Mt. Fuji Subashiri opens
- Japan reopened the Subashiri Line up Mount Fuji, restoring access to the fifth‑station shrine for spring climbers. - The route to the fifth station on the Subashiri Line officially opened this week, attracting adventure seekers. - Hikers posted early-climb videos and reactions as the route resumed for the spring season. (x.com)
Mount Fuji’s Subashiri access road is set to reopen at 11 a.m. on Friday, April 24, restoring vehicle access to the Subashiri 5th Station after the winter closure. (gotemba.jp) The reopening covers the Fujiazami Line, formally Shizuoka Prefectural Route 150, on the 11.5-kilometer stretch from the Azami Line entrance in Oyama to Subashiri-guchi 5th Station, according to the Gotemba City Tourism Association. The notice said snow removal work had reached the point where the closure could be lifted. (gotemba.jp) Shizuoka’s official Mt. Fuji road page says the three Shizuoka-side 5th-station roads — Fujinomiya, Gotemba and Subashiri — are typically reopened in late April after winter shutdowns. The same page said the Subashiri-side road had been closed since November 17, 2025. (pref.shizuoka.jp) This is road access, not the start of the summer summit season. The official Mt. Fuji climbing site says the Subashiri Trail itself is scheduled to open on July 1, while Shizuoka’s 2026 climbing restrictions apply from early July through September 10. (fujisan-climb.jp, fujisan-climb.jp) That distinction matters at Fuji because “5th Station” is the mountain’s main gateway zone: a trailhead area with parking, shops, and shrines, well below the summit. The official route guide says the Subashiri Trail begins from the Subashiri Trail 5th Station on the mountain’s eastern side in Oyama, Shizuoka Prefecture. (fujisan-climb.jp) Early spring visitors often go to the 5th Station for snow views, sightseeing and shrine visits rather than full ascents. The official climbing site warns that off-season conditions can bring snow, ice, hypothermia and altitude sickness, and Shizuoka says winter-closed trail sections are legally off-limits. (fujisan-climb.jp, pref.shizuoka.jp) Drivers will not get full-day access right away. The April 17 notice said the Shizuoka-side 5th-station roads, including Subashiri, are expected to remain closed overnight from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. until around mid-May. (gotemba.jp) By the end of April, that means Fuji’s eastern gateway is reopening for spring, while the mountain above it remains in its off-season posture until the July climbing start. (gotemba.jp, fujisan-climb.jp)
