invites you to explore the Yoshida Trail. It is situated in the southeastern part of Yamanashi near the border with Shizuoka. Most individuals who ascend Mt. Fuji through this trail do so from the fifth station. But some adventurous climbers still commence their journeys to the summit of the sacred volcano from the historical entrance. It’s at Kitaguchi Hongu Fuji Sengen-jinja Shrine. The whole process takes several additional hours.
During the Edo period, adherents of the Fujiko faith would begin their climbs of Mt. Fuji from a small gate. It’s at the rear of the Kitaguchi Hongu Fuji Sengen-jinja Shrine. If you are planning to hike the trail behind the shrine, it is advisable to plan your route using the GPS feature available on most smartphones.
At the main trail entrance to Umagaeshi, you will encounter a pair of stone monkeys guarding the gate. Access by rail is available from Shinjuku Station. Visitors can take an express train on the JR Chuo Line. Then transfer at Otsuki Station for the privately run Fuji Kyuko Line to Fujisan Station. The regular train takes about 50 minutes to reach this station. It is the closest station to Kitaguchi Hongu Fuji Sengen-jinja Shrine and the Yoshida Trail. Nowadays, very few people attempt to climb Mt. Fuji from the actual base. But the first five stations ascend through the forested section of Mt. Fuji. As you climb, you will notice stone monuments at each historic station donated by various chapters of the Fujiko faith.
