Hikers are seen at the fifth station of Mount Fuji’s Fujinomiya Trail, in the Shizuoka Prefecture city of Fujinomiya, in this June 22, 2013, file photo. (Mainichi/Koichiro Tezuka)
NUMAZU, Shizuoka — Direct bus services connecting Mishima Station in the city of Mishima, Shizuoka Prefecture, and the fifth station of Mount Fuji’s Fujinomiya Trail will be operated for the first time this summer, enabling day-trip climbing.
Fujikyu City Bus Inc., based in the Shizuoka Prefecture city of Numazu, has announced the launch of the “Fugaku Liner,” the first bus service connecting the two locations without stops, from July 10 to Sept. 10. This service responds to the prefecture’s new summer regulation restricting the entry in Mount Fuji for day-trip climbing to between 3 a.m. and 2 p.m., and anticipates use by foreign tourists as well.
While there has been a summer-only route bus service for this section, the bus stops at every station, making the whole trip take about two hours, and there has been no early morning service. In contrast, the Fugaku Liner will complete the journey in 90 minutes, with three daily departures from Mishima Station at 5:30 a.m., 6:45 a.m. and noon, catering to day-trippers who wish to start their hike early.
A bus used for the “Fugaku Liner” service is seen in this photo provided by Fujikyu City Bus Inc.
Meanwhile, the buses back from the fifth station of the Fujinomiya Trail will make four trips daily, departing at 8:30 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 5:35 p.m. The ascent to the summit on the Fujinomiya Trail takes about five hours, while the descent takes around three hours. The two morning buses are intended for those staying overnight in mountain huts, while the afternoon buses target day-trippers. By using the Fugaku Liner for both trips, foreign tourists staying at hotels near Mishima Station can also complete a day trip to the summit of Mount Fuji.
The fare is 3,500 yen (about $24) for adults and 1,750 yen (around $12) for infants and elementary school students one way. The buses bound for Fujinomiya Trail’s fifth station from Mishima Station require reservations in principle, with all seats assigned, and bookings are available from one month in advance through Fujikyuko Co.’s online reservation service “Sekitori”. Passengers can board without a reservation, however, if seats are available on the day of the trip. Meanwhile, the buses bound for Mishima Station from the Fujinomiya Trail will operate on a first-come, first-served basis and do not accept reservations.
A representative at Fujikyu City Bus stated, “We established this service to adapt to the changes in climbing regulations and to accommodate various climbing styles. We hope it will become well-known through word-of-mouth from users.”
(Japanese original by Hiroshi Ishikawa, Numazu Local Bureau)
AloJapan.com