(photo from my 2019 Mt. Fuji climb)
Today the 2026 climbing season ends for this year. There have been some sad and strange stories in the news this year.
1) 99-year-old woman rescued while attempting to climb Mt. Fuji
A 99 year old woman from Iwate, Fukushima began climbing the Fujinomiya Trail on July 15th with friends. She stumbled and hurt herself that day, then spent two nights in a mountain hut near the 7th of the 10 stations. At 7 am on July 17th, her friend called emergency services and rescue workers evacuated her from the mountain to a nearby hospital. She received medical treatment for back pain and her life was not in danger.
2) First death of the season
On July 17th, a 65 year old man from Nara fell and hit his head on a hard surface on the Fujinomiya Trail. Emergency rescue and medical services were called but the man died from his injuries.
3) Foreign hiker becomes the second fatality
On July 21st, a 58 year old man from Switzerland was hiking on the Fujinomiya Trail with his son. They stopped for a rest at a mountain hut near the 7th station when the father fell unconscious. The son alerted the hut staff, who called Shizuoka Prefectural Police’s mountain rescue team. They were able to resuscitate the man and take him to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The medical investigation is ongoing.
4) German woman rescued, then went on to climb again
On August 19th, a 33 year old German woman began hiking with a companion, beginning at the fifth station on the Fujinomiya Trail. By the time she reached the eighth station, she was suffering from altitude sickness, including dizziness, fatigue, and nausea. After a medical examination at the eighth station medical center, the woman was able to secure an overnight space at a mountain hut where she slept overnight. Before dawn the next morning, she was back on the trail and continued on to reach the top. Unfortunately, she was not able to make it down on her own and had to be rescued and taken down by Shizuoka Prefectural Police’s mountain rescue team, then taken to the hospital for treatment.
5) Father leaves 7 year old son alone on mountain
On August 20th, a 48 year old father and his two sons, age 7 and 12, started climbing the Fujinomiya Trail at the fifth station. Around the sixth station, the 7 year old became fussy and began complaining he was tired. The father told the 7 year old to “wait here”, and continued climbing to the top with the older child. At 7:40 the next morning, when it was raining and fog was forming, a worker at a mountain hut invited the young boy inside, and contacted the police. The police learned the father’s name and were able to call him and tell him to come down now and get his 7 year old. The dad and the older child were at the eighth station. Thankfully, the 7 year old was not physically harmed.
6) Two unconscious climbers
Two climbers were found unconscious in separate incidents at different places on the mountain on September 9th. One climber was found collapsed near the summit about 5:40 am. The other was found at 7:00 am at the New 7th Station on the Fujinomiya Trail.
7) Landslide at Mt, Fuji Fujinomiya 5th station
Finally, yesterday, September 9th, just after midnight, a landslide occurred at the Fujinomiya 5th Station parking lot, which buried three cars. No drivers, passengers, or climbers were in or near the cars and there were no injuries. Debris blocked the roadway and heavy machinery was dispatched but continuing bad weather makes the recovery and reopening time unknown.
And so the 2026 climbing season will end.
